Taxi Driver Online

Hackney cabs could soon be taking bank cards as part of modernisation plans

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... g-15083591

Vulnerable customers would not need to stop off at a cash point late at night

Liverpool black taxi drivers could soon be made to accept contactless and debit card payments under radical proposals to "modernise" hackney carriages.

Plans to introduce a mandatory card payment facility in all city council licensed taxis are set to go to public consultation next week.

If the plans are approved, taxi drivers will have six months to purchase a card reader and have it installed in their passenger compartment.

The cost of proposed card readers are at the £60 price mark, rising to £280 with bundles and accessories.

The consultation document says the plans will "improve the standard of licensed hackney carriages" by providing an easier and quicker method of payment.

A licensing report adds that card facilities would "modernise" the service and improve public safety as vulnerable customers would not need to stop off at a cash point late at night.

Liverpool council's licensing committee will seek permission to launch the consultation process at a meeting on Tuesday, 4th September.

If approved, a six week online consultation will begin on 11th September and end 16th October 2018.

A letter will be sent to all hackney carriage properties inviting them to respond, whilst members of the public can submit their thoughts online.

This comes after the council announced a new set of by-laws to regulate black taxis, including a ban on charging customers upfront.

Other new by-laws include a requirement for taxi drivers to be fully aware of how to use the wheelchair ramp in their taxi, to be required to give customers a receipt if they request it and a ban on drivers using e-cigarettes.

The proposed rules are specifically for Hackney cabs, with private hire taxis subject to their own set of rules.

A lot of cab's already have them..

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

Whilst I'm not bothered either way if cabs take cards what annoys me is private businesses being forced to accept a payment type.
Does the council do it with any other business it licences ? Do they force off licences/pubs/strip clubs to take cards ?

Hows about the council FORCE every business to take cards and have a cashpoint installed - at their expense.

Even better idea, how about our council lead by example, cheques only at their counters - no cards or cash, and no online payment options.

There is a marked reluctance to do card payment I have been trying for ages with my drivers they won't touch it unless I agree to them charging more on the fare which is not legal

you lose 35p on a £20 job is that really a deal breaker especially as some customers simply would not use you if you didn't do cards and it only takes 30 seconds if that to do at the end of the journey.

We could get far more work if everyone knew they could pay by card especially contactless but people just will not accept that they cannot see beyond cash

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

The problem is if they do a card job on a Monday they won't get the money until the following Monday. Some of them want the money in their hands after the job.

"This comes after the council announced a new set of by-laws to regulate black taxis, including a ban on charging customers upfront."

Good luck with that one,

These councillors have no idea what some of these customers are like.

I for one would not entertain some of the jobs I do if the passengers doesn't`t cough up the fare first. Sometimes you just know......

It's not a deal breaker, and anyone who thinks so is a knob.

Contact less card payments are perfect for our trade. No one is going to rob or attempt to rob us for digital payments.

Of all the 10s of 1000s of Uber drivers out there, how many of them have been robbed (other than via Uber's 25% cut) of their digital takings?

And the machines you can get for £30 ish are so quick and easy to use.

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IDFIMH

If I do an izettle payment on Monday, the money is in my bank on Wednesday.

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IDFIMH

Two questions,
What happens if at the end of the journey the customers card is declined ?
What happens if a punter pays with a stolen card would the driver be subject to a chargeback ?

No, Councils don't, Our Council will accept Bank Payments oln the more expensive Licenses but not on lower cost licenses, they'll take cassh orcheques for some services but not others, they'll accept a card most places but nor everywhere.

It seems Councils are at odds with themselves. I Prefer Cash, You can see where you are and what you have with cash....I'm not even convinced Card Payments are that safe, I've lost money through Card fraud, My wife has, other family members have....yet I've never ever today been fraudulently done out of Cash..I know which I thinks by far the most convenient and there is no hidden fees for cash use.

The big problem is that the government are VERY keen to force everyone to use cards as it pleases their buddies at the banks who make billions processing the transactions

The only thing is that the likes of Izettle sum and square will pick up most of the extra as they are much cheaper than the big boys

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

First question. I guess is the same if they haven't got any cash. They have to come to an arrangement with the driver.

Second question. If a driver has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the card is legit, then they will get paid. Generally credit card companies are clued up and will freeze cards if a lot of contact less transactions happen in a short period.

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IDFIMH

Despite the coverage increasing, it's not unusual to have someone want to pay by card - but there's no signal.

Perhaps Liverpool could consider "Paying by Card? Pay Up Front!".

(That just might have been a bit tongue in cheek.)

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Can't believe it's nearly seven months since this thread started

Black cab drivers "bullied" into accepting card payments as council set to impose new rules

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... g-16028723

"In over 30 years I have never been asked for card payment."

lack cab drivers in Liverpool say they are being "bullied" into accepting card payments ahead of council plans to make it a mandatory requirement.

The council's licensing committee are set to approve a new law requiring ALL Hackney carriages to install a £280 card payment facility - despite fears expressed by taxi drivers that it would harm their trade.

Those against the plans have argued that as self-employed workers they should not be forced to pay for it, with some suggesting there is not enough demand for card payments from customers to justify the costs.

More than half (58%) who responded to a consultation on the proposals said they didn't think it would be a good idea, while 62% said it would not encourage more people to use black cabs, and 79% said they didn't think it should be a mandatory requirement.

In a list of objections, drivers said they should have the choice as to whether or not they offer card payments, with one person accusing the council of bullying self-employed workers into harmful decisions.

One representation said: "I think the trade is being bullied into decisions which will have financial problems to owners/drivers. If it’s not broken don’t fix it."

Another said: "Should be up to the driver if he wants card reader not compulsory, going to cost drivers £280 we pay enough out at present."

A third said: "In over 30 years I have never been asked for card payment, if installed open to fraud and non-payment, card invalid etc."

And a fourth said: "The council should not force taxi owners to pay for card readers. It should be encouraged but not enforced. No other business is forced to take card payments."

If the plans go ahead, Hackney drivers will have 12 months to install a card reader in the passenger compartment.

Original proposals suggested a time frame of six months, but this has been extended as a result of the "unfavourable responses" to the consultation.

The equipment will have to meet required standards and owners of the vehicles will be advised of the choices of devices available to use.

Some drivers said the council should provide the equipment if they want card readers to be part of taxi services in the city, while others said they should be able to choose their own cheaper methods of processing card payments.

But justifying the plans, Aziz Musa, licensing and regulatory officer, said it would improve standards of Hackney carriages in line with modern times.

In a letter to the city council, Mr Musa said card payments would be an easier and quicker method of payment for taxis and would improve public safety by removing the need to stop off and get cash late at night.

He also suggested it could pave with way for the introduction of an Uber-style app for black cabs in Liverpool.

Some taxi drivers agreed with the licensing boss.

Indicating support for the proposals, one driver who responded to the consultation said mandatory card payments were "long overdue" while another said it was "moving with the times".

The proposed rules are specifically for Hackney cabs, with private hire cars subject to their own set of rules.

The consultation responses have been revealed as part of papers to be discussed at the meeting of the full licensing committee on April 2, when a decision will be made on the plans for card payments.

I frequently pull off from the back of the station rank because all those in front either refused or were unable to take card payments.

Although my processing costs are approaching the cost of licensing my vehicle, that is outweighed by the tips that are now prompted by the card reader. I was probably the first driver in the borough to start taking card payments in October 2008, and continue to take them.