Taxi Driver Online

So why contribute more chaos to the already sham of a licensing system ?? Any disabled driver in our two big cities are issued with an exemption disc, so why should he be different ?? and the reason it's a mixed fleet is because that's what the DTA and Unite have always wanted ! long before The Equality Act was devised ! And don't tell me Mr. Mathews is not receiving some form of benefit for his condition talk about fairness

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/taxis/equality-act/pdf/annexa.pdf

Exemptions from the duties - Section 166 allows licensing authorities to exempt drivers from the duties to assist passengers in wheelchairs if they are satisfied that it is appropriate to do so on medical grounds or because the driver’s physical condition makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for him or her to comply with the duties.

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

I don't see the point of somebody who cannot assist/load wheelchair users having a WAV, but, if that person already has a WAV then why are they not happy just to have an exemption certificate. Surely the only time to apply for a different vehicle to be plated because of this is when the old vehicle is no longer usable

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

I can't understand why this council didnt appear to think of an age restriction on first and subsequent licensing when it deregulated.

CC

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

They listened tp Dad's Army...that's why ! This mob insisted that any existing Licence holder prior to deregulation. should not have to bear the costs of The DDA ! This enabled all the profiteers and Plate hirers to continue below the radar. I could name a few up here who would gladly keep the Plate holder on a life support machine, just to keep their cut price, saloon car status !

Not much different to here then.

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maybe wheelchair users should have thier own helpers or a motor onboard?

anyway, i have to carry a first aid kit but i cant be forced to treat anyone, same with the fire extinguisher

anyway, you can buy a an old WAV Fairway from £500!

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

Presumably the point is the same as the reasoning as to why Toots doesn't run a WAV, or 99% of the UK's private cars don't either, come to that

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Caledonian Cabbie

Toots i agree %100 with what you have said and i am really struggling with CCs opinion on this. He says its just his opinion and not the views of the NTA so why is it he uses the NTA badge as is avatar.

I am sure that when the equality bill is fully implemented there are going to be a lot of town a cities allowing Wavs on so that they meet the percentage that the government want.I would also suggest that all the unions and associations will be encouraging them to join them i do not think CC comments help the NTA cause.

I really cannot see that towns and cities that will continue to have mixed fleets being able to tell a Wav operator who becomes unable to assist someone in a wheelchair that they will be exempt but still have to license a wav when an able body driver is still allowed to put on a saloon.
maybe i am wrong but i think the Equality bill and the courts will not allow it.Lets hope the T&G do take Dundee city council to court.

which leads us onto the next question

a taxi driver has worked many years, has loads of experience, bought his WAV to comply with the regs (maybe has 1 WAV job a year though) and - as we all do - old age creeps on, hes passed fit for his badge but a wheelchair user approaches, and the driver says "im sorry but my sciatica is bad today, can you take the next WAV on the rank please"

next day the wheelchair user makes a formal complaint to the LA....

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

Anyone who has completed the taxi course(a joke !)think its a nvq or something like that.Did it because we had to.Anyway the silly thing is you can refuse to load a wheelchair if you choose its called risk assesment,if you dont feel youd be able to load the passenger safely ,maybe to heavy?

Will remove the offending avatar, and replace it with something less offending, the following is obviously my own view.

I wonder about Dundee.

Virtually every area I know of brought in age policies upon delimitation, these policies were based upon the initial licensing of a vehicle, upper age limits were imposed to ensure continued investment, with a saving for vehicles in exceptional condition.

In those areas with saloon fleets, the local authorities allowed saloons to be continue to be licensed, but new vehicles had to be accessible, but age limits were still applied to saloons.

The offset of this was that saloon plates still retained a small value, due in no small part to the associated running costs of saloon vehicles being considerably cheaper than accessible vehicles.

Everything I read about the situation in Dundee strikes me and reeks of trade interference and protectionism.

If there are, as suggested numerous saloon taxi owners, who dont in fact own vehicles but merely rent plates out as a seperate entity, then I find this fact far more offensive than any comment I could have made. These people in my view are leeches.

Further to this point if this is occurring, then the local association are actually working to the interests of a minority.

Of course, if the above paragraph is correct then it gives a pretty good reason why the actual saloon vehicle owner, the person that rents a plate, does not want to see an age policy. A policy which would ironically stem applications.

CC

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

CC What has hired plates got to do with disabled drivers The DTA and myself have fought to have hired plated taken of the road and as you know it is the police who deal with this matter.

This is not just a situation that will effect Dundee it will effect drivers all over the country drivers that you represent so can you just please answer the following Questions.

1 if one of your members who operates in a town our city that has a mixed fleet and is only allowed to licence a wav becomes unable to assist wheelchair passengers are you saying that an exemption is sufficient even though able body drivers are licensing saloons.


I think you veiws is not what the NTA represent and i think you are to stubborn to say you might have been to quick to make comment hence the reason i a so upset espeacially as i have always repected your veiws and comments and know you do a lot of work for the trade but in your words you have pished on your chips

The situation is pretty much the same in Aberdeen. Has been since 1995.
Those with plates before 1995 can continue to run and replace saloon taxis ad infinitum. The council even allow the holders to pass the plate from father to son, mother to daughter etc.
Many of these plates are rented out to the owners of saloon taxis who otherwise would have to licence a WAV. Hardly any saloon licences get returned these days.
At £50 - £75 a week for someone elses plate, it's a nice pension top up for those involved.

The situation for those who got their plates after 1995 is very different.
They must licence a WAV, regardless of whether they are able to load wheelchairs or not. No exceptions.

This policy was considered reasonable by the Court of Sesion BTW.

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I didnt know the police did applications, pardon my ignorance.

I think the exemption provided for in the law has been put there for good reason and that reason is one you have found in Dundee.

In my view it is more important for the driver to be able to be at work earning a living with the exemption.

I think I made a valid point and it's a point that doesn't sit well with yourself because its the way the rest of the country operate, you know this as do the union.

I do wonder about the reasoning for pushing this to court though, although I'm sure they'll come out in the wash.

From what I can gather the driver in question already has a vehicle, indeed this vehicle maybe a Doblo, which is more a saloon vehicle than a purpose built taxi anyway, indeed, they are as cheap as saloons.

Nevertheless the owner driver has difficulty in assisting wheelchair passengers.

There is exemption provided for in the act, yet rather than push for an exemption your association and the union are pushing for him to go to court to obtain a saloon plate.

You seem to be suggesting the only type of work a WAV can do is wheelchair work, when in fact the wheelchair work is only a minute fraction of the work carried out by the vehicle on a daily basis.

Naturally, if the council capitulate or court grant this driver a saloon plate there will be a precident set, particularly if it goes to High Court. If this is the case I confidently predict many WAV owners or new applicants with disabilities to apply for saloon licenses.

Which when considering the amount of bitching about deregulation and the number of taxis in the area imakes this apprach more bizarre to say the least.

Of course, Dundee council could always get entirely p*ssed off with the mixed fleet scenario and go 100% WAV. But thats a scenario that hasnt been brought into the equasion.

CC

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