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No T for Doug…
The Chairman’s article regarding the T attribute made interesting reading (November Call Sign) and I'd just like to offer my point of view. When I found out I was covering car company work having been given it from the Finsbury Square rank, I felt gutted and frustrated. My natural inclination is to serve Dial-a-Cab accounts (where Dial-a-Cab services the account directly) - as previous letters from me regarding E14C will testify.  My frustration was borne from the fact that this work was non-rejectable and I was gutted because I feel this strategy is wrong in the long term.
   Brian states that "…we have been working with car companies," whereas it seems to me that we are working for car companies; ie they are subcontracting the work out to us. So I found myself asking why would a car company give work out? Why would they give it to Dial-a-Cab and not a fellow minicab firm? How long would they give the work to Dial-a-Cab? Why aren’t we servicing these accounts directly? And, apologies for being suspicious, is this a back door way to merge Dial-a-Cab and car companies? My thoughts are that the car company gives out work because it can’t cover it and wants to give their customers the impression that they are always reliable, whereas we are supplying that reliability. They give the work to Dial-a-Cab because we have the respectability and trustworthiness that other car companies don’t have. I believe they will continue to give the work to Dial-a-Cab until they are big enough to cover all the work themselves - and they’d have got there with our help and be an even bigger threat and competitor to Dial-a-Cab.
   As to why their customers are not dealing directly with Dial-a-Cab, is it because we cost more? I don't know, but if we do, doesn't it show that the car companies are prepared to buy the work in order to grow larger for the long term? Why else would they lose money by paying us more than their customer is paying them? And if we cost less, again why isn't Dial-a-Cab servicing these accounts directly?  As for being cynical and asking whether this is a back door merger, in all honesty I have to ask, even if it’s just because it crosses my mind.
   I have been with Dial-a-Cab since