Taxi Driver Online

I would like to firstly go over the Tariff Review process.
Not that long ago any increase to the Taxi Tariff was generally once every 3 or 4 years it was virtually introduced on an Adhoc basis and there was no real set format on how the process was implemented.
The trade approached the City of Edinburgh Council around 6 years ago with a view to setting up a regular review looking at all of the main contributors to cost ie cost of vehicle, depreciation, fuel costs and servicing costs. The view was that regular smaller increases to keep up with the maintenance costs of a vehicle would be preferable to having a 7% - 8% rices every 3 or 4 years with the usual negative headlines that this level of increase usually brought in the local media.
It was agreed the Taxi Trade would fund a regular 18 month fare review. This is currently funded through our licence fees. The last two reviews have been carried out by Halcrow.

There is now a set formula and time period. This was agreed with the Taxi Trade and the City of Edinburgh Council Regulatory Committee.

The current taxi tariff review process was started in July 2014. An actual and totally accurate account of this meeting and the whole process can be seen on the link to the full report that I have already provided on a previous post. It is true that I suggested a review of the current Tariff 3 and 4, the reasons for this, if you will all bear with me, I will provide later in a future post.

Following any taxi trade consultation, which took place on July 24 2014, Halcrow then go on and follow quite a comprehensive process to try and include as many points of view as possible. Not just from the trade but from local businesses, members of the public and disability groups.
There is also an extensive period for any objections to be heard from both trade members or the general public. The full process was carried out and it has to be said that this is what the taxi trade called for around 6 years ago.
If any member of either the taxi reps who attended the meeting on July 24th or a licence holder had a concern as to what had been agreed then they had ample opportunity to make an objection and they would have been made welcome by Halcrow to state their case.
Halcrow presented their recommendations to the City of Edinburgh Council on November 17th 2014. There were no objections from any of the trade representatives who are listed as having attended the meeting on July 24th. I bring to everyones attention the Evening News article link posted previously where the proposals were welcomed as a positive way of winning back customers who simply thought that the present Festive Tariff was unaffordable.
No one is saying the the taxi driver should not have an increase for working through the festive period but a balance has to be struck when any increase is passed on directly to the customer.
http://www.investopedia.com/university/ ... omics3.asp
I will provide greater details on how the festive tariff has grown over the last few years.

The Regulatory Committee accepted the Halrow recommendations. Following this it went out for public consultation where the general public could, if they wished, object to the new proposed tariff. There were two objections. One said it wasn't enough and the other said it was too much. Again there were no objections from any part of the taxi trade.

It was a few weeks later, as the final decision was about to be put in front of the Regulatory Committee, and well beyond both objection periods that a late objection was presented.
Central Radio Taxis objected to the new tariff and then ComCabs came in with an objection.

These objections were heard by the Regulatory Committee on February 2nd. Although a verbal presentation would have been permissible from both companies, to perhaps explain why they were objecting at this late stage to something they had originally both agreed to at a previous meeting, no presentation was offered.
ComCabs did not turn up to the meeting to back up their objection and Central Radio Taxis gave a written submission stating the reason that they had been moving office during the period where an objection would have been allowed.

As the Taxi Tariff review process had virtually run its coarse and the 2.1% increase was at stake the Regulatory Committee agreed to approve the review but would look at any future proposal from the trade to re introduce a Tariff 4 before the festive period of 2015.

I am not looking to duck any responsibility for the suggestion of a review of Tariff 3 and 4 but to suggest that I am solely responsible is a bit unfair. Trying to get our customers back using our service at a time of year they would most likely need us is something we should be looking at especially during these challenging times. Tariff 4 has been allowed to grow through a compound percentage increase effect over the years since the festive tariff inception in 1996.

I will leave you all to draw your own conclusions to the recent taxi tariff review process but I will finish of by saying it has been disappointing to see the trade, especially the trade representatives involved in this current review, not taking the time to understand what was being proposed and the options that were opened to all to have an input within the prescribed period.
After working so hard to set up a regular review, carried out through going through a process requested by the trade, it would appear to outsiders that we live up to our reputation held by a few that we are a fragmented bunch not clear on what are really trying to achieve and crippled by in-house squabbling.

If you could all put the gattling guns in the prime position and give me a bit time I will present some figures which show just how the festive tariff has grown over the years and in particular tariff 4.

Les this is bollocks and let me tell you why, Halcrow is the council's consultant. They are not independent by any stretch of the imagination. And if you are paying for any consultation process, whether it be through your licensing fees or not the consultancy should be free of any influence from either party and this is clearly not the case.

So really, Halcrow was sent out to come back with exactly what the council wanted and you dafties paid for it through your licensing fees.

In short, the council bought the tariff review they wanted.

Now the real question is, in a side by side comparison, where is the benefit in replacing tariff 4 with an "enhanced" tariff 3? Simples!

Oh and how did you come up with this in the first place?

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I don't think anyone within the Edinburgh trade disagrees that Tarrif 4 has hit a ceiling, too decrease it with an increase (enhanced Tarrif 3 ) is mine and many others concern, the reasoning behind scrapping tarrif 4 was it's become too expensive and its chasing punters away, the same scenario could happen during the day with the enhanced Tarrif 3 now starting at £3.60, 50p more, Tarrif 4 was £4.10, so the decrease is 50p, it's neither here or there, 50p less at night but 50p more by day, that brings us back to the reasoning behind scrapping Tarrif 4, if it's chasing punters away but will win punters back then by day we will simply chase those punters away, I don't think Tarrif 4 was chasing punters away, I never had any complaints, I also don't think an enhanced Tarrif 3 will win us back a significant amount of punters.

I agree the council got what they wished for, I feel a cap on all 4 Tarrifs would have been better recieved by Joe Public, keeping us competitive and affordable, it would have been a good headline for the trade as a whole.

Over the last 3 years this Topic has arisen many times, I've also been vocal in my concerns of dropping a 4th Tarrif or losing the 6 hours we lost a couple years ago, the problem is though and it's not the Thinkers and movers who genuinely believe they have the trades best interest at heart when they come up with ideas like this, the problem is the majority of cabbies don't care until it's too late, this topic has been ongoing for a few years now, if the trade had spoken up at that time we wouldn't be discussing the issue now, our trade needs to start paying attention, drivers, owners and members of co-ops really need to take more of an interest in all things Edinburgh Taxi, going along the way we are going is a road in the wrong direction, we need our trade to be more democratic, we need our Co-ops to promote democracy to its maximum potential, hopefully we are moving in this direction, we are waking up to the threats ahead, the finger though shouldn't be just pointed at the Trade Reps, the finger and a big finger should be pointed at those who don't care about the Trade, the ones who don't care about customer service or/and accepting a credit card job, the ones who'd rather stand in a garage and talk the talk but fail to walk the walk, I'm always up for debate, agree and dis-agree, right or wrong, im open to criticism, I can handle it, it's the nature of the beast, the big problem is the vast majority of our Trade don't care or/and are to Feart to say anything, until we tackle this our trade will never progress.

_________________
Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Dougie, I think almost everything you've said is complete bollocks!!

People don't stop going out over the festive period because of the cost of a taxi to get home. They've simply spent all of their money on other things or they never had the cash to start off with. And what is more, the punter expects to pay a premium. Down here in East Lothian the tariff doubles and it doesn't stop people using taxis. In fact, most people think the cost of a taxi doubles over the festive period anyway.

I think you've shot yourselves in the foot big time, if you think people are going to start using taxis more because you are charging less, for what, six days out of the year?

If that's your way of thinking, not only do you deserve a reduction in your earnings, you should not be let out on your own.

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Eh End of first Paragraph Skull

I never came up with the idea it was chasing punters away But that was the reasoning behind it, I argued all the way this wasn't the case

I think you read too quick or glance over a post Skull or just make it up as you go, you know a headline reader

_________________
Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Well whoever came up with the "reasoning" behind your new tariff, they should be locked in a cell with rubber walls.

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Doesn't sound too bad a place to be.

Perhaps you could arrange for me to go to one of these cells with rubber walls. I may be a disgrace of a man in your eyes but I would suggest there is one thing in my favour and that is I seem to be the only one on here willing to communicate through his real name.

The point being I will be earning less from my nightshift and that's a fact , reducing the tariff won't help in the slightest as you can only do so many fares during your shift. Now as for not revealing my name you know why .........because your a bully , on here pretending to be sweetness and light , if you found out the identity of who was posting you would drum them out the company that's another fact, also anybody wishing to discuss the issues raised you say your door is open that's a laugh , now please take the Skull's offer of disappearing into a cell preferably concrete not rubber .

City Cabs has a robust, open and honest complaints procedure. It is available to customers, members of staff, members of the company and drivers.

