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The RAC and Taxis
I recently broke down in the early
hours in central London. I rang the RAC for assistance as I am a fully paid up member and have been for the past eight years, but was informed that I was no longer covered unless I paid £90 extra for this call out as it was now classed as a commercial call out! I said that I just wanted someone to look at the cab but not to tow it, but the answer was no unless I paid the £90. I told them that I would not even pay them 90 pence.
So much for loyalty…
   Two points arise from this:-
The first is if minicab drivers rings for assistance, are they asked if the car is being used for commercial purposes? The second point is that if you buy a new cab from LTI, you are automatically given RAC cover with the warranty. My thoughts are that LTI should look at who will cover the cab after the first year without penalties. The AA, who came to my rescue, does not discriminate between cab and car. So if I was working for LTI, I don’t think I would
be putting any business through the RAC.
Alan Lipscombe (T50)
You will probably have seen the article on this topic in last month’s issue where Charlton Clark (V25) said that he felt "cheated" by the RAC. According to the RAC, minicabs were not covered either except under their small business plan – which they offered through the "pay as you break-down scheme." If a breakdown unit arrived and saw a PH licence sticker in the front and back windscreens, the RAC spokesperson told us that vehicle would not be offered repairs under the normal breakdown plan. However, the good news is that as we go to press, word has arrived of a change of heart by the RAC following the highlighting of problems experienced by our drivers in Call Sign. This was undoubtedly helped by LTI after Call Sign informed them of the problem some time ago.
   An LTI spokesperson told Call Sign just before the RAC changed direction: "Customer feedback on our products and associated services is very important to us. We need it if we are to improve - which we are always striving to do. We are aware that the RAC have changed their policy and are working with them to address this issue and achieve the best possible cover for our customers. We continually monitor costs and service levels of all the breakdown assistance providers eg RAC, AA, Green Flag etc and from a total package point of view, we believe the RAC still represents the best value for money at the moment. This may change going forward. In the meantime, any pressure drivers can bring to bear on the RAC to offer taxi drivers the level of cover they used to get on non-small business plans may help us and the drivers get the best deal in the future."
    You can read about the RAC’s new offer elsewhere in this issue …Ed

Call Sign’s LTI Visit
Can I thank Call Sign for allowing me to go on the recent LTI factory visit to Coventry. I would have happily paid the fare, so it was a pleasant surprise to know that Call Sign and Virgin between them were sorting out the tickets, while LTI provided a nice lunch. I found the visit to be very interesting and appreciated LTI’s openness in answering driver’s questions. The factory itself is fascinating with its old and new sections, a combination of which provides us with the end result of a TXII. Anyone else who gets the opportunity to go, should take it.
John Davis (V41J)
This was our third trip to LTI at Coventry and Call Sign will be sending another group later in the year. As previously, our thanks go to Virgin West Coast for their kind sponsorship of the journey and to LTI for the invitation and courtesy. A report is in this issue …Ed

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty!
I am writing to express my appreciation to one of your drivers, who went above and beyond the call of duty to help me. On 6 June, I was picked up at my address at 18:45 to go to
Paddington to catch the Heathrow Express. About five minutes after we departed, I realised  I'd left my purse at my desk, so we turned around to get it and started the journey again. When we arrived at Paddington, I joked that I'd left my passport in the office and we had to go back! The driver, after I assured him that I was joking, jovially waggled his finger at me and said: "Don't do that!" I rushed to the very front end of the platform and boarded the train, which was scheduled to depart in five minutes. A moment later, I heard someone calling my last name – and there in front of me appeared the DaC driver who had in his hand my digital camera, which must have fallen out of my bag when I put my purse in it. I exclaimed my gratitude and disbelief, but he was already walking away.
   Now, hopefully, the extraordinary effort he went to is obvious, but it bears repeating that not only did he notice the camera, but walked all the way to the platform and all the way to the very front of the train, calling my name the whole time. I would not have noticed my camera missing until I was on the other side of the planet, and probably would never have figured out where I had left it. I hope that there is some way of tracking down the driver's name by way of the reference number and of giving him some sort of special customer service recognition. I would appreciate it if you would let me know.
Christine Bader
London SW1
DaC have always been known as the Gentlemen’s circuit and this is just one of many reasons why. So well done Roger Gershfield (P37) for helping to maintain that reputation …Ed

And Speaking of Gentlemen’s Circuits…
The following letter was written to Steve Brown, the Transport Service Manager for the Westminster TaxiCard…

Dear Mr Brown
Thank you for running the TaxiCard service so efficiently and carefully. This service has been such a help to me - being disabled, deaf and too old! I would also like to commend one of the taxi drivers – he is Peter Moll (K35). He collected me from my flat on 11 May to take me to the Brompton Hospital. He came about 7pm and as I opened the door, I suffered a severe asthma attack and couldn’t speak to try to explain. I am sure he was very worried but he behaved so well, with patience and confidence and he arranged everything. I thought you might like to know what high quality calibre of staff you have and I hope you will thank him.
Amia Raphael
London NW8
Well done Peter …Ed

 Sid Says…
It has been some time since I last
wrote to Call Sign but I had to respond to your article on page 31 of the May Call Sign – The thoughts of former Chairman Jack Russell. I was very pleased

Account Detours
On credit rides, I am sometimes asked to make a detour and make an extra stop on the way to the eventual destination shown on the screen. At present there are Change Dest and Add Dest buttons, but not one that says something like Add Via. Add Dest should really only be used, I think, when the passenger is carrying on beyond the original destination.  Is there a chance of this being implemented on the next software update?
Robert Richland (N94)
Brian Rice replies: Robert, I believe what we have at the moment is sufficient. You are
suggesting that we include Add Via, but that would only serve the same purpose as Add Destinations because that is exactly what it means - you are adding a destination. I can see your point regarding the passenger carrying on beyond their original destination, so the Add Destination would then be used. It would be the same as if they were making a 'stop-off' because they were adding a destination - although not their final one. You must also bear in mind Robert, that all transactions are automatically logged provided you notify us, so there should not be any problems.

Postal Ballot
No doubt I was surprised as most when the request for a postal ballot dropped through my letterbox. Although it was subsequently cancelled, this whole subject raises serious questions. As demutualisation appears to be the only subject that postal ballots don’t cater for, it doesn't take too much working out as to why the Board are recommending that we adopt this rule change. This is without doubt the most important decision we can be asked to vote on and I have to say that I don't like the way it is being handled. Why is there no time to debate this important issue? Is it any coincidence that the original ballot papers arrived after the July issue of Call Sign went to press and by the time anyone had had a chance to voice their opinions, the vote would have taken place before the August issue appeared? No chance of debate there then, just the Board's recommendation that we accept their advice. Why, in my case, only 14 days notice of the EGM and booked in the middle if the holiday and BBQ season? I would suggest that the spirit of democracy is being stretched to its limit. We are not idiots, we can see what is happening and I would urge all members, when the vote is again put before us, to vote NO to proxy voting. Demutualisation must be discussed in an open meeting with all members present (and I'll have more than a few words to say) before any vote is taken. This is exactly what happened at RTL and we can all see how their members have "benefited" since their rug was pulled out from under them. I said back in 1996 after I failed to get elected to the Board that I would not stand again unless I had something to offer the membership. Perhaps the time has come for me to reconsider…
Paul Jenner (L19)
Brian Rice replies: The reason the meeting was cancelled was because some members received my letter, while others received one from the Company Secretary and every member should have received both letters. I have no idea which letter you received Paul,
however, for members that received my letter, I was very explicit as to why the meeting was going to be called. To clarify the situation, I have included an extract from my letter:
   "So why the proposed Rule Change? Dial-a-Cab is now the only Licensed Radio Taxi service operating within London that retains its mutual status. Our success means that we have received a number of approaches from those wanting to invest in us so as to help us take our business on to even greater successes. I do not know whether any of these approaches will result in a firm proposal that we can put to you, however, we have been advised that if we were to seek to change our status to take advantage of any of these offers, then members cannot vote on any such proposal using a postal vote. Members would only be able to vote if they do so in person at the meeting or by appointing a ‘Proxy’ who casts their vote at the meeting. We therefore need to introduce Proxy Voting to make sure that all members’ voices can be heard on any such proposal regardless of whether or not they are able to attend the relevant meeting. A resolution to this effect will be proposed at the meeting on the 10 July 2005."
I think you will agree Paul,
that I can not be more explicit than that, the reason for Proxy

August 2005 Call Sign Home Page

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