Taxi Driver Online

World famous turning circle? Good grief, methinks this guy actually believes this. And, as I've repeatedly told customers, being able to "turn on a sixpence" is little more than the vehicle's only redeeming feature.

And the OFT described the turning circle requirement as a restrictive practice.

And our local cab inspector highlights the dangerous nature of doing U turns.

And the public can't cross a road to hail a taxi?

The turning circle requirement is untenable.

And, no one is saying that the LTI offering is being dumped. If it experiences market difficulty isn't it entirely the uncompetitve nature and pricing of its product?

Of course, they do have acess to an alternative offering. But they won't allow it to be sold in Edinburgh while the turning circle requirement holds, cos it will cut their own profits.

LTI complain that others have the opportunity to adopt the standard. But haven't they had the opportunity to make their vehicles more cost effective? Haven't they languished in the mire of inefficiency knowing full well that the restrictive practice will keep the competition at bay and we'll "happily" subsidise them?

Not any longer.

If competition is a good market practice, then it's also good enough for LTI. They don't deserve to be a special case.

As I've said before, if LTI taxis were such a good deal, the ideal passenger transport vehicle, they would be used over the whole globe, everyone one would want to drive one and the economies of scale this would bring would render them more cost effective. But they're not.

And our passengers would be choosing to travel in them, we wouldn't be losing business hand over fist to private hire and mini cabs who use traditional vehicle types. And we are.

Not forging the plight of the taxi driver propping up the restrictive market with his ass and his hard earned. The taxi owners, LTI have a vested interest for this little charade to continue. Who pays, the driver that’s who restricted vehicle choice, limited shifts over supply of drivers double shifted vehicles all go to make the whole thing viable. One restrictive practice stacked on another. This is all bout LTI’s profits and owners plate premiums.

Not for much longer.

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

The one thing I can never work out is why the capital of Scotland bans a Scottish made (assembled) vehicle, yet insists on a English made vehicle.

All for the sake of a turning circle ability deemed dangerous by the safety folk.

_________________
IDFIMH

The reason is that Scotland's biggest problem is that when it gets any degree of control over anything, it immediately reverts into a clique, vested interest control system.

We think like feudals up here. It was the true in Bruce's time, it's just as true now.

Our councillors think they can rune the taxi market. Everyone else is coming into the 21st century and allowing a free market to answer questions of supply and demand. Not here. We're stuck with control freaks who just like telling everyone else what to do.

I just hope that when elections come, people realise that it's the Labopur party who are failing to take account of workers' interests.

Daddy must be turning in his grave!

So what does "FIAT" stand for? I thought it was "Fabriccati Italiano Automotiv Turino", but it must be Tillacoultry, then!

"Made in Scotland"? Oh, please, seats installed in Scotland maybe?

_________________
Former taxi driver

i take it you are anyi choice then jimbo when it comes to vehicles that is. ?

an old one but still very true! " So what does "FIAT" stand for? I thought it was "Fabriccati Italiano Automotiv Turino", WRONG it stands for Fix It Again Tomorrow

I don't believe that for a minute.

But there was that recent Addison Lee article:

Addison Lee had real problems with its cars. It chose the Fiat Ulysses people carrier but found it had to replace the automatic gearbox in 210 out of 240 models. It is now bringing 475 Volkswagen Sharans into its fleet this year, a £6m order, and is talking to Ford. "They [Fiat] are absolutely useless," says Liam Griffin. "It cannot be overstated how poorly they have looked after one of the major customers. Their managing director is banned from our building."

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Wasn't LTI considering moving its vehicle assembly plant abroad?

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Well the E7 is a Puegeot shell with bits added, but my point was more about jobs not bits.

_________________
IDFIMH

Puegeot, Fiat or Citroen, the only difference is the Grille.

If they did an automatic gearbox... best not though, according to addison lee..

_________________
Former taxi driver

Let's face it though a van goes into the E7 "factory" and a "taxi" goes out a day later.

_________________
Former taxi driver

That's a van with windows, if you don't mind

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

So our target market seems to not object to travelling in a van with windows?

No question about the comfort factor then?

Or the safety by all accounts.

Or the cost to the owner. Nor the prospect of containing rentals.

Or the fact that it may just negotiate a speed bump without jarring your coccyx.

Or that the heated rear window might work?

Or that it won't rattle, or at least if it does, the repair won't be extortionate.


Or that there would be real competition in servicing and other repairs.

Choice is the free market byword. No one should be coerced into driving an iconic vehicle just so that our city streets can resemble a 1950's style filmset, or to bolster the profits of a company which has singularly failed to evolve with the market a deliver a product which is competitive in price and performance.

But, of course, if you do want to continue driving such a vehicle, you should have that choice too.

The start of the beginning and the end of LTI domination in Leicester?

http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-counci ... /kcknycrrg

When the law is not on your side and you try and wield a heavy hammer, be careful that hammer does not rebound back in your face?

LTI are about to reap the consequence of their actions in Leicester by trying to dictate to them what vehicles can and cannot be licensed.

Regards

JD