Call Sign December 2002 - Page 8 - Former Board Members Johnny Saunders Dies

Dial-a-Cab lost a real name from it's past recently when former Board member Johnny Saunders died as the result of an infection following successful heart by-pass surgery.
   John had a heart attack in 1983, which caused him to stand down from the Board at the time. It was because of this heart problem that the PCO recently asked John to get medical clearance before they could issue him with another licence.
   Following a series of tests, John was told that he needed by-pass surgery and this was carried out successfully. Sadly, his death occurred as the result of an infection following the op.
   Many have described him as the epitome of a drivers representative on the Board and his ultra-friendly tones as a dispatcher prior to the onset of Data Dispatch, endeared him to drivers - especially with his apparent lack of knowledge "...anywhere east of Aldgate!"

John came to DaC in 1967 during our Shirland Road days

Former Board Members Johnny Saunders Dies

Johnny Saunders
John studying map references towards building a data base. inset: John with a smile he was so well known for.

and later became a well-known voice as a dispatcher. His popularity as a dispatcher held him in good stead when at the 1980 AGM elections, he stood for the BoM and was elected. His heart attack in 1983 forced him to stand down but in 1985, feeling fit and well again, he was re-elected and stayed on the Board until 1990 when he stood down.
Two years later, in 1991 he returned yet again to the Board and was there until finally standing down in 1993.
In 1985, he became a member of the Board's Forward Planning

Committee, whose job was to check out different versions of Data Dispatch systems and in February 1986, he along with several other Board members, went to Vancouver in Canada to see the MDI system in action. John was a staunch believer that Data transmissions were the only way to go - and he was proved to be right.
During his time on the Board, the positions he held longest were those of Control Room Manager and Liaison Officer. For a short period, he became Complaints officer and even though he was always very popular, he never allowed that popularity to sway his decisions when it came to complaints.
He was also responsible with another former Board member, Steve Sanders (now Chairman of the War Disabled Fund), for drawing up a database of map references for the MDI terminals.
To all his family and friends, we send our sincere condolences.
Rest in Peace, John...