Taxi Driver Online

Dear Tony,

I am a one man band operating a Hackney plate and I come under East Riding of Yorkshire Authority [E.R.Y.C.] based at Beverley.

I have a Ford Galaxy which is licensed September 2003.
I have now been informed that if I get a new Galaxy it will only be licensed to carry five passengers and I must take one of the three seats out at the rear.
This policy to me, begs the question are Ford Motoring Company producing a MPV for sale in the UK market that isn’t safe for six passengers…?

Infact it raises more than one question.
How come I can quite legally carry six members of my family in my Galaxy if we go on holiday or shopping etc, or take six of my mates to a football match or whatever.
But once I start charging, the vehicle is unsuitable for six passengers…?

To me it is either suitable for six passengers or it isn’t….?
The fact that I am charging or not is irrelevant. I am also of the opinion that the
DFT advocates choice as best practice and I think E.R.Y.C. are not adhering to this policy.

Can you or your readers please give me your opinions on this matter especially legal wise.

Yours Sincerely

R.P Brocklebank

Melbourne Taxi
3 Glen Crescent
Melbourne
York
YO42 2DG

I know Bob very well,same school, he joined the RAF and I join the army at the same time
re the seats
I do believe its not about passengers having to fold down seats to get out, but its to do with the Councils thoughts that they think that this type of vehicle may have a weight limit on the passenger rear most seats, the Council can't ensure/don't know what that weight limit is, so to cover themselves [the council], they want the rear most seats out

I would suggest Bob goes to the Main agents/dealers/manufactures and get seating specs/weight limits on the vehicle in question

Ask them why.

Are people in your area suddenly fatter, or are Galaxys shrinking?

When they reply put their response up on here, so we can collectively take the pi**.

Also these are the stories that the local press love. So why not give them a little bit?

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IDFIMH

[/quote]Are people in your area suddenly fatter, :[/quote]

Lets says you have a 4/5/6/7 seater
you pull up at the rank or PH booking venue, to your horror you see the people, as large as Japanese Sumo Wrestlers
by letting these people in your vehicle will be over the weight carry restrictions [are there any weight restrictions with people in taxis]

how do you go about it, sorry folks you can't get in, your all fat b$stards, I'll knacker me suspension up, but your plate says to carry 4/5/6/7 persons, we are persons

what would be the legal on this

You can only take what you believe to be safe.

And if 6 humpty dumptys want to get into your motor, and you don't think the car can take it, then just say 'oh deary me the car just will not start', or say 'roger' on your radio mike, and pull away.

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IDFIMH

I have just found their licensing area docs, click on hackney carriage and specifications, it seems that one of the conditions the taxi must have 4 wheels?? fitted.
http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/AF3/an/def ... xy0G14ptk9

You might remember the story of a extremely fat private hire driver and four sumo wrestlers that was stopped, the driver car and passengers were taken to a weighbridge and if I remember right he was prosecuted for overloading the vehicle .

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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!

TM Have you had contact from Bob re the seats

yes i spoke to Bob on friday and he's received the letter i sent him back with JD's message to me.

he said thanks JD by the way...!!

Bob said he'd see you at the hot dog stand Pete on a saturday night...?

It's Yorkie again . . .

Blonde ... female ..... BUT aren't Galaxy's a 2 - 3 - 2 seating formation so what is the benefit of removing a rear seat? Derrrrr! I'm probably missing something (as is becoming the norm!)

Most councils only license the Galaxy for 5 punters.

One in the front, two in the middle, and two in the back.

They don't like three in the middle cos they think it stops the two in the back getting out in an emergency.

_________________
IDFIMH

so whats the meaning of an emergency re getting out of a taxi, [police raid, missed one stop, someone feels sick]

could it be what like I was told on taxi test when I had my rear windows locked off by the master switch even tho in the byelaws it states only one either side must work

all windows need to open in an emergency, you might end up driving into the river

I think you’ll find that it’s not the vehicle that is in question but the use of that vehicle. No Council worth it’s salt [ie paying for a court case] unless it can ‘prove’ that the vehicle is unsuitable as a licensed vehicle, not as an un-roadworthy vehicle.
Just because a vehicle has the right amount of seats doesn’t mean that will be the carrying number? Example = the 406 family estate. This had two ‘dickey’ seats in the load area. The manufacturer states that it carries 7 persons. Only in the small print does it mentions the two seats in the load area only available to children [weight and height limit]. That would be licensed to carry 4 passengers, but as a private car it could carry 7 adults [if your not nicked by the Police!].
Has the Council a list of vehicles it thinks suitable as 4 to 8 passengers? If not could the Trade help to draw a list up?

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If it carries passengers it should be licensed