Taxi Driver Online

It has been suggested on other threads that the autobook systems used by many hundreds of businesses that merely put in a pickup address with destination to be advised are actually in breach of PCO or LA regulations.

If anyone has any comments or knows of instances of prosecutions please could they post their comments..

Thanks
Stewart Harding
Diplomat

True Stewart, there must be a destination stated as well as a pick up point.

Yes I understand that.
Is it legal to change the destination once you are POB ??

From my reading of the 1976 Act, it merely says that councils can attach conditions on operators before the commencement of each journey.

This is unlike the London Act which specifically states that a destination is recorded.

So outside of London a council can, and many do, stipulate that a destination is taken. But what is a destination?

Would England do, or say Sussex? What happens if the destination is given wrong by the customers? Is the booking then illegal, and un-insured?

What happens if the customers doesn't know where he/she is going? Is "it's the big white house, just down the side street, by that pub with the sign, you know the one with the Duck on" a good enough destination for the act?

I also wonder how many operators have lost their license because they didn't have destinations? I suspect not many, if any.

You would have thought since the advent of these supa dupa data systems, many councils would have revoked operators licenses, or not allowed such data systems to be used.

But they are being used, so perhaps that answers your original question.

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IDFIMH

I think like all things these laws are in place to protect the innocent party. It occurs to me that I have never heard of a single instance of a warning let alone a prosecution being brought about.
I think that would only occur if these systems were being used an an abusive way that led to someone suffering personal or commercial loss.
It is a shame we don't have any council bods on the forum. It would be interesting to hear their POV.

I think we will always put a default drop off address in future, say the RW station and let the driver make the correction once POB.

How did you know where I lived?

Alex

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on our auriga we sometimes have 'mobile' as the destination as set by the ofiice, when they are not 100% or the punter is a litle bit slurred on the phone. when we know sort out where the punter is going i can key in an area code that gets sent back to the office computer.

That is currently how our system works Steve.
What is the current mood of the local authority towards sending a Job offer with the destination unknown?

I too work with the Auriga system, and if the office is unsure of a destination, then they just say unknown, or they guess.

I think any council that really wants to get into this and make a name for themselves, is on a hiding to nothing.

Which is why they either shy away, or allow flexibility on this issue.

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IDFIMH

My thoughts entirely.
I think this is a case of rules are for the guidance of wise men and the strict observation of fools.

I have had similar discussions with licencing officers about cross border hiring issues.

If no one is complaining about a situation and nobody stands to lose anything then what is the purpose of enforcement.

It depends upon the way the actual "VEHICLE" is licensed Stewart. Look at the legislation.

If the vehicle is licensed as a Hackney Carriage, then even if called by phone, it is still not the same as a true private hire. A Hackney Carriage is not required by law to keep individual details of its hirings, irrespective of the way these hirings came about.

On the other hand, a vehicle licensed as Private Hire IS required to operate to a pre-booked specification. Ie. A contract between the Hirer and the Hiree.

Furthermore, Local Authorities have powers to decree what records are kept for a PH car, and in some areas, these are very prescriptive, such as Thurrock, London, etc. In some areas however, Councils do not set such stringent record keeping requirements.

In summary, you should be OK with all Hacks, as the autobook job is just a 21st Century "Flag or Hail". But for PH its down to pleasing the local Council.

Hows about, for all PH autobook customers, set up a standard contract terms and conditions direct with the customer (thus complying with the national legislative "pre-booked" aspect), and then have each job initially booked as a flat minimum rate job to a specific point, which the customer then "chooses to change" when boarding.

Better still, have Jason sort it so that the customer can type their destination into their phone - it is simply sending a text message to the computer that contains all the required booking details.

PS. If you want to use our new system as a test bed, feel free. Then, while you are at it, you could get Jason working on our "Next available cab will be XX minutes at your destination" text message that our booking system sends back to the customer...

while, simultaneously, the computer is sorting Jason's algorythms to see which taxibus' passengers itineraries are closest to a vehicle currently on the road, while despatching that said vehicle to the pickup point, while simultaneously calculating each individual pasnegers fares, while simultaneously updating the fares collected database and working out what the driver has to pay in when he finishes his shift while simultaneously rolling a cigarette for Peter, pouring a coffee for Jason (he doesnt have time to do this for himself), and simultaneously working out what extra discount you will offer us for prototype work on he system we are just about to buy.

(PS, while simultaneously sending a signal to the telematics panel at the next bus stop, telling the passengers waiting there, why their taxibus is late because it is diverting off route to pick up another passenger who couldnt be bothered to walk to the bus stop).

(PPS. While simultaneously telling me what commission you might pay me, for developing and proving in full scale operation, the worlds first such comprehensive Taxi come TaxiBus system in existance.)

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

PPPP.S Am I getting boring?

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Spot on Andy, Justice collins and Justice Silber agree with you.

Regards

JD

I hope Andy 7 wasn't holding his breath for that reply.

It was nearly three years ago he asked.

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IDFIMH

Worth the wait though. If JD agrees with you, you know you've made it in life.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.