Taxi Driver Online

CCTV to foil taxi yobs

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Private-hire-car-firm-pays-blanket-CCTV/article-282912-detail/article.html

A CITY private hire car firm is thought to be the first major company of its kind in Britain to install CCTV cameras in all its vehicles.

The move by DG Cars, of Mansfield Road, Sherwood, comes after an increase in physical and verbal abuse against drivers.

It is costing the firm more than £90,000 to put cameras with audio in 300-plus vehicles.

Ajmil Ali , a director of the firm, said: "One of our more inexperienced drivers was assaulted and robbed three months ago in Sherwood by three lads he had picked up in St Ann's.

"We've also had an increase in runners – customers making off without paying - in the past year. We have two, three, sometimes four a day."

Mr Ali said a number of DG Cars had been used to test the CCTV equipment over recent weeks, with every vehicle in the firm's fleet set to have them by the end of September.

A 38-year-old driver, who did not want to be named, was the first to use the gear. .

"The feedback from customers has been fantastic, especially women aged 18 to 25. Nobody minds the cameras being there," he said.

"We've tested the camera and tried to hide from it inside a car but it picks up everything."

Daniel Cooper, 38, from north Nottingham, who has been driving for DG Cars for five years, said: "I stopped doing early morning shifts because of the abuse I got. I've had a camera in my car a month and, because I feel much safer, I've started doing early morning shifts again.

"I recently had one customer who I sensed was going to run off without paying as I pulled in to drop him off.

"I pointed out the camera and he swore before reaching into his pocket and producing two fivers for the fare. It's a huge deterrent."

Inspector Paul Winter, police local area commander for the city centre, said: "If customers know there is CCTV in a private hire vehicle they are more likely to behave themselves. They can also be reassured that they will be treated appropriately by the driver."

Ray Butterworth, Secretary of the Association of Notts Private Hire Operators, said: "CCTV cameras should be a tool of the trade for private hire drivers in this day and age."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin