Taxi Driver Online

Hi All,
We were trying to browse the local contracts last week ready for the new school term but could not see any, phoned the council and they told me that i should have joined their framework in january and that i could now not apply for 3 and a half years when the new framework starts i knew nothing about this, i have asked a couple of the smaller opperators in the area and it look like they are in the same boat and stuck without work for a few years. the council have told me that it was advertised in a european procurement magazine and they were not allowed by law to tell us by law as they could not favour people. Anyone know if we can do anything about this or had we better just shut down for a few years. Cheers

In Leicestershire, and I suppose in other areas as well, you do indeed need to be on the framework in order to tender for contracts. However, according to Leicestershire county council up to 20% of contracts can be sourced "off framework". This is to cover them for jobs that come up at short notice or where they feel that the tenders submitted do not represent "best value". It may be worthwhile asking to be put on such a list. Also some councils have seperate systems for social transport and special educational needs transport. These may be available "off framework".

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Grandad,

Sureley there must be a way to enter the framework.

No there won't be. It happened to a couple of the larger companys here. They missed the deadline for the framework paperwork to get in and that was that. They could not apply until the next round of tenders which in our case was 1 year.

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Grandad,

What a f*cking palava!!!

Am I glad I don't touch school contracts with a barge pole!!!

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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some area you have to do them to make a living out of the game because work off the ranks is so shhhhit

I wonder how many have missed the deadline nationwide, and how many kids that need transport wont be getting it in there areas.
We where told about it last year and how to apply on line so your council is talking cr@p

Skippy, each council has it's own framwork and it's own rules for entry onto the framework. You may be able to apply online in your area but you can't in my area and it would appear not in the forest of dean either.

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Grandad,

In our area when they first brought out the framework, they sent out over 300 application forms. they received back just over 200. All 200 were accepted onto the framework and the rest did not get any new work. I don't think that any child did not get transport because of this, after all it is a statutory requirement, but it did mean that some of the companys accepted onto the framework were able to win more work. This year there were over 300 companys accepted onto the framework.

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Grandad,

Grandad, its a national framework, someone from lands end could if they are daft enough apply for a contract at John Groats

http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

And its no longer like the old system where the councils send out a list of runs the councils want done, where you just picked the ones you wanted and bid on them, you have to now jump through all the hoops and submit everything on line in triplicate and tick every box going, you put in a price then some ilk from sauff of the river undercuts you by half, then after a few months that ilk looses it or hands it back but they have to pay compo to the council.
You cannot just pass a contract on to another company to cover for you if your short of vehicles the driver of that company must also be registered with the council to be able to undertake that contract.
You have to endeavor to try and send the same driver on any contract your accepted for
Remember get it wrong and your fecked

Skippy, The framework is actually European. But you have to be on the framework for each individual council that you wish to tender for. In my case I am on the Leicestershire framework which means that I can tender for work issued by Leicestershire and no where else. All our tenders come by email and they only go to people who are on the framework.

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Grandad,

its all fecking cobblers, thought up by, and kept running by, overpaid/underworked council staff to justify jobs

ive a 53 page framework here, its all online, complete and return by 19th july, and basically what it boils down to is, am i £1 a mile or £2 a mile?

£1 wins, £2 dont

im licensed by the LA, Im insured by Highway, what more do they need to know

also to worry you, "mini-competitions", yes, your chance bid DOWN on runs LIVE online like Fleabay in reverse.....oh i cant wait!

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

till they start the live online auctions

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

I believe that Leicestershire already do this for coaches. They were also thinking about this for the taxis but I heard that they may go back to the mini tender system whereby only a few companys from the framework will be asked to tender for some jobs due to the large ammount of work involved when they get a lot of tenders for some of the jobs.
Mind you I won one this week where there were only 2 tenders for 2 jobs. I tendered for both but the other person tendered for both but stated that he could only do one of them. Both jobs were similar distances and both required a 6 or 8 seat vehicle. I got mine at £74.50 and he got his for £34.50. I actually trimmed my price by more than I should have done to give us a chance. I will be running a 2003 renault master 8 passenger vehicle and he will be running a brand new people carrier. I don't know how much profit he will be making but the depreciation alone must be more than the job is worth.

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Grandad,

Same here I've given up on them.

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

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