Taxi Driver Online

Having only independent HC working from ranks and having other HC working from offices that aren't allowed to work from ranks ........................ Yeah that'll work ..................... wouldn't it not be easier to call the vehicles that work from offices PH vehicles.

I think that HC numbers should be limited AT THE RIGHT LEVEL TO PROVIDE BEST SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

What needs to happen first is that we need to clearly identify the difference between HC and PH .................. that is so that when the public are consulted they know there is a difference between booking a taxi to pick them up from home through an operator and waiting for a HC at a rank.

The majority of the public believe that there is no point in phoning for a taxi between 11pm and 4 am because all the cars are working from the ranks ................. ffs in many areas the offices are known as ranks.

Delimitation is lazy government ......................... and we should not stand for it.
The public should be regularly consulted through surveys ................... that is so the policies locally can be updated to provide the public's need.

Good post though "Allo Allo" I'm sure the debate will be nice and quiet.

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.

There's a small bonus which consists of about 8 million residents and another few million business customers during the week.

Plus you can earn £40K driving a tube down here, so theres not a great rush of potential candidates to drive a Taxi.

All in all, London's quite unique, and does'nt make a good example if were talking about a market town in the Yorkshire Dales, or a new town in Fife.

So what controls do you propose?



I don't think anyone has twisted your arm to drive a taxi, have they? What is it you actually want in respect of restrictions and why? And how would these restrictions be implemented?



So its the competition you don't like but I suppose competition was alright before you entered the taxi trade? However since you have entered the trade you are now of the opinion that you don't like the number of cabs competing for the limited number of jobs?



I'm afraid the local council is not a company and the comparison is far removed from reality. A councils job is to issue licenses but perhaps under your scenario the council instead of having a discression under section 16 to limit limiting hackney carriage proprietor licenses, they should also have a discretion to limit hackney carriage driver licenses and only issue proprietor licenses to a person who intends to drive their own vehicle and restrict vehicle licenses to one per person? That would have an effect on supply and demand wouldn't it?



When you do find the best way and what you think the correct levels should be, let us know, i'm sure it will make interesting reading?

How do you propose to limit private hire competition?



How would your new legislation read?



From your comments above I would aggree with you and draw the conclusion that you haven't put much thought into what you are saying?

The one thing that stands out in your post is that you don't like competition so you want it restricted. You don't want anyone else to own or drive a Taxi in your area. It would appear the only solution you offer is for a council to limit proprietor licenses, yet we are already at that position in 2007.

Your post on deregulation of numbers or delimitation whatever you want to call it, is not unique. We have hundreds of them on TDO and obviously some have more substance than others but not surprisingly they all center on one thing, quantity controls. I think if anyone is to carry the argument forward in respect of controls no matter what those controls might be then they should think about what they wan't and how it can be implemented? Especially when you have to take into account that we already have legislation in place that dictates how licenses are issued.

Therefore the bottom line is this, either live with the legislation we have or try and change it, "for the benefit of all".

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Are you saying that de-limitation leads to more PH?

I'm of the opinion in many places it leads to the reverse.

But surely the expansion of the airport has a lot to do with any PH expansion, and if their were too many why on earth are those baddies from Mole Valley coming in?

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IDFIMH

I have an open mind on this, I used to be a delimiter but I have been persuaded by the arguments on here and elsewhere that quantity controls are right, though I think there needs to be a radical change in methods and numbers. I have given this some consideration but not a full investigation as the DfT might mount. Maybe what I'm suggesting is more of a half-way house than the current yes/no debate. Think about it.

ps if there are hundreds of posts about limiting numbers have you ever thought they might just be right?

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Our safety is Paramount

THE AIRPORT IS A CLOSED SHOP.
THE MOLE VALLEY DRIVERS COMING IN IS DOWN TO CERTAIN OPERATORS TAKING ON MV DRIVERS AS THEY COULD GET THEM QUICKER THAN CRAWLEY PH DRIVERS AS MOLE VALLEY DONT DO KNOWLEDGE OR DSA TAXI DRIVER TESTS. ie IT WAS OPERATOR GREED THAT DROVE IT

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Our safety is Paramount

Don't you shout at me.

The fact that it is a closed shop is irrelavant, they still use licensed PH. Which is why PH numbers have risen.

