I hope that you all had a nice Christmas/Chanukah and that the New Year brings you all that you hope for.

New Drivers
As some may be aware, my brief before the holidays was to increase the fleet due to the occasional lack of service that customers were enduring. I am pleased to say that the target I was set by the Board has now been achieved and customers have been very pleased with the service Dial-a-Cab provided over the holidays, even thought the number of jobs going through the system was unbelievably high.
   The need for more drivers will be reviewed again during the year. At this time, drivers wishing to join Dial-a-Cab will have their details added to our waiting list. As has been repeated several times in Call Sign, we are ever mindful of keeping the right balance between drivers and trip numbers.

Good PR For The Taxi Trade - And Some Not So Good...
During the few weeks leading up to the festive period, you may have read in the press or seen on TV, reports on unscrupulous minicab drivers and the tremendous risk of abuse and robbery - even another case of rape in Chelsea - if the public use them.
   It is encouraging to know that although the press for many years have written scurrilous articles about cab drivers, there is now a realisation that we are good at what we do and are an integral part of the transport system in London. The message has been that the public are protected if they use a licensed taxi.
   During the coming months, many minicab companies will be seeking legitimacy by applying for a licence and they have ten months in which to comply. During this period, no doubt many of their customers will carry

on using them, but possibly our loyal cab riders could decide to give them a try knowing that there will be an element of protection and an authority that will take up complaints.
   However, there will be many minicab drivers who will continue to illegally ply for hire and the public will use them when cab drivers - whether on radio or not - cannot or will not give a service.
   How many times have you been plying for hire and seen a customer that the cab in front has stopped for. You overtake him, but the cab that stopped then refuses the passenger, making it too late for you to take them. This action leaves both the customer and you angry.

And Dress...?
How many times does a cabdriver come to work with a filthy cab, unsuitable mode of dress, is abusive to passengers and quite frankly not the person you would want representing your industry? This attitude has to change and I'm sure that the majority of you agree with that.
Even at this time, prior to minicab licensing, passengers have the choice. They may choose to use the Addison Lee type company with admittedly, a very nice vehicle, a driver who is quite smartly dressed and invariably courteous. The one draw back for customers is that those drivers do not have a clue what they are doing or where they going and it is only the on-board satellite route systems that stops them wondering round in circles.
   We are the professionals, but for some reason many London

cab drivers are not proud of the fact that they passed the intense Knowledge examination, which in most cases takes around three years.
   Many decide to purchase a taxi; this is just as in any other business with a long-term financial commitment. Also like other ventures, to make it pay you need customers. There is an unknown future ahead, so why oh why don't cabdrivers wish to protect that future? Ladies and gents, the world does not owe us a living.
   If we are to protect what has been an honourable profession, there must be a change of attitude; we have an opportunity to capitalise on the previous pro-active publicity the trade has received.
   The majority of Dial-a-Cab drivers realise that our client database could be at risk in the not too distant future and, just as many realise that threat, they are now giving that extra bit of service and are much smarter dressed than in the past.
   Make no mistake, customers do make comment, not only when they have something to complain about, but also when they are extremely satisfied with the service. As one customer said to me a short while ago after leaving a previous supplier, there is a marked difference here at DaC; the staff are pleasant and the drivers helpful, in fact it's like belonging to a club. "Please" and "thank you" does go a long way in PR terms.
   See you at the AGM on Sunday February 4th.

Mike Son

Editors's Note:
My thanks to Mike Son who wrote the above article literally hours before going into the Wellesley Hospital, Westcliffe-on-Sea, for an operation on his ear. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I wish him a speedy recovery.