Taxi Driver Online

Penalty points plan for Kirklees taxi drivers

COUNCILLORS will consider a new penalty points system for taxi drivers which puts filling in a form wrongly on a par with carrying a weapon in a cab. Kirklees Council officers have drawn up the plan for dealing with taxi drivers who breach their licence.

The proposal would work like the penalty points system for motorists, with any cabbie who collects 12 points in a year facing a month-long suspension. The officers’ blueprint – which will be considered by councillors next week – ranks 30 offences according to their seriousness.

There are five 12-point offences which would see a taxi driver immediately facing a month-long suspension including driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Another eight offences would have a six-point fine, including carrying an offensive weapon in the taxi, providing misleading information on a licence application form and using a non-approved meter. Four-point offences include unreasonably prolonging a journey, dressing inappropriately and not wearing an ID badge.

Breaches which carry a three-point penalty include failing to report an accident, not having a working fire extinguisher and failing to inform the council of a change of address.

The new system would cover both Hackney carriage drivers and private hire drivers. Cabbies who collect 12 points within a year would have their licence suspended for 28 days. If they got another 12 points within a year, their licence would be revoked.

The council’s Licensing and Safety Committee will consider the plan on Monday. Chairwoman Clr Christine Iredale hopes the plan will formalise the disciplining of rogue drivers.

She said: “At the moment we don’t have a system. We need to make sure that taxi drivers adhere to their licence conditions by doing things like keeping their vehicles in good working order and wearing their badges.”

But the Golcar Lib Dem added that most drivers in Kirklees were doing a good job. She said: “Taxi drivers work hard doing a difficult job. About 95% of them are brilliant.”

The committee will consider the penalty points plan on Monday. If the councillors support the proposal it will go out to consultation with taxi drivers. The system could be operating by June.

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IDFIMH

These penalty points systems make the people who introduce them feel powerful.

Little people, with little minds do have big egos, that just have to be satisfied!!!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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Is the penalty points plan for taxi drivers in our interest?

TAXI drivers could soon be ruled by a 30 point ‘code of conduct’ which they could receive penalty points for failing to adhere to.

From unreasonably prolonging a journey or over-charging of fares to carrying an offensive weapon – they could incur points which could ultimately lead to a suspension.

The rules vary in terms of the points they receive, from three points for failing to report within 72 hours an accident or damage to a licensed vehicle, to 12 points for driving without insurance.

The penalty point system puts filling in a form wrongly on a par with carrying a weapon in a cab, with taxi drivers incurring six points for both.

The points plan is aimed at dealing with the minority of taxi drivers who breach their licence.

The suggestion is that any cabbie who collects 12 points in a year face a month-long suspension, or for more the most serious 12 point offences, immediately.

As yet the penalty points system remains just a proposal, with councillors set to debate it next week.

Until now, there has been no system in place to deal with rogue taxi drivers or little to help passengers with complaints.

It’s in everybody’s interest that taxi drivers are properly regulated in order to ensure that they transport the paying public around safely and this may help.

http://www.examiner.co.uk/views-and-blogs/

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

Errm....you mean like licensing departments, licensing committees and the immediate suspension of drivers?

CC

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

Council moves on with taxi penalty point plan

COUNCILLORS have taken the next step on a controversial 'penalty points' system for taxi drivers that could see filling in a form incorrectly on the same level as carrying a weapon in a cab.

Like the driving licence 'totting up' procedure, a cabbie racking up 12 points would face a ban.

At a meeting this week, drivers' leaders branded the idea unfair and warned more enforcement was the answer to rogue cabbies.

But Kirklees Council's licensing committee agreed to set up a working party to examine the idea in more detail.

They also want a 'stars on the cars' project which rewards good drivers and operators.

The proposals drawn up by council officers, cite 30 'offences' in order of seriousness.

Five 12-point breaches are included – such as driving without licence and insurance. These would trigger a month-long suspension.

Eight items carry a six-point tariff and these include carrying an offensive weapon in a taxi or using a non-approved meter.

The rules would cover private hire and Hackney carriage drivers.

Coun Adrian Murphy (Con, Kirkburton) said: "Many cabbies are good drivers who do what they are supposed to do. Action is for the rogues who give them a bad name."

The working party will include taxi drivers and operators, officers and councillors and will also consider the 'stars' idea.

Amjad Nadeem, vice-chairman of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, said: "We would want a guarantee of proper consultation on this. Many drivers think it would be unfair. This scheme is not the answer. We need more checks on drivers."

Head of planning Jonathan Barrett said: "That's not going to happen at a time when the council is considering major cutbacks."

source: http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/

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

I find the one about the "working fire extinguisher" interesting.

The only way to prove you have a working extinguisher would be to discharge it.

Then it could be proved that you do not have one, three points.

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Former taxi driver

I gave my council a yellow card after taking in all my documents to renew my vehicles license they sent me a letter stateing they could not issue a new license as I failed to supply a up to date insurance certificate & sent me back a photo copy of what I had taken in.............................................which was the back of my insurance certificate the stupid cow checked my detail and then photo copied the wrong side.
I sent them a yellow card in the post and then phoned them, they were not amused.
If they can dish out points so can we and I bet I will give more than they will.with the amount of mistakes they make sending out the wrong forms etc.

So is a wheelbrace, or a large torch, to be classed as a non offensive weapon?..... Tee heee.....
How many of you carry some sort of last resort "insurance" just in case, when out working at night!?
Never had to use it yet, but it gives me something to fall back on if the very worst happens and all else fails.......

I carry cable ties for the wheeltrims, when I went for test once the mechanic said, why do you carry cable ties? I said come on what do you normaly use them for?

I thought Kirklees was a decent council.....did Doug Holliday retire?

These schemes are insane.....Five 12-point breaches are included – such as driving without licence and insurance. These would trigger a month-long suspension.

One month off for no insurance?

One month off for driving without a license?

The final two paragraphs speak for themselves and are worthy of debate!

Amjad Nadeem, vice-chairman of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, said: "We would want a guarantee of proper consultation on this. Many drivers think it would be unfair. This scheme is not the answer. We need more checks on drivers."

Head of planning Jonathan Barrett said: "That's not going to happen at a time when the council is considering major cutbacks."

There's going to be a reduction in public safety because they're making cuts!

CC

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

Another stupid council that does not know the law, and that any suspension can be appealed

What relevance is that that the council is facing cut-backs?

Does the Head of Planning not know taxi and private hire licensing is self sufficient?

Or maybe he is implying that the council are syphoning money out of the taxi/PH budget to pay for idiots going under the names such as Head of Planning?

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IDFIMH

I think you might be right, I recall a situation in Charnwood last year where one month they increased licensing fees and the next reduced licensing staff hours!

CC

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

The green halon fire extinguishers which were supplied with LTI cabs & Metrocabs had a button on the bottom. If you could press the button in, the fire extinguisher was useless or discharged.

You would think that with the red extinguishers you could just weigh them to check if they were still full, but that isn't a reliable test for a working extinguisher. Fire extinguishers can be useless even if they have not been discharged, because over time they loose the pressure of the propellant gas & have to be periodically refilled & serviced.

Which really does beg the question, "HTF would Kirkless Council officials know?"

As they say down in Somerset, TORRRRRRRRSSSSEEEEEERRRRRSSSSSS!!!!

_________________
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.