Taxi Driver Online

hypothetical question

say for example i had a piece of sofware that could feed enquries directly to the closest taxi company in, let's say for example, Brighton.

as in the guy in the car is running my app on his phone..

Would i need an operators license?

Trev

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www.taxiroute.co.uk

Now dont get technical most of us still use 2 cans and piece of string
I would suspect it would be no more than the equivalent of receiving a direct booking to the mobile so no licence required

I should imagine if you are PH the call should come through via an operator...some might say the computer software is the operator...I would have some serious doubts about this...it is an interaction directly between PH driver and customer, not dissimilar to a PH driver accepting an immediate hire on the roadside.

If the driver is HC there would be no such requirement.

No.

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IDFIMH

Would the person taking the call?
Would taxiroute need to make sure the people the calls went to were licensed?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

If PH yes.

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IDFIMH

Interesting question.

Does BT have to ensure that all receivers of phone bookings are licensed?

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IDFIMH

BT only provide the phone line.
They don't solicit taxi customers, and forward calls accordingly.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

On reflection they will need a local ops license if they forward on to PH ops, vehicles and drivers.

As the app will be meeting the definition laid down in the 1976 act i.e. 'in the course of business to make provision for the invitation or acceptance of bookings for a private hire vehicle'.

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IDFIMH

I sense an advert coming on....again

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

no. not advert coming. this is a genuine question.

im not from the industry and im trying to learn about the rules. if you have to have a "taxi operator" license. why wouldnt i?

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www.taxiroute.co.uk

the freephone regional services (1 national 0800 or 0500 number) diverts to the nearest taxi/PH firm paying for the work, the phone service requires no ops licence, so your system shouldnt

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

I had always considered that any PH booking must be received by a council licensed operator and then dispatched to the PH driver. Quite how this current practice can be achieved electronically eludes me, with BT routing the call to the nearest driver, and no middle man ie; the Licensed operator?

A bit scary when there are so many firms doing precisely this...perhaps the thinking is too complex and Licensing Officers do the "lets turn a blind eye"? or perhaps even the call is recorded and this is considered the record legally required of the journey, which I think Mr Sussex was alluding to?

So does this then mean all voice recordings of bookings made to PH must be kept for the same period as their paper counterparts?

A right can of worms this one !

On further reflection I think it would be legal if the app is advertising a taxi/PH booking firm, and the link goes straight to the local taxi/PH firms website.

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IDFIMH

Make’s no difference. Booking Records are mostly are on booking software nowadays.
On the Opts Licence in my area, the conditions are.
How the booking was made, txt, phone, Email, personal
Also date and time when the booking was made