Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies to display ID... on back of badges!

TAXI drivers claimed "common sense has prevailed" after councillors agreed they need no longer display their names to the public. Members of Bournemouth's licensing board offered a compromise to drivers whereby names will be displayed on the back of badges and not seen by passengers.

They amended their previous decision after hearing claims from drivers' representatives that name badges increase racial tension and leave cabbies vulnerable to attack. Licensing officers had argued the taxi trade had failed to show why they should be exempt from displaying name badges.
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Rob White, commercial group manager, said: "In this day and age with many public services and many public servants having names on badges, it's a good thing, a good aid to identification. "We did a round robin email of all local authorities in the country and although we only had 44 replies, 37 of those were from councils who said they required the names to appear on badges and it wasn't a problem."

But Ashley Miller, chairman of Bournemouth Taxi and Private Hire joint committee, said drivers felt aggrieved at not being consulted before the decision was made. "There are many of our drivers who feel their safety, especially at night, is being compromised. "It's causing a lot of racial tension in our trade, which is bad enough as it is."

And Jeff Hardy, of Star Radio Cars, said: "Ninety five per cent of the travelling public are great. It's the five per cent that give us the grief. "By keeping the names off the badge, it keeps that little bit of grief down."

After councillors made their decision, Mr Miller said: "Common sense has prevailed. Drivers will be happy." And Mr Hardy added: "I think it's an acceptable compromise."

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IDFIMH

I think that's a big fat lie.

How many on here have their names on their badges, cos I don't know of a council that does.

And as the topic head asks, what benefits can it have?

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IDFIMH

The "MOGO" badge has a space for the drivers name, over the hologram. Used by City of Lincoln, for several years. Problem? None heard of.

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Former taxi driver

Renfreshire driver badges have name and photo, the car badges have no name

I still can't work out why the driver's name need be on the badge.

And it's seems strange that Bournemouth don't want it where it can be seen i.e. the front. They either want it clear to all, or not, and if they don't, then FFS why have it on there?

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IDFIMH

Our badges include the drivers name and also the licensee's name on the passenger front door.

I think Dundee is the same except the licensee's name is also on the driver's front door. Presumably in case the driver forget's who the vehicle licensee is.

They probably didn't want to be seen to back down altogether, so came up with a compromise, which may be of little practical use, but avoids being made to look like the trade is dictating to the council.

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

same in edinburgh

we dont have names on ours.
just pretty pics back and front.

Flintshire has the drivers name on the badge.

can get your address (pretty much) from your parking permit, cause you no end of ag. What about data protection and privacy laws?

Manchester has names on badges.

Regards

JD

But why?

If a customer has a complaint they are going to remember the plate number, or the firm they rang.

Surely the last thing they are going to remember is the name on the driver's badge.

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IDFIMH

Especially if the driver is wearing it and thus it's the last thing that people will see.

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

The badge has recently changed and for some reason they have put the drivers name on the front. I don't know who's idea it was.

Regards

JD