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IDFIMH

It might be advisable to ask the council to raise the quality control bar.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

YEH SORRY FOR SHOUTING BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPLIT UP A POST INTO LITTLE BITS FOR REPLYING TO EACH BIT INDIVIDUALLY.
AS I'D USED COLOUR IN MY REPLY TO JD I THOUGHT I WOULD CHANGE TO CAPS FOR YOUR REPLY.


However it is not growth in airport PH numbers that has happened, they are static. It's the town lot that have got out of hand.

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Our safety is Paramount

I presume you mean Mole Valley Council, we have been putting a lot of pressure on them as have the councils at Crawley and Reigate & Banstead which is even more badly affected than we are.

However I can report a degree of success.
MV are introducing a Knowledge test and I understand are going to stop Licensing PH Operators outside their own "controlled district".

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Our safety is Paramount

How anyone can suggest that we can operate in any free market when there are so many restrictions through legislation is beyond me.

I'm renting a car next week, and I phoned Hertz ................... you wouldn't believe this but they want more for a E class Merc than they do for a Vauxhall Astra ................ imagine what they would have said if I'd said but why do you want more money for the Merc .................. I'm not doing any more miles in it than I would in the Astra.

As far as the "plate baron" issue goes ..................... a mate of mine has rented a car off the same bloke for 5 years .................... he pays £150 a week all in for a 24 hours, the car in question is a Vauxhall Vectra and its engine blew up on Thursday. The car was taken to the garage and a reconditioned unit was ordered, it cost £900 and will cost £350 to fit. Rather than seeing my mate off the road he gave up his own car while the Vectra is in the garage, my mate will see no difference in his takings.

What would have happened if my mate had owned the car?

Off work for maybe just over a week .................... no earnings ................ and a £1250 garage bill to pay.

What happens to the so called "plate baron"?

He is off work until the car is fixed, his driver is happy and will stay with him ........................ he recovers his lost weekly takings from the profit he has made from his 2 rented plates.

I know not all plate holders are so inclined ..................... but should these three blokes be stopped from helping each other ............... and should others like them?

We need our industry to be controlled ...................... and this should be done through MORE restrictions and not less.

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.

But how can the quality be raised if the drivers aren't making enough money to achieve them.

That request should be accompanied by a promise of a numbers restriction.

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.

I was under the impression obtaining a drivers license came after the issue of quality examination. There wouldn't be much point in a quality controlled entry system if you issued the license first and took the quality control tests second.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Well of course the knowledge test in MV is down to MV and them alone.



Wasn't this the major problem to begin with? Does this mean they are going to revoke the license of the one existing private hire operator in Crawley, or is it to remain? If they don't, then the situation hasn't changed.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

And how do you propose to do that when DfT best practice is to remove restrictions?



So you blame the council for your poor returns and working conditions. Just exactly what working conditions are the council obliged to provide and how can the council be held responsible for your poor returns? Are you suggesting the council owes you a duty of care to provide you with a living?



Let me guess, you think you should be the one who dictates the taxi licensing policy of Crawley council? Just how many vehicles would you license under the circumstances? If I were a councillor and you came to me and said I can’t make a living as a cab driver, I would put my arm around you and say look Mr Allo, no one forces you to drive a cab, the first priority of this council is to the public, therefore I suggest you choose a profession that will provide you with the level of income to which you are accustomed. That may seem harsh to you but it’s the reality of the world we live in and you only have to see that by the response from the representatives of the various councils in the north East.

Just because you drive a cab and have done for some considerable time you think the council owes you a living. The reality of the situation is that they don’t.

You want future competition restricted and the councils current policy of a level playing field dispensed with to suit you. It is your intention to make the playing field lopsided in your favour by restricting entry thereofre at the same time restricting competition for custom. You have a new soundbyte for competition called "oversupply."

I think we can all associate ourselves with the word oversupply but in the main the word is normally associasted with those areas like your own that are derestricted. However even though we all understand the effects of delimitation, if delimitation is done right and with real tough quality controls then oversupply should not present itself as a problem.



I was comparing your analogy of a company who employs people with that of an administrative body. For the purpose of employment the two are as different as chalk and cheese.



You better put some meat on the bones of this idea because it’s more than a little ambiguous. Are you suggesting that people who don’t drive their own vehicle shouldn’t be allowed to hold a proprietor license? What about transfer of license? Is it your intention to have a clause in future legislation that states licenses are non transferable.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.