Taxi Driver Online

South Wales Evening Post

November 16, 2007 Friday

Wheelchair 'dropped' by cabbies

Cab drivers in Swansea should receive specialist training for dealing with disabled passengers before they are granted a licence, according to a concerned couple.

The call follows two separate instances in which sixty-four-year-old Diane Radford was dropped while her wheelchair was being loaded into a taxi cab.

On both occasions Diane, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, fell back and banged her head on the pavement.

Fortunately, she escaped serious injury, but husband Roy said: "It is unbelievable that drivers should be allowed to have a licence unless they have been trained and tested.

"My wife was halfway up a ramp when she fell back and needed help to get back up.

"Without training, anyone can get a licence to drive a cab and just pull up, without understanding the specialist care that is needed."

The first occasion involving Mrs Radford took place in August, when she allegedly toppled backwards while being loaded into a cab outside her home in Elba Street, Gowerton.

It was followed just over two weeks ago, when a similar incident occurred with a different cab firm.

Mr Radford, a former driving instructor with more than 40 years' experience, said: "The driver was so concerned, and he was on his hands and knees to help her. We're not blaming the drivers - they were overwrought.

"But things should be put in place so that to get a licence, a driver should be trained and tested for dealing with disabled people."

A spokesman for one of the cab firms said all their drivers are trained to deal with disabled passengers.

Terry Davies of Data Cabs said: "Our drivers are trained to secure wheelchairs into a vehicle and they are expected to know what to do.

"But there are so many different types of wheelchair on the market, and with an electric wheelchair it is different because you do not have any physical control.

"This incident is being investigated by Swansea Council so I cannot comment at the moment."

No-one was available for comment from A&R Cabs.

However, a council spokesman said: "

Under the terms of the licence, taxi proprietors are required to ensure their drivers are fully conversant with all equipment used to assist passengers with disabilities.

"In view of the concerns raised we will also be reminding all proprietors and drivers of Hackney carriage vehicles of their responsibilities as licence holders."
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I see no mention of this lady's weight, maybe she is 25 stone, maybe the drivers trying to put her into a taxi is 10 stone?? is it acceptable that drivers should carry the burden of having to lift/push people twice their own weight into a vehicle safey?

Seems a little strange she has now been dropped twice.

There have been several W/C users down here that require 2 drivers just to get them in the cab, then that driver has to struggle on his own at the destination, this is just not right.

It also does not mention if it was an electric wheelchair ,

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

Here is another letter on the same subject sent to the same Newspaper.
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South Wales Evening Post

November 23, 2007 Friday

Children at risk in minicabs

Re the article headlined Wheelchair dropped by cabbie (Post, November 16), my concern is children in wheelchairs being transported by some private minicab and minibus companies.

I have a son in a wheelchair and have had lots of problems with school transport. I recently retired to be a full-time carer for my son. I was a minibus driver with social services, carrying disabled people. The first thing I was trained to do was how to correctly secure a wheelchair in a vehicle using the correct equipment.

I was also taught to take safety seriously.

Some of the problems I've had over the years are private cabs and minibus drivers turning up, not knowing how to correctly secure the wheelchair. Over the years my son has had lots of private minibuses and I've lost count of how many times he has been incorrectly strapped in. On many occasions I have had to show the driver how safely to strap the chair. As long as there is a regular driver, it's okay, but when they go on leave, it's back to square one.

A number of times he has come home with the straps round the chair's footrest and back wheels, which is incorrect and dangerous. If the vehicle was in a collision or turned over, there is no way the chair would stay secure. Again, when you tell the driver, they look at you as if you're a moaner and say there is nothing wrong.

It is about time private cab firms had drivers and management trained properly before a disabled child is seriously injured. There should be more spot checks by transport inspectors to make sure chairs are safely clamped in.

I urge parents with children in wheelchairs to make sure the chairs are properly positioned and the right straps are used on the correct clamping points, which are marked on the wheelchair, and to make sure the straps are tightened and the seatbelt is correctly put on.

In black cabs, the chair should be facing forward or back and properly secured. Don't be afraid to tell the drivers if you think they are doing it wrong, and report them to transport if they carry on doing it incorrectly. Also, make sure they use the correct ramps for getting the wheelchair in and out of the vehicle.
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