End of Year
Although you will receive this issue of Call Sign during the last month of the calendar year, as a Company, our financial year terminated at the end of August. Since then, the Auditors have been to Brunswick House in order to audit our figures and I am pleased to report that they have given us a clean bill of health.
   As you all know, the past year has been extremely difficult for the London Taxi trade due to many reasons that have been very well documented. However, I am delighted to inform you that Dial-a-Cab, despite the downturn in the economy has still made a surplus this year - albeit not as large as other years - but we are still trading profitably. When adding back the depreciation we have shown this year, which was in excess of Ł1.2m, then I think you will all agree that given the circumstances, Dial-a-Cab has had another very good year.
   Since the beginning of our current financial year, the amount of work that we have been distributing to our members has increased enormously and in fact the month of October was the busiest month this company has experienced since December 2001. Following on from that, September was far busier than September of last year. I am hopeful that this trend will continue and that coupled with any extra business we acquire and have acquired, will stand us in very good stead for the future.
   However, as things have picked up slightly, you don’t need me to tell you how important it is that we continue to give an excellent service right through the ‘run up’ to Christmas. The increase in our business and the general pick up in the economy is still extremely precarious and very fragile, it would not take too much to reverse the current improvement and generate it into a downward spiral. I know I have said this many times before, but our coverage in the run up to Christmas must be exemplary in order that we maintain our client base – but you all know that anyway…

Office of Fair Trading
The OFT published their report last week containing the results of their study into the Taxi and Private Hire business on a national scale. The report made all the daily papers and even the national news on television. I have had several inquiries from members regarding this topic, as it appears some of them were quite disturbed when reading about the report. Let me first point out that the OFT report is a recommendation only and will not be implemented unless the Government agree. The crux of the report was to see if members of the public were given a good service by the Taxi and Private Hire industry over the whole country.
   In a nutshell, their findings were that there should possibly be maximum fares for taxis, however I emphasise the word maximum as individual companies could ‘undercut’ these maximum prices if they so desired.
   But the main concern was that in certain parts of the country, local councils operated a policy of limitation on Taxi licences and they felt that this was not in the best interest of the public. I would like to stress that in London there is no limitation on licences and a licence is issued once a prospective Taxi driver has reached the required standard. Consequently, in my opinion if the OFT report and recommendation is implemented - and that is still an ‘if’ - I do not believe that it will have any effect on London whatsoever.

Taxi Newspaper and Call Sign
I read ‘Taxi’ Newspaper on a regular basis, as like most of you I am interested in the opinion of others. I always read Steve McNamara’s column and very often I agree with him whilst on other occasions he makes me smile.
 

 Well, the 19 November issue was a ‘smiling’ edition! Steve starts off by saying that our own Call Sign magazine is the second best publication in the Taxi trade after Taxi Newspaper - well, we all know that Call Sign is better so even at the beginning of his article it shows that he gets things wrong!
   He then goes on to add that one of the LTDA’s biggest victories was the introduction of the night tariff – not quite true Steve. That was a rare united front with the whole of the Taxi trade sitting round the table with the Mayor. I remember quite distinctly urging the Mayor along with ALL the driver organisations - and yes, Bob Oddy was also there - to implement the night tariff. Mayor Livingstone went ahead and authorised it.
   Not long after implementation, the economy took a downturn and of course 9/11 came upon us. Then some of us in the trade, myself included, felt that perhaps implementing the night tariff at such a sensitive time might make the Taxi trade seem greedy and grasping. Of course Steve, I will admit that I did make the cardinal sin of stating my view publicly. Then as we all saw, a lot of ‘nightwork’ disappeared, so much so that the night tariff was put back to 22.00hrs. So who was right Steve?
   Finally, you say that you have heard a rumour that Taxiboard is to be resurrected – no Steve, you haven’t heard a rumour, you READ it in Call Sign! You go on to add that you can surmise the reasons. What might they be Steve? The only reason I have endeavoured to get more organisations onto Taxiboard is that I believe that it will carry more influence with the authorities and be more representative of the trade. Whether I am successful, only time will tell. But what is wrong with a body representing us that consists of the LCDC, SPLT, HALT, Suburban Drivers, LMPCA, Manufacturers and the LTN? Do you not think that their views might be more balanced than others? Anyway Steve, keep doing what you’re doing, but please don’t make me smile too much!

Brian Rice
Chairman
Dial-a-Cab