Taxi Driver Online

Sorry - I'm blonde and female and NO I'm not thick - just why are LO's issuing FREE hackney plates (going rate here £10k) to people who put a purpose built and possibly un-crash tested vehicle on the road when none of them know how to safely position and clamp down a wheel chair in their vehicle and none of them have to prove that they are capable of doing so! Instead they just lurk about having 7 pax seats and take all the previous minibus work - darts / pool teams etc.

As my son is disabled I'm not going to be accused of anything but asking why? I agree fully that there are not enough of us out there picking up the "wheelie brigade" BUT I really do think that to get ten grands worth of plate free you should have to prove worthy and that there should be a further test to prove that you can work the controls within your vehicle etc. I used to drive a TX11 and had many many 2 quid fares who now struggle out of their chairs as these so called WAV cars are no longeravailable to them. Orhas LTI got something to do with this - make us feel guilty if we stray back to saloon car land? I would point out that I only gave up my TX as my own disabled son was was unable to access the vehicle - its his personal condition as my cab is also the family car so no replies onthat vein please.

I suspect it's for the same reason as they do to people who buy their plates.

Maybe proper training should be part of the driver's knowledge testing.

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IDFIMH

Just remind me when plates weren't issued for free from your council?

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IDFIMH

With the greatest respect tigger that is a crock of .....

CC

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

Sorry Tigger - I'm almost bald and male and No I'm not thick either.

But I was a little quick with you with my last reply.

Your council are issuing 'Free' licenses to WAV's only? If this is the case then perhaps you should consider that the license is free but a vehicle has to be attached to it.

Perhaps you should also consider that your council could have dropped the WAV policy, you would then be left with a situation where saloon cars could be licensed, and therefore you'd be in a situation where you had double the number of licensed hackneys.

I accept your points regarding the training of drivers, but surely your local trade could approach your council and point out the dangers of both that and the possibly dangerous vehicles allowed to be licensed?

In my experience the local trade is so blind to the issues of delimitation it fails to consider what LA's may impose.

No plan 'B' ?

I note from your post you condemn the LTI vehicle, but if your council was to issue 'free' licenses to a certain vehicle type then surely you'd have regulation via standards and cost?

regards

CC

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