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LICENSED AND UNLICENSED CABS
I have seen mentioned in several Call Signs, reference to the fact that one licensed taxi company is working in tandem with an unlicensed company. Can you please tell me who the two companies are as I am a bit fed up with the game playing? Is one of them us?
Leonard Bell (L1)
Sorry Leonard, but I'm afraid that I must be party to even more games. I can tell you that according to my information, the minicab company are called Burgundy. But as to the identity of the licensed circuit, it could be more than my job is worth to say who they are. However, I see no harm in telling you who it isn't! It isn't Dial-a-Cab, ComCab or DataCab ...Ed

NEW TERMINAL VISION
I have had a new terminal for a few months now and have little to moan about, but there are times when it is virtually impossible to read the screen due to reflections from the sun. With not being able to feel the buttons like before, this makes me take my eyes off the road for longer periods and could result in accidents. Do any of the makers have any suggestions to help stop the reflections and is there something in the pipeline? I am sure others have the same problem.
Steve Brown (D67)
I mentioned the problem to Brian Rice and he will be speaking to the manufacturers. The terminal can be tilted easily via the screw at the back and a new angle could help. Anyone who uses bank cash machines will have encountered the identical problems during bright weather...Ed

TAXI DRIVER OF THE YEAR SHOW
There are not many times that we have felt the need to reply to a statement made in Call Sign. Over the past years, we had a view to steer clear of political or personal correspondence, thinking that our spare unpaid time could be better spent on running or assisting some of the many Charities. It has been my privilege to be involved since the early 60's and Russell Poluck's since the early 70's. We were puzzled by the statement made by Allen Togwell in the May Call Sign, in which he wrote:
   "The Taxi Driver of the Year Show could have been the perfect platform to promote the cab industry, if only those that run it were not so deliberately blind to it's true potential."
   Our aim for the Charity over the years has always been to raise money for good causes and to better the name of the 'London Cab Trade'. Over those years, a large number of people have seen the show and we have run a large number of events to make each group of people attending interested in various outlets. We have had at some shows 30 or 40 different things to keep them happy. We have given away to charities and good causes more than £100,000.
   The Taxi Driver of the Year Show provides the Cab Trade with facilities to promote themselves and seldom turn down any worthwhile suggestions. We normally steer clear of any political differences that have been made over the years, but on this one day that will be forgotten...
   We have never had the benefit of Allen's ideas or improvement's. In fact the only conversation we had from him at last year's show was how he was going to be fed! In reading his contribution in Call Sign, we must congratulate him on all the fine things he has reported on, to have invented on behalf of and to improve Dial-a-Cab. If only we were able to have some of his idea's; they would have to be unpaid (of course) and not with the benefits of a nice office. If we had the benefits, perhaps we would not have been so blind to the potential and raised more money for good causes.

Bill Tyzack BEM - Hon President (C6)
Russell Poluck MBE - Hon Chairman (T 55)
Allen Togwell replies: That you have given away £100,000 to charities and good causes is very commendable indeed. But which radio circuit in the last 15 years (on the recommendation of yours truly) has given the show the greatest support? And who in that radio circuit has been the only Board member willing to work his socks off over the whole weekend, both unpaid and without visions of a gong, setting up and working the stand? As for ideas, I and many others include Mike Son, have moaned for years to those committee members that work for DaC at the choice of venue, the length of time the show is on for, the poor marketing, the range of exhibitors, the poor support facilities such as power and BT, the target audience and above all the poor catering facilities for those participating at the show. For a group of people who have over 40 years experience to consider for example the show at Barnes to be the epitome of what the TD of the Year Show is all about, are not only stuck in a time warp, but an example of how oblivious they are to the reasons why people such as myself are no longer prepared to endorse investing time and money into a pointless shambles. We would

rather give money to a charity instead, as we have done in the past. Who is the show trying to attract? If it's the general public, how much was spent on publicity and how many attended the last show?  Is it the cab trade? Again how much was spent on publicity and how many green badges went through the main entrance? I assume as with most exhibitions, they do acquire this simple data.
And for a typical example of my involvement, DaC have spent fortunes in the past attending the show, in fact the year we went live with data despatch the cost was over £20.000. I worked my nuts off with Dave Allen all day Saturday until midnight building our stand. I was there all day Sunday organising the show including arranging the jazz band from the BBC and working to near midnight on my own dismantling it. And I wasn't so much as offered a glass of milk or a sandwich by any of the committee members or organisers.

Editor's note...This year's Show will be held at the new venue of Planit 2000, which is also known as Planitarches, on Sunday September 2nd. It is situated at Shoreditch High Street between Bethnal Green Road and Commercial Street and usually runs from mid-morning until the results are announced around 5pm. I'll be there...Ed

ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION?
I am concerned that at the moment there appears to be no attempt to provide any means of communication between the drivers and the BoM other than through Call Sign. As Brian Rice acknowledged recently when sending every driver a letter regarding a large account, rather than using this magazine, there are many occasions when drivers and management need to express their opinions and it is inappropriate that these are available to the outside world. The AGM, once a vehicle for sometimes-heated discussion, has now been completely devalued by the introduction of the postal vote and the consequent lack of attendance by drivers.
   Management, because of a perceived lack of interest, rejects Drivers Forums. Perhaps this is because too many drivers feel the BoM is not looking for feedback, but believe they have all the answers. The chaotic introduction and subsequent endless modification to the 'Going Home' facility is clear evidence that this is not the case. Major issues such as our inability to be competitive for longer journeys are not discussed, but are incorporated into an endless review of fixed prices. No driver surveys are ever taken except stupid topical ones for PR purposes. There is no attempt to set up an e-mail group for Dial-a-Cab members only, even though we are the most technically competent radio circuit by far. There is not even a simple suggestion box facility.
   While Board members may claim they meet drivers on a regular basis, I would suggest there is a very large majority of drivers like myself who come out, do their days work and go home. These drivers rarely go into Brunswick House and very rarely see, let alone discuss anything with Board members.
   This letter is not intended as a criticism of the current BoM who I think probably are doing a very good job. There are however, a number of very important issues coming up which requires feedback from the fleet.
George Wilson (F17)
Brian Rice replies: I must say you have asked lots of questions but not really come up with any answers, George. I believe the membership of DaC are very well informed, probably much better than any other trade organisation and that is due to our magazine Call Sign. The first and main objective of the magazine is to keep members informed, which I believe it does in a completely uncensored manner. If there is a topic that the BoM consider to be of prime importance, a letter is despatched to the membership immediately to temper any rumours that surface, as with the Westminster Special Needs. Yes, there is reluctance by members to attend a forum, in fact when I proposed a forum, I did not get one response - why should that be? Is it because members are satisfied with the ways things are going or just apathy? You state that there isn't a suggestion box, well there is because that is exactly what you are doing now. You also refer to the 'Going home facility', which in your opinion was chaotic; dare I suggest that was because members were allowed to change a working procedure? I am all for members making rule changes and propositions, but not propositions regarding working procedures otherwise you can have a 'chaotic' situation (your words George not mine). Anyway, if it is any consolation, you have started the ball rolling - let's see what happens.

THE PAIN FROM SPINAL SCENOSIS...
Please pass on my thanks to everyone at Brunswick House for the flowers and fruit. It is very uplifting to know that you are not always alone. Maybe my experience can serve as a lesson for those young and fit enough to take advantage of Private Medical Insurance.
   14 years ago I took out an A.A. subsidised policy with PPP The thinking behind it was that if ever I became ill enough to preventing me working, I needed something to get me back going again as soon as possible. That decision has proved to be

