Taxi Driver Online

New initiative to tackle bogus cabs


TAXIS in Pendle are set to display their firms' names and phone numbers in a bid to cut down on bogus cabs. Most Hackney carriages for hire in the borough are plain red cars, marked only with their council licence plate and the licence number.

But at a meeting of Pendle Council's licensing committee tomorrow (WED), members will be asked to introduce new rules, meaning that both Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles must be clearly marked with the firm's name and contact details.

There are 70 licensed cabs in the borough at the moment, with some working from council ranks while others are directed to private hire work from other operators.

The report by engineering and special projects manager officer Jackie Allen said it was difficult to identify which firms cab drivers were working for if they were subcontracting, and that the practice also meant enforcement officers could not tell whether cabs were picking up pre-booked fares or plying illegally for trade outside pubs.

Police have backed the move, saying it would help them trace potential witnesses to crimes and cut down on incidents where girls are sexually assaulted after being tricked into getting into bogus taxis.

Sergeant Mark Baines, of Nelson police, said: "Anything that could help identify taxis properly to police and members of the public is great news and we will support it all the way.

"It is important for anyone getting in a taxi to ensure they are in a bona fide vehicle, but having all taxis clearly marked should help people make that decision."

Taxi safety campaign group Taxiwise also praised the plan. Celestina Clarke, from the group, said: "We are delighted at the phenomenal number and variety of initiatives which are being implemented to try to reduce the number of people raped or sexually assaulted by unlicensed taxi drivers every year."

The move would also help in cases of grievances against drivers. Nelson company Four Star Cars had its licensed reinstated last week after the company said blind pensioner Brenda Midgeley could not prove that it was one of its drivers who had refused to carry her guide dog.

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TAXI-ROOF-SIGN-24 ... dZViewItem

and

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Oval-Magnetic-sig ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/18-ILLUMINATED-MA ... dZViewItem

Theres even a free plate here for you Sussex.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/London-Taxi-Londo ... dZViewItem

Your point is what?

If it's signage can be bought by the bad guys then so what?

A customer has to be very unlucky, and a bad guy very lucky, if a customer just happens to ring the firm at the same time as a bad guy is outside where the customer is.

In fact you make my point, that signage is good, cos without it punters are far more likely to get into a bad guys vehicle if they haven't got proper signage.

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IDFIMH

So I wonder precisely what the problem was here or is it just hot air from the council and trying to make up for a lack of enforcement?

We got new plates about five years ago, but what the problem was that needed to be rectified I never could make out.

The annoying thing is that the new plates have a date on them, while the old ones didn't, so would last the life of the car.

Of course, we were never told the correct procedure for fitting the new plates, and in fact I don't think the council itself knew.

I remember driving ten miles to the council offices to pick up the new plate, then half a mile up the road to take it to the garage, then go back to the garage another day to have the plate fitted.

There was no obvious problem with the old plates, and the whole thing seemed more like council officials doing something (anything!) to justify their existance, and at the same time generating headlines for their "travel safety for women" intitiative or whatever.

What the hack saloons do not have top lights, I thought it was mandatory.
We can put our company name on the front of the top light, and phone number on the back or both if we want

Your quite correct. No need for Minicabs to have signs then really? The telephone operator can tell the customer what wreck will be turning up for them.

Stops any temptation for the wanabee's to try and act like a real London Taxis then?

Customers never look at registrations, but they often look at door and roof signs.

Without signage the chances of customers getting into the bad guys cars are very high, with proper signage the chances are slim at best.

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IDFIMH

We'll always disagree on that one Mr S.

It's intersting to hear the views of my mate Mr Premier. Apparantly several companies are up in arms at being made to have a sign in their rear window which will identify them as Minicabs.

The rented Merc lads will finally have to reveal to the whole street that it's a Minicab, opposed to their own car.

Signage for all? Or a few louder individuals?

Of that there is no-doubt.

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IDFIMH