Upon receiving a complaint the first thing we ascertain is its authenticity. The so called "real taxi driver" has used this forum to vent his spleen because his grievance would not get past the first hurdle.
One of the advantages of presenting any grievance under a pseudonym is that there is no responsibility to its factual content.
Enter a site like Taxi Driver Online.

I know who you are as you comments and the comments that come from your mentor are predictable and have been muted several times over in previous correspondence.
You both have accused me of being a liar and a bully in the past and when I asked for examples none were forthcoming. You had no meeting with either myself or the Chairman regarding the lack of work. The recent contract you mention was discussed at last years AGM by the members and an overwhelming show of hands indicated the reluctance to try and match the level of discount currently being offered by our competitors.
Every part of your accusations can be answered without the need for bullying or intimidation. I do not consider myself to be either although I don't have much time for hypocrites and others who hide behind pseudonyms.

One small indicator is the fact that we recently introduced a small marketing venture through advertising the City Cabs phone number on our bumpers. I see you chose not to help advertise your own business in this way but have chosen to download the Get Taxi App instead. I will leave our members to decide who has the best interests of our company at heart.

Another interesting fact is that your mentor was, and is, instrumental in pushing the current eye watering discount level that is being offered to businesses throughout Edinburgh 365 days a year and yet you fail to see the benefits of adopting a reasonable approach to bring back under control a tariff that has grown to a level that is chasing away our bread and butter customer.
The difference between your ideology and mine is that you seek to destroy whilst I am looking to build relationships with our valued customers.
oops !!! is that me crossing over into bully land.

I have a mentor very good but wrong again , I do have a business advisor though , who said I should get out now before your actions cripple the company , should have invested my redundancy wiser thank god my other business interests are doing better . Although I haven't been a Taxi driver for long, I have seen enough and heard enough to know that there is a lot of two faced and arrogant individuals in the game , yourself being one of them you seek to turn every comment around to make you look like a victim , poor you were you not loved as a child that you must use you thuggish behaviour in adulthood . This is a forum and identities of individuals are not required , I cannot comment on others but I chose not to reveal my name as I said you are a bully .

Again, as In previous accusations made by yourself, the city cabs members can make up their own minds.
Your level of hatred suggests you have been around a bit longer than you are letting on.
It is a bit of a strange one though as both of the guys driving for you love City Cabs.

Customers who viewed Futurebiotics Chill Pill (Calm... also viewed:

I don't have hatred for anyone but your suggesting I do , like I've said you like to turn things around and twist them to suit your needs. You have implied I have a mentor and previous comments , and members should decide I don't know from where your coming from but may I suggest you vent your anger or hatred in another way. What I have said is my experience of yourself and the way you talk to people and how you ridicule them when their opinions are not the same as yours , but you have a nice day as I'm off to work maybe get more work from get taxi than the system .

Les, I think if you are prepared to be honest about your tariff shenanigans with the council, you will admit to having fu*ked things up big time? So I can see why TRTD, might be a bit pi**ed of with your latest faux pas.

Really, doing away with tariff 4 in favour of an "enhanced" tariff 3 wasn't the smartest move you could have made. It's not the end of the world but I do think you are going to lose money out of it. And what is more, you should have had your argument for keeping tariff 4 or even enhancing it, off pat.

If you agree with the following statement, then you should have used something similar to counter the councils report from Halcrow? The fact is, you are the man on the ground and you should have been arguing for more money and not less. A restructuring of tariff 3 and 4 by all means but in your favour. You shouldn't have done away with anything on the council's or Halcrow's say so, after all, they are not the ones working at the coal face over the festive period.




Les, I think you've been hornswoggled by the council and as usual they've used Halcrow to do. Oh and I should point out, James Cooper of Halcrow is an academic and has probably never worked a real job in his puff. And why you would believe any report that he put together is beyond me. You are supposed to be the man with the practical experience, who knows how it works in real life. James Cooper is just a pencil head.

Deary me Les....

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Sorry but I have enough practical experience to know that Professor Cooper doesn't work for Halcrow and as far as I know never has. James had nothing to do with the report but has written a chapter in his informative and knowledgeable book "The roll of Taxi Services in the Urban Environment" regarding the potential pitfalls of overcharging your customers.
All along I have asked everyone involved to read the Halcrow report before forming an opinion. It is disappointing how many jump to conclusions without taking the time to read its independent findings.

Deary me Gary