Taxi Driver Online

A lot of questions in the one posting, but can I just say that some of them are hypothetical and impossible for me to answer. The PCO have got to consider these points and I can only give my opinions.

The first point would require the number of applicants to be slowed down in accordance with the survey results and this could affect KOL schools.

On the second point I don't believe the knowledge should be made harder or simpler. I can just imagine the outcry if it was, can't you?

On the third point the unmet suburban demand is easier to assess as most of the work is done from the local station rank. As for green badge areas where there may be an overlap, some formula would have to be devised on getting the balance of yellow/green right. This should form part of the survey. How do they get the balance right now? They don't seem to have any published method - they just keep churning out licences.

As for restraint of trade, I'm not sure that would be the case. The licensing system cannot just be open-ended or we could end up with everybody on the Knowledge and 200,000 cabs and drivers with NO checks or balances. That, if that is what you are suggesting, would be quite absurd. There could be 4 cabs for every passenger and everyone would go broke. Hardly the way to run a taxi system don't you agree? Or should everybody in the trade suffer just in order to comply with or satisfy someone's idea of what 'restraint of trade' means?

Thankfully none of this is my decision - but what would you suggest is a sensible solution?

Regards,

Cruisin' Cabby

Surveys in my experience always seem to end up, either giving a few new licenses to keep bothe sides content, or delimit to get all the moans out of the way, then carry on like a proper business.

I suppose really that they weren't questions, more like obstacles.

The whole survey system is totally flawed, the maths simply don't add up. They only take account of the population but not the tourists, when working out how many extra plates need issuing. So if you have millions of tourists, the equation working out how many new plates are needed, ignores them.

They also only work out what extra is needed, by taking a percentage of the existing trade. So in area with 50 HC and 500 PHs, if they found the highest demand ever for HCs, people waiting hours etc. The most they could issue would be an extra 50.

I very much expect the OFT to rip into them, when they report.

Are there 4 minicabs for every passenger in London? Because they are unlimited numerically.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Yes, that was me!!

Thought I should put that up - a lot of people can't put a face to the name!!

Dusty

Didnt exactly work out that way in our area, the survey revealed there was exactly the right number of cabs in all zones to the demand, exactly

isnt that amazing each of the 7 zones ballanced exactly

alas we were making too much profit, the punters wanted newer vehicles,
70% of those interviewed said that they would use cabs more regularly if they were available, but the surveyors said "we did not witness this so we discounted it"

wonderfull beutifull Halcrow Fox champions of the travelling public

Wharfie

No, thank goodness! We have a reported 44,000 LPH drivers registered, awaiting licensing - and they are the supposed legit ones. However, a large number are not now taking up the offer of becoming licensed and not responding to the PCO's requests for them to come forward. It is suspected that so many of them don't want to come out of the black economy. They are probably re-joining the other 20,000 or so touts who are a plague and still work on the streets and outside virtually every club and night-spot.

When the PCO started the licensing procedure they asked every minicab driver to apply. The 44,000 is the number of those that came forward - there was no limitation set. This was a limit brought about from only those who showed an interest and it may well turn out that a large percentage will never fulfill, for one reason or another, their earlier intentions. But how do you limit the huge number of unlicensed minicab drivers? I suppose the only way is by Enforcement - which may have to get more draconian if it is to have any meaningful effect. The deterrents just don't seem strong enough at present.

Even if the total number of minicab drivers is something around 64,000, they still don't (as yet) outnumber the public - 7,500,000. We think they are working on it.

But, what did you say you're solution was?

Regards,

Cruisin' Cabby

As a matter of interest Wharfie, can any of the HCs in one zone pick up from the streets or ranks in another zone?

Legally I mean.

no you dont mean legaly you mean "officialy"

legaly yes as you know its 5 miles from the post office plying zones, that put all our vehicles in central Halifax zone for instance.

Officialy no, the council have zones with boundaries that they work too, but we know what we know should we be challenged....................

we dont go out of our way to ply in others zones.

Wharfie

Oh, that's a shame. Cos if they did, I was just wondering how they would assess demand, if cars from another zone could officially pick up.

As in London with the green and yellow boys.

I thought this post office business was old law Wharfy??

Dusty

old law eh? what about new law misc prov act? court ruled does not apply to hacs Queen v Doncaster Council.

castlepoint quotes and rules on ancient act! so lads its back to [edited by admin] on the back wheels.

Wharfie

The solution can only be exactly what you suggest, Ie. Draconian Enforcement. But, I am one of those people who believes we should get the Law right so that it does actually become enforceable.

If every "cab" in London had to be a recognisable Taxi or true PH vehicle (Ie. Execs, Wedding cars etc), then the law would be so much easier to enforce. The Minicab industry in London has been the home of illegitimacy ever since the 1960s, and despite the fact that there are some good and consciencious PH operators in London, my personal experience of them has been that they are far in the minority.

You can usually "trust" a black cab in London, and know that whatever one you get in will charge around the same fare. To be able to trust a London PH, you really have to know who the operator is first.

The new legislation will help in that regard, but all the time we dont have a consistent standard nationwide that the PUBLIC understand (and I emphasise that the public MUST understand it), then we are going to have poor enforcement.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Well it might quote the old act, but I don't think it rules on it.

I haven't got a copy of the Act, but if it still does refer to the post office, then it's not relevant, surely??

Dusty

And therein lies the rub. We are all running about governed by an Act of 1847 which in many areas is just that, totally irrelevent to us. But nonetheless, its the law.

(Andy looks out of the window, just to check that his cab is securely fastened to the lamp post, and that it has enough Hey and water to last the night).

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.