Taxi Driver Online

We did scooters in the boot several years ago and I know its old hat but surprised to see there are still people willing to try and make a go of it. There must be some demand out there probably at weekends?
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Evening Herald (Plymouth)

September 3, 2007 Monday

Say cheers to the chauffeur

A new business which provides a 'scooter service' for motorists who are too drunk to drive is to be launched in Plymouth next month.

The Scooter Chauffeur Ltd vehicle retrieval firm is starting up to help reduce drink driving on the city's roads.

Two former Plymouth Royal Marines are preparing to launch the firm in a bid to get people who drive to a pub - and then have too much to drink - out of the driving seat and back home safely.

The idea is that the driver calls Scooter Chauffeur and asks for a lift. The company then sends out a rider to the 'client'.

The scooter is then folded up in the client's car and the rider drives him or her home before returning back to the office.

Tony Finn, company director, said: "We use small specially designed scooters to attend a client's vehicle, fold the scooter up into sealed bags and drive the client home in their vehicle.

"This successful transport service is already available and working well in other cities such as London, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, Cheltenham and Edinburgh."

Mr Finn said that Scooter Chauffeur is specially insured to drive any vehicle up to the value of £50,000 fully comprehensively - and the client's own vehicle insurance is not affected.

Scooter Chauffeur is based close to the city centre and bookings will normally be made in advance. Clients are met at their vehicle, not at the Scooter Chauffeur office.

Directors Brett Lee and Tony Finn served together in the Royal Marines at 42 Commando Bickleigh between 1992 and 1997.

In 1997 Mr Finn left the Royal Marines and joined the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary where he served as a police constable - while Mr Lee was promoted to sergeant.

Mr Finn said: "Once again we are combining to launch the business, taking with us our invaluable experience, high standards of integrity and a hard work ethic from our former occupations."

Mr Finn said that Scooter Chauffeur management have carried out security chauffeur training with the British Chauffeurs Guild in London.

Mr Finn said: "We are experts in folding the scooter quickly and carefully placing it into the client's vehicle in sealed bags.

"We also support the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary's Bikesafe campaign which promotes safe riding.

"And we support the anti-drink drive THINK campaign which aims to try to reduce serious injury and death on the roads caused by drink driving.

"Both Bikesafe and THINK are schemes supported by the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.

"Using us avoids the hassle of having to retrieve a car from a location the next day.

"It is cheaper than a two-way taxi fare. Geographical coverage area will be roughly a 15-mile radius from the city centre."

Mr Finn said the business didn't need a taxi licence to operate in Plymouth - and the city council has confirmed that fact.

Plymouth police road safety officer, Pc Ian Tanner, said: "We support anything which reduces the likelihood of drinking and driving on our roads.

"This business gives people another option."

Scooter Chauffeur Ltd, said Mr Finn, will be able to do up to 40 trips a night, with a £10 minimum fee for clients. A website - www.scooterchauffeur.co.uk - has gone live.
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It works in Edinburgh.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Why?

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IDFIMH

It’s the punters car you’re driving.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

So long as they have the owner's permission and the right insurance cover and licence, it's probably kosher.
I wonder how much they charge.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Indeed therefore no need for licensing is required!

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

cant see the point myself.
the price they charge is more than what it would have cost you for a return trip in a taxi, and why would you want a boy from pizza hut driving youre car, and stowing his bike in youre boot ,probably leeking petrol all over the place.
still they will prob get work, for a time at least.
theres always some punter that it suits! or more likely cant work it out.
same could be said for pedicabs up here, but they get punters, and they are the biggest rip off going, 10 times the price of a cab.

Almost as much as the skull charges for a trip to Livvy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost as much as Skull charges for a trip to Livvy!!!!!!!!

These bikes appeared in London, probably over 12 years ago now, I still see a few around, but they have no impact on my business, or the local Minicab one for that (drat )

I believe they charge about £60 for London postcodes, which is more than a Taxi would charge, minus the hassle of the smelly bike and rider being in your private car.

In short, it never quite took off.

Have you not noticed the 8,000 posts on limo self-drive hire?

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IDFIMH

The AA will do it for £60 all year.

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IDFIMH

At the end of the day most punters go on price and if its going to cost them more for this service than for a cab it'll be the cab but if the cost of the service dropped down to an hourly rate say £20/hour then it might catch on but I think these two ex marines will find that out the hard way

Ah but when you can't get a cab because everything is booked up then you may have to pay for this service.

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Grandad,

Didn't work up here.

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.