Taxi Driver Online

Got this request for advice via e-mail.

Alex

I would like to seek advice and raise the issue of VOLUNTEER CAR SERVICES in particular in the Lincolnshire region, however this is nationwide problem.

Basically, ANYONE can call themselves a VOLUNTEER CAR SERVICE and convey passengers for whatever purpose. Be it, taking them to the shops, hospital, school or to visit friends. They can charge what they like as no body of people are tasked with governing them. They hide under the guise of being charitable and not running for profit.

However, a visit to many of the car services or check their websites out, or call them and you will find many operate a minimum fee. This can be anything from £3 to £4.50 for the shortest of journeys. To run on a ''NON PROFIT'' basis the maximum they can charge is 40p a mile according to the only regulations governing them which are set out by the tax man.

One such office has opened up some time ago in Sutton on Sea, Lincolnshire. They charge a minimum of £4 and transport old age pensioners to go the local shop and back and charge £4.00. the mileage is minimal one or two there and back. Certainly not 40 miles. Any long journeys they then incur further charges. They have an office where they are based in the village centre and have taken away most of my business forcing me to ask what is the point in staying legitimate. I operate a legal Private Hire Vehicle in an area where the public transport system is practically non existent.

I pay for my Private Hire Licence fee, my Operators Licence, my vehicle licence, my private hire vehicle insurance and tax. I have my vehicle examined every 6 months and I am laden with restrictions, rules and regulations. I am Police checked and scrutinised regularly. I have to keep my car in perfect condition to satisfy the examiners. I cannot afford an office to run my business.

I have complained to the local Police who state that they wont deal with them as it may be construed as harassment. I have contacted the local licensing officer who states that they are legal as they are 'not for profit'. My local MP states it is a matter for the Police or local licensing authority. There is in effect no person willing to deal with illegal taxis.

So basically they are an unregulated body of people who are answerable to no one. They have guidelines laid out by Volunteer for England and other charitable institutions, which are not scrutinised by any department. They are not examined, they are not controlled by any regulatory authority. They can use any sort of vehicle, any sort of person, they can charge what they like and are answerable to no one.

How can this be legal?

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

It's not. Your council are acting the ostrich.

I suggest you either join up with a national union/association, complain to the Ombudsman, or take the council to court.

What has the chair of licensing got to say about this?

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IDFIMH

From memory (& I will have to check this out over the weekend) these 'Voluntary Service Drivers' can charge, but only to cover their expenses & no more.

Usually, this means that their charges cannot exceed the current allowable mileage rates as per HMRC for running the size of vehicle being used. Also, they cannot charge for any waiting time.

£4 for a return journey of two miles total, is way over the top of any HMRC allowable rates. The driver is clearly making a profit, no matter how small, & must be licensed as must his vehicle.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

The problem as I see it is that neither the police nor the council think there is anything wrong and as these are the only people who can take out a prosecution you are basically f**ked. I have a similar problem with Leicester City Council at the moment regarding a stretched limousine company. My company is licensed by my council but LCC say that because they don't license left hand drive vehicles this other company do not need a license.
I am coming to the point where I think why not just take the pi55 and put a load of left hand drive vehicles on the road. Likewise maybe you should just call yourself community transport and do the same.

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Grandad,

Ive the same problem here,

Heres a list of who one large Volunteer group considers fair game under there scheme.

Quote from Getabout.

You can get getabout if you meet any of the following criteria....

You are an older person

You consider yourself to have a disability

You live in a rurally isolated area

You are a young person (if you are under 16 you must be accompanied by a responsible adult?

You are a parent or carer of small children who are under the age of 16

You cannot afford other transport options

You are otherwise unable to access public or private transport


You can use the Services to do anything that involves transport. for example:

Visit your

Doctor
Hospital
Dentist
Chiropodist
Optician
Family and Friends
Local organisation and services
Community centres
Physiotherapist

OR

To have a Day out
Go Shopping
Have Groups social outing
Groups Taking part in meetings

There are many different ways in which getabout can support you_ you may need a volunteer to help you find the correct ward for a hospital appointment, you may wish someone to help you with a shopping trolley. This Scheme is far more than a taxi service_ our volunteers can help you in and out of a vehicle, assist you into your destination, wait with you for support and so on. We hope to help as much as we can.



Membership fee of £2.50 is required to join the scheme. this small fee is charged yearly and contributes to the cost of delivering the scheme.

Every passenger is charged at 40 pence per mile for each journey.



Now call me bloody Cynical but that allows for almost anyone anywhere to qualify as a charity case, simply because if your not old your young and if your not young your old!!!! and as its a rural area , then every one qualifies under that too.

and if they get 40 pence a bloody mile and per passenger then they could be making £1.60 per mile for 4 passengers up to £3.20 if they have an 8 seater.

These so called volunteers have taken away a huge lump of my day time business, the little bread and butter runs that helped greatly.

Its a nothumberland based operation supposedly yet it also takes in the Scottish side of the borders by offering its services here.


This is Highly unfair and surely must be illegal for the most part.

cant find the link, but ullapool voluntary drivers stopped working because highland health board reduced the "tarrif" from 40p to 25p a mile. they said it cost them money at that rate. and I thought they did it as a "free" service.

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

Theres nowt free wi most of these so called Volunteers....theyre about as benevolent towards their clients as Myxomatosis is to Rabbits..

I have been a "volunteer driver" with a council scheme and an ambulance service, both say that as the taxman/AA/RAC reckon theres no profit element at 35p per (every) mile, then its a voluntary service.

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

If these volunteer services have offices and people running these offices then overheads such as heat, light and wages will be taken into account when they say they are non profitable. It's the same as the housing associations that work for non profit

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

The AA,s figures are often way out...on some of the vehicle types ive owned and that they give average milage running costs for, they give a cost per mile to run which is often more than I charge the punter, and thats me making a profit out of it...I think its just a figure they pull out of the air.

They may not Visably make a profit as such, but they must be making more than just what the drivers take or how else will they pay the administrators and coordinators that are not volunteers. if they have say 50,000 of the needy registering for their services at £2.50 a head annually then that equates to £125,000 a year so someones making a damn good living off the back of it, no wonder theyre keen as mustard to start such ventures.

If they can only charge 40p a mile how do they account for the fact that each passenger has to pay the same 40p per mile?

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Grandad,

I think you are right Mr Grandad.

But I think the press, if used wisely, could help licensed folks out, and rid us of the unlicensed so-called volunteers.

As has been said £4.00 for a two mile run is 'hire and reward'. There is no other word for it.

Methinks a war needs to be started.

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IDFIMH

I agree...if nowts done now this problem will only get worse as more jump on this Tax free income bandwagon...maybe its HMRC that wields the biggest weapon against such blatant exploitation of charity work.

Anyways...If theyre not hackney'd how can the charge individual fares??

Not quite sure what you mean but as they are totally unregulated, they can basically do what they like.

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Grandad,