Taxi Driver Online

What the [edited by admin] are you on about

well put, I was thinking similar (although without expletives)

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The problem you have is that you've ably demonstrated not only on this occasion but on several other occasions that you are not fully aware. Anyone with a brain would have asked me what I meant by "all private hire". You are too easy to predict my friend you should concentrate more on what I say perhaps it may save you from appearing foolish when you cock up your reply.



Well anyone with a brain, knows that once Mr Delta has started building his call centre, he is unlikely to pull up stakes and relocate. The fact remains that every private hire owner and driver has the option where to pitch his tent and Mr Delta would miss those private hire drivers every bit as those private hire drivers would miss Delta.

So you have a catch 22 situation but one that can be used as a barganing chip if Mr Delta and the private hire associations got together and demanded whatever it is they feel they are not getting from the council.

The Sefton Hackney carriage trade is practically insignificant when it comes to licensing revenue.

JD

Paul is a very nice man,

is this £2 part of the fee or a separate item?

it looks separate to me

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

This is twice you have referred to a local licensing office but you haven't exactly said under what circumstances you would need to consult with this office? I assume every other licensed driver would have the same consultation facilities as yourself but how many offices are open on a weekend?

Perhaps you have a list of items you can only do at a local office and can't be done at a regional office?

Regards

JD

And why bother with a NATIONAL Taxi Association?

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

Two points to chip in on...

Firstly, I remember years ago Delta control centre surveyed hundreds of their drivers with regards to paying £2 towards an unmet demand survey. It was pointed out that if the results of the survey lead to any more hackney plates being issued, they would be awarded to the first drivers picked out of the hat which was to include every licensed hackney or private hire driver . A £2 lottery ticket if you will. It was also pointed out that there were certain benefits for the private hire industry as a whole if the survey resulted in a continued restriction on opposition hackney plates. All the drivers who responded to Delta's survey where overwhelmingly in favour of the £2 charge. This sentiment was fed via the Sefton Licensed Operators & Proprietors Association to the working trade groups at the next meeting, the majority of other parties expressed the same sentiment and this I believe ultimately resulted in a decision to proceed with the charge.

Which brings me to my second point. The trade group meetings are not designed for representatives to win arguments by pure virtue of the fact they represent more people. They are designed to seek input from various experts and interested parties within the industry. One Delta representative does not represent every Delta driver on any issue unless, as was the case for the £2 levy, they survey all of their drivers first. A Delta representative can however with their inside line and experience provide a wealth of statistical information and industry knowledge to assist the officers in submitting valid, logical and relevent arguments to the elected members of the committees for their considered opinion.

A hackney representative may very well voice his opinion that there are too many taxis on the road and not enough business so numbers should be restricted. In response a Delta representative might provide a printout confirming just how long passengers were waiting for cars at peak times and how many thousands of fares a day were turned away due to lack of drivers. The arguments are bundled up and placed in the hands of the elected members for their (generally) even-handed consideration.

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Don't knock it, 'til you try it....

I can understand how such a policy is good for the bosses, love to know how it's good for the drivers.

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IDFIMH

So why contribute £2 if the survey has to be conducted anyway (ie that's the law) and the result won't be any different either way?

Thus, to extend your lottery analogy, why pay for a ticket when you can have one for nothing?

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

Who asked Delta to ask private drivers if they want to pay two pounds towards a survey? I have previously stated that Sefton have to conduct a survey regardless of any levy if they wish to retain a policy of restriction.



You will have to forgive me but you keep on saying this and that was pointed out to Delta drivers......... but who did the pointing out and on whose behalf? For instance did the council ask Delta to ask their drivers if they wanted to pay two pounds towards a survey or did Delta take it upon themselves to sound out the drivers and if so why?



Considering the council has to undertake an unmet demand survey to retain a policy of restriction why pay a yearly contribution of two pounds when you get a ticket for free? If what you say is correct, then Deltas reasoning is absurd.



If you ever enlighten us to who did the pointing out then we can perhaps see where these persons are coming from. In the past overwhelming evidence throughout the country proves that private hire owner/drivers move over to hackney carriage when quantity controls are lifted. A recent limiting factor has been quality vehicle control but in the past that was never a factor in most areas.

Seeing as Delta pointed out the benefits to Private hire drivers by limiting the number of hackney carriage vehicles perhaps you will be so kind as to inform us of those benefits?



Just remind me again how many private hire drivers there were in Sefton at the time this came about and tell me how many worked for Delta and how many responded to this so called Delta driver survey? Then tell me what the reaction was from the 1600 or so drivers that didn't rent radios from delta?



So Delta doesn't represent drivers it represents operators, of which there were 32 back in 2004 but just how many of those were members of this association is not known? Delta also added "proprietors" to its association title but again we have no way of knowing how many proprietors were members?




Well according to the Private hire representatives they didn't echo the same sentiments and in theory Delta should have kept its nose out of the affairs of Private drivers. Does Delta have a mandate to speak on behalf of Private hire drivers in Sefton?

The private hire reps in Sefton should be writing to the Chairman of the licensing committee and informing them that their members are against paying two pounds levy for a hackney carriage survey. They should propose that the council send out a questionnaire to every private hire driver on their license renewal asking them if they wish to pay the levy? If the council get a mandate then fair enough if they don't then the levy should be removed.

Regards

JD

While we are on the subject of enlightenment perhaps you could enlighted us on who compiled the various lists published on this site and the much discussed Myth & Reality document.

Maybe then we could see where their coming from.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

JD... I know you think I am thick, so assuming that I am, in which act does it say that a council has to undertake an unmet demand survey .. .

I never said a council by law has to undertake an unmet demand survey. However, to have a policy of quantity control and retain that policy it must show there is no unmet demand, by law. The only way to do that is to have a survey, unless of course you can think of another method, accepted by the courts?

Here is what I said. Considering the council has to undertake an unmet demand survey to retain a policy of restriction.

I specificaly never mentioned "by law" because I knew some bright spark would chirp up and try and remind me of the law. However you managed to do it without even considering how the reference is worded, which does not surprise me in the least.

You could always advise the council not to undertake anymore surveys and that you will protect them and their restricted policy from their legal obligation of proving there is no unmet demand when refusing a license applicant.

JD

unless of course you can think of another method, accepted by the courts?