Taxi Driver Online

He didnt have to.
Regardless of the passenger driver relationship.

He told us, Wife offered to do the task. Council agreed to pay sum for doing the task.

It is a therefore a contract.

Well put that man, and at 42 pence a return mile twice a day

if anything that could amount to a breach of EU tendering laws (as it should have been put out to tender), whereas a simple mileage allowance wouldnt constitute a contract per se, otherwise every council staff member using a personal car for work purposes could need H&R insurance

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

Must all contracts from public bodies be tendered or can they be negotiated, as long as they can demonstrate best value?

Skippy wife did obtain H&R however, this is simply a declared business use. A single contract, which is different from plying for hire.

Is there an insurance law that states H&R is necessary or might it be the case that provided the contract is declared and the insurers are satisfied then if the employer or whoever is paying does not require H&R insurance, then perfectly legal.

The contract was awarded to a company from Peebles, Yellow cabs, who had totally sheit cabs, we informed the council that they where not welcome and would refuse to send our son in them.
I asked if the wife could take him and they said yes as long as she had hire and reward insurance.
Yellow did the remaining contracts, but as I pointed out to the council there cabs where sheit, and was proved correct when they lost the contract due to there cabs breaking down all the time

That is an interesting point.

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IDFIMH

You (and any parent) is well within their rights to raise issues concerning safety, etc

BUT...if every taxi driver with a child attending a SEN school by taxi transport complained and was awarded the "contract" something would obviously stink as ALL of them would complain...

here the job would go back out to tender, which is obviously the only fair way unless the parent wishes to stop using a taxi of course (again, that's their prerogative) and take the kiddy themselves at their cost or take the mileage allowance for one way

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

or even the Public Contract Regulations 2006 and best procurement practice

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

It seems Kent County council are offering parents money to take their kids to school too......all this from a council "dedicated to helping small businesses".

Speaking to an Ashford driver this evening, one parent has been offered £5k a year to take their kid to school. That parent's done her sums and worked out she'll be out of pocket and will be minus nearly 3 hours a day of her time. And what about her benefits? Taking kid to school (special needs) means she's not available for work; will the money be counted against benefits etc.

Our contracts are subject to "mid-term review" and have been terminated with 31 days notice so will end at the end of summer term. Quite who they expect to tender for these runs cheaper is beyond me. I operate in a predominantly rural area with few other cabs around; those that are there have to come from Ashford (14 miles) or Folkestone (15 miles).

Most contracts have a 30 day notice of cancellation by either party, if its the car that gives notice they have to cover the run for 30 days, either themselves or by another authorised contractor

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

Councils always help themselves first..the survival of small business's are of no concern to them.

taxpayers money


HOWEVER, i was quite peeved when I won a new contract 18 months ago, it would have been good for me (less dead mileage), I was the lowest bidder and had my run covered cheaper by another contractor but the council refused to let me end one to start another, I estimated that cost them around £7000 including putting the 2nd lowest tenderer on the job...

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

The daft bit that the Ashford driver told me was that she takes 2 kids on her run, one of them being the one who now goes by mum's paid-for car. So in their effort to save money, KCC are now paying the cab the same price for carrying one kid, plus whatever they pay the parent to take their kid. Also doubles the number of cars on that run, and adds pollution etc....

they were probably not trying to save money, if the child was unhappy in the taxi (for any reason) they cannot be forced to use it, and there is a mechanism for a mileage payment (1 way) at quite a low rate

Staffs pay 25p per mile one way, if a taxi charged £1/mile loaded and carried 2 kids the parents would be cheaper...

on the bright side, the taxi now has a spare seat and can take extra kids for little extra


isnt the driver happier with 1 to carry, its easier and the chances of a freebie/sickie day (and charging) are better

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

Yes I suppose there is that to it!!

KCC have a 30 day cancellation clause in their home to school contracts; the fact they've given us more than 30 days is a bonus I suppose and give better continuity to end at the end of summer term. On local bus services it is 56 days, but then they have to take into account the time needed to de-register local bus services.

going off-topic a bit, KCC have just announced a £290,000 grant for "community transport" in Thanet area!