Taxi Driver Online

Taxis get CCTV to catch fare dodgers



TAXIS in Cardiff are to be fitted with CCTV as drivers complain the public are dodging fares.

The annual general meeting of the Union of Taxi Drivers (UTD) was told last night by members that passengers, mostly late-night revellers, continued to avoid paying.

Passengers “doing a runner” or going into their homes promising to pay and not re-emerging was commonplace, it was claimed.

Now an initial trial involving a small number of cars will see them fitted with two inward-facing cameras and an interactive HD TV screen advertising coming attractions in Cardiff. Installations will begin in the next fortnight.

The CCTV will be live as soon as the engine is switched on until 10 minutes after it is switched off and all footage will be downloaded to an external hard drive.

Drivers are being offered the £1,000 system fully insured for free.

The system – already installed in New York and Shanghai and endorsed by Cardiff council – is being offered by Robert Wong of Info-Cabs.

Mr Wong, a former taxi driver, plans to make money from companies advertising on the TV screen inside the car.

Mr Wong said: “It is constantly recording to a hard drive for passenger safety and the safety of the taxi driver.

“It is an ideal way for passengers to find out where to go and what to do.

“And people seeing you have CCTV will reduce the amount of assault, runners, people being violent and causing damage to your vehicle straight away by 75%.”

At a meeting attended by more than 50 members, many drivers said often when they reported fare-dodging to police they were told it was a “civil” matter.

But South Wales Police’s Nick Bellamy said civil matters only arose where passengers had a genuine grievance with the size of the fare or service provided.

He endorsed taxi drivers’ calls for the loss of their livelihood to be taken seriously.

Sergeant Bellamy said: “The only way we are going to do it is by educating other officers who don’t know the law.

“We want you to continue your service and we are committed to helping.”

Abdi Ahmed was re-elected as chairman of the UTD during the meeting.


Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/

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

CCTV is a good idea, not only for fare dodgers but for idiots in general. Most cab drivers do fear not only dodgers, but assault accusations, criminal damage - we have heard enough stories of that on here and the after effects - but people damaging cars and the 'crash-for-cash' lot that want to throw themselves at the cab and claim on your insurance! It also protects the driver and operator from other problems as well.

I missed this one from our local rag.


I am wondering as to how many will want the system when they realise that the footage................





Does that mean that all will be recorded and the data/filmage will be transferred to an outside source to be viewed? If that is the case then what we know as harmless banter..................could turn into a load of trouble!!!

_________________
if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

they didn't last long in Liverpool or Sefton.... passengers kept asking for the advertising to be turned off...

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

No, the external bit relates to it not being in the same place as the camera.

_________________
IDFIMH