Taxi Driver Online

Since when has the limo association thought it is a scam? I think you have that wrong Sussex. Just how many prosecutions have arisen from operators working under schedule 6 rules? In fact if I remember rightly, in January when the contract exemption came into force you thought that unlicenced limos would be taken off the road but that hasn't happened either has it?

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Grandad,

Admittedly they don't say that on the record, but both of us know off the record is a different issue.

The site says;

Schedule six domestic minibus

Many of the larger limousines derived from the 4X4 sports utility vehicles have now been adapted to meet these regulations. They may be hired to the client only as self drive vehicles, the driver must come from a totally independent source, and provided that they are insured as self drive then they may legally carry up to the number of passengers displayed on the plate on the vehicle.

These vehicles must not be offered with the services of a driver, as this would then constitute hire and reward and would therefore not be legal.

Now I suspect less than 1% of limo hires using the scam are operating under the above rules, which in itself I think are illegal.

Or would you like to put your guess of a % up?

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IDFIMH

Not enough, but then again the enforcement activities of VOSA are an utter disgrace.

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IDFIMH

So you must be the only person in the UK that thinks there are the same number of unlicensed stretch limos as before Jan this year.

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IDFIMH

is there any fundamental reason why a limo (and i refer to, say, a stretch yank, LHD,etc) shouldnt be a PH vehicle?

Three reasons, iffy drivers, iffy vehicles and iffy operators.

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IDFIMH

A limo business in Brighton got fined and also lost a license from the traffic commissioner.

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Unmet demand you're having a laugh

No Not at all, there are a lot of operators that have actually got themselves licensed since January but there are still a hell of a lot out there that have just not bothered and they still operate. Last year I saw VOSA checks on limos most weekends from May to July. This year I saw none at all, although one of my mates did get inspected in Leicester. He was of course licensed, but through VOSA and not his LA.

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Grandad,

ignoring the drivers+operators for a while

when you say "iffy vehicles" do you mean dodgy/damaged/etc or just the fact they are imported, or LHD or unusual seating arrangement?

Some councils simply refuse to license stretched limousines. Although I don't know of any operator who has lost an appeal to the courts on this matter. Of course the costs involved put most people off from trying. To start with you need to get your operators license which can be expensive in some areas. Then you have to buy your vehicle and get it inspected, most councils do not have the facilities to inspect, Then you send your application in and get it refused before you can go to court. If you lose then you have a limo that you can't use. The alternative is to operate under either PCV or restricted PCV. The restricted PCV route is ok provided the operation of the limousines is not your main job. Provided you keep to the rules then you have no problems going down this route and the driver does not even need a pcv license for 8 passenger vehicles and no medical or crb check.

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Grandad,

He means he doesn't like them.

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Grandad,

i think "8 in the back" is plenty, more is a bus


end of...

Vehicles not meeting the local council's required standards.

Also bench seating, and lack of escape routes, especially when you take into account how easy they burn.

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IDFIMH

That is why over 8s require a pcv driver.

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Grandad,

Thats not right...........
If a council DO license them , then there cant be any iffy drivers, iffy vehicles and iffy operators. as they would not grant any of the above a license.