probably the best one I ever made.
   The pain in my back started at about 3 one afternoon and by midnight I had my GP sticking a cocktail of drugs into my backside that would, he assured me, would stop a horse. It did, but not for much more than 12   hours and the pain started again. For a young child to see his dad sobbing as my Matthew did, must have been awful. The cause was Spinal Scenosis, or to you and me a bulging of the discs (in my case 3) pushing on the sciatic and other nerve roots. A phone call to PPP, an MRI scan and I will be admitted to the Chelsfield Park Hospital for the necessary surgery, and all being well I shall be back at work by the time this is read - 6 or 7 weeks from start to finish. The waiting list on the NHS for this procedure is EIGHTEEN MONTHS. Make no mistake, you cannot grit your teeth and work through this, it is totally disabling. Without some prudent insurance I would be in serious financial trouble even for the time it is taking. To wait for the NHS, I would probably have lost my house and everything I have worked so hard for over the last 20 years. So to those of you able take some advice, hold back on the extras to the fancy wooden steering wheel or CD player, they will be of no use whatsoever when the cab is repossessed. Protect yourself as best you can because you can be sure that no other bugger will.     Also, a big thank you to Helen Corkerry for her help. You've still got the sexiest voicemail! I just hope you are out again next time I ring to let you know I'm coming back to work so that I can hear the voicemail again!
   It was disappointing to get the letter regarding the Westminster Special Needs. I understood that the members of JRTA had agreed that this suicidal behaviour would benefit no one in the long term. No doubt that those drivers who followed the account from the previous supplier have already made arrangements to move on. To you all I say good riddance and I hope that when it comes to replacing those 'drivers', I sincerely hope the Board are more selective in who they recruit. Dial-a-Cab is a great circuit; with the right drivers we can keep it that way.
Best Wishes
Paul Jenner (L19)
Hope you are fully recovered by now, Paul...Ed

'ER INDOORS FAN
As a regular Internet reader of Call Sign and a big fan of 'Er Indoors (Leigh Briden), could I please ask you to include her articles in your Internet edition? Her last article was so funny and I think would be a great addition to an excellent mag!
Josie Allison
Seal Beach, California, USA
Sorry Josie, if I put Leigh in every Internet issue, then I could end up in a fight with other contributors who would also like their efforts syndicated around the world...Ed

BRIAN RICE AND THE CITY OF LONDON CLOSURES
Re Brian Rice's Chairman's Report in the June Call Sign on his meetings with City of London officials and their comments that there is a shortage of cabs and that they are mostly doing corporate radio work, may I ask Brian...
   As you are in the unique position of meeting these people and having to justify our position regarding shortages etc, could you not put the ball back into their court and explain that many drivers bypass the City because of the ludicrous situation of trying to get into the City in the first place, i.e. Bishopsgate, Aldgate etc, and all this under the spurious heading of security. I know that you probably have no sway regarding traffic management within this area, but I would however urge you to voice your/our opinions regarding the obstacles that are put in our way making it even more difficult to pick up in this area. I have enclosed the schedule for the continuation and probably permanency of the Broadgate traffic scheme (Evening Standard, 26 June 2001).
   Brian, do you have any meetings with Camden/Westminster councils? The latest debacle in Endell Street/Monmouth Street is a complete farce, and appears that there are council officials determined to make life as difficult as possible for vehicles and blow the consequences.
Ted Foot (R80)
Brian Rice responds: Ted, I couldn't agree with you more. Yes, I have made representations but you and all our members should write to Camden Council and also to the Mayor, Mr
Livingstone, to make your protests heard. The more people that write in, the more chance of things being changed. Grumbling amongst ourselves will do nothing - I can speak from experience on that one.

SINGAPORE CORRECTION
We refer to the article 'Thirty TX1's Off to Singapore' in the June issue of Call Sign (page 9). In the third paragraph of the article, it mentioned that Tibs is Singapore's largest bus and taxi operator. This is inaccurate as Tibs is Singapore's smallest bus and taxi operator. The largest bus and taxi operators in Singapore are Singapore Bus Services and Comfort Transportation respectively.
Priscilla Chan
Head, Corporate Affairs
CityCab Pte Ltd
Thanks for the correction. The article was accepted as a press release and the facts therein accepted as accurate, although I remember feeling rather surprised when assuming from the PR that Tibs had overtaken both SBS and Comfort in size...Ed

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