Taxi Driver Online

Nice pic. Who is it?

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

Most of those idea's seem pretty good to me with some commonsense for once. We will, have to wait and see the devil in the detail.

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you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Best Practice for Licensing Authorities 2007 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications ... 18120453/7

26. There is considerable variation between local licensing authorities on vehicle testing, including the related question of age limits. The following can be seen as best practice:

Age Limits. The setting of an age limit beyond which a local authority will not license vehicles is somewhat arbitrary and disproportionate particularly as it is perfectly possible for a well-maintained older vehicle to be in good condition. A greater frequency of testing may, however, be appropriate for older vehicles - for example, twice-yearly tests for vehicles more than five years old.

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

It's a start, and I would be amazed if the IoL were naive enough to think the final act would read as their proposals.

So why not make a suggestion or two yourself Mr Jimbo.

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IDFIMH

I suspect these proposals came from their own board members, and were meant to start the Taxi Act ball running.

I would give them 10 out of 10 for effort.

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IDFIMH

I spoke to someone today who was at the meeting, and they said that the view from the Institute was that they where open-minded on who governs the trade. Be that local authorities, traffic comms, county councils, regional assemblies, national gov etc etc.

Personally I would like it to remain at a local level, but I'm open to suggestions.

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IDFIMH

I think the banning of quotas would sort that particular issue out.

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IDFIMH

I think fares need to have a regional difference, as sadly homes in my manor cost a shed load more than in some of those northern ghettos.

But a national fare formula would go part of the way to doing that.

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IDFIMH

Now that would have 100% trade support.

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IDFIMH

The issue that jump out at me is the maximum working week, although it does have some merit.

The rest is a start on a very long road, but at least the IoL had the balls to front up.

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IDFIMH

The chap I spoke to, who was at the meeting, also said that having an operator (English version i.e. base station owner) qualification, in the same way as a PSV operator needs a proper qualification to do the job.

That they say should get rid of some of the cowboys and the touts.

Also it was suggested that instead of having a license badge, which we renew annually, we get the DVLA to just add a driving taxi/PH qualification to the normal DVLA driving license. In the same way truck drivers are governed.

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IDFIMH

Well well, single tier licensing!!!!

I agree the devil is in the detail, I would go for County level licensing.
A requirement to display top/door signs for all of the new taxis, but no expensive re-painting should be required.
On the question of fares maybe we could have 3 sets of rates from which a Council could choose such as North, South and Somewhere In Between.
Also with different rates for day/evening/weekend/night as in London.
Automatic inclusion of all new taxis in bus lane access.
No council to be allowed to impose stricter seating regulations than allowed for the sale of the vehicle to the general public eg take a seat out of your Galaxy cos our highly unqualified council experts know better than VOSA...LOL...
Restrictions on hours is not going to be popular but I think necessary, they could be quite simple though, just to stop the idiots from driving while asleep eg Max 12 hour day, after 4 x 12 hr days you must take a day off, you must take at least 1 day off every week and 3 days in 14.
Requirement for a proper Taxi driving test, CRB for ALL ( including foreigners ie an equivalent check from their home country), decent standard of knowledge test, say at least 100 questions and 25 POI including regional direction finding as well. No use to made of maps or Nav system in test.
Only cabs Licensed in area A, can market their services in that area eg no out of area phone numbers

I've thrown some details in here so no doubt people will want to tell me I've got some bits wrong but hey it's only a first impression and I might change my mind with good positive argument!

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Our safety is Paramount

Mr James Button,

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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!

It has already been said to me that he can no longer be regarded as objective when he appears at councils pushing for deregulation!

I also know somebody who was at that meeting, and the expression 'it went down like a lead balloon' was used.

The way I read the proposed new Act it comes across as a wish list of licencing officers who wish to create more red tape, which in turn creates more staff to handle said red tape. Obviously more staff equates to more responsibility. In turn, this leads to a higher grade on the old wage scale.More people employed in licencing equals more members for the National Institute, and more people to be trained equals more revenue for them.

It doesn't really seem to be about the taxi and ph trade at all.

PS I personally think that limos and limo drivers should have their own licencing department, that is national rather than local.

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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!

It only takes up a single line of the IoL's proposals, and don't forget 75% of the IoL's members don't work in restricted areas.

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IDFIMH