Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers in Birmingham are regarded as grumpy and surly by some passengers, a customer survey has claimed.

Complaints about the standard of service from the city’s 1,400 black cabs included claims that some cabbies go “the long way round” rather than choosing the quickest route to a destination.

People taking part in the survey were also unhappy about language barriers, claiming that taxi drivers sometimes cannot speak English.

Others complained that drivers broke health and safety rules by smoking in their cabs.

The survey, conducted by Research by Design agency for the city council, found no evidence of unmet demand for taxis, with most customers never having to queue to pick up a cab from designated ranks even at busy times.

The findings will provide further ammunition to taxi trade organisations, who have accused the council of approving too many licences and flooding Birmingham with cabs and private hire vehicles.

Taxi firms complain that drivers have to work far longer hours in order to maintain income levels.

However, claims by the firms that Birmingham does not have enough taxi ranks were not borne out by the survey.

The survey’s findings noted: “In terms of the drivers themselves, customer service is said to be mixed.

“Some drivers are described as being very friendly, chatting and helpful while others are criticised for their grumpiness.

“One person complained about drivers’ lack of comprehension of the English language, again reflecting poorly on Birmingham’s image.”

Organisers of the survey are urging the council to conduct a surveillance exercise to detect whether a small number of cabbies are “ripping off” passengers with longer and more expensive journeys than necessary.

The probe found that almost half of Birmingham’s black cabs are older than 10 years. Cabs older than 14 years have been banned by the council.

The Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association was unavailable for comment


http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west ... -27238416/

Our Brummie grumpy never

Is that an excuse for taking the long way, smoking and not being able to converse in English?

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IDFIMH

Thats a bit unfair on bashful, sleepy, happy, dopey, taliban and muslim extremist isnt it?

CC

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

Of course it's not!!

But then Brum's enforcement is very poor indeed & when I phoned the council department that deals with smoking in public places to report an epidemic of drivers smoking in cabs & disregarding the laws on smoking, I was told that they don't have the staff to monitor this law-breaking.

And as for taking the long way round & not knowing where they are going; yesterday I took a flag down form outside the Novotel in Broad Street back to New Street Station & the passenger complained that there was a shortage of cabs in the morning when he had arrived, so I explained about Eid & then he told me he had to direct the driver because although he knew Broad Street he did not know the Novotel.

And that's on a par with getting off at Eustopn & asking for The Dorchester in Park Lane, London. (I know all London cabbies would know that one.)

Talk about 'the nation is f*cked'!! The embrio is in Brum!!

The only enforcement that now seems to be working to a point is that when a PH is successfully prosecuted for plying for hire, touting, no insurance, etc., Brum's Licensing Committee have now given delegated powers to the Licensing Enforcement Department to suspend that driver's licence for six months on the first offence & I believe on a second offence the driver's licence is up for revocation.

BTW there were other articles which I will post later.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
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I think the accent and Brum in general has a lot to do with it ! Whenever I talk to drivers in that area (at the airport) they always seem to be full of woe and tales of unscrupulous and underhand goings on at some of the ph firms. I think it must be part of the personality of being a brummie the world is against you and your your football teams etc etc.

I would be very surprised therefore if a survey didn't reflect that and after all is there a better accent in the world for someone having a good moan !

Well you got that one wrong!!

Brummie is now a cult dialect, it's spreading around the world & becoming adored.

I kid you not!!

The local radio BBC WM had a programme about this only a week or so ago & spoke to people from USA, Europe & Australia & apparently the Brummie accent is becoming quaint & lovable to people visiting the city.

So much so that Brum & it's dialect are now becoming quite talked about & famous.

And I suppose that's being cultivated in no small measure by Adrian Chiles, previously of The One Show, now Daybreak & the anchor man on ITV footie programmes.

But then he ain't a true Brummie; he supports West Bromwich Albion & is more Black Country than Brum.

And the world does not really know the difference between a Brummie accent & a Yam-yam accent!!

Brummie is the new IN dialect!!

And here's the difference between the accents;

Brummie; You going the match?

Yam-yam; Yam gooin match?

And a prize for deciphering the meaning of this Yam-yam saying, which was on BBC WM just yesterday & who you would say it to;

'Er (or Im) cor stop a pig in an entry!'

Even I howled with laughter when I heard the meaning, as I hadn't heard it before!!

http://www.sedgleymanor.com/dictionaries/sayings.html

_________________
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.

I'll take yor word for it meanwhile I await to oneday meet a cheerfull brummie I won't be holding my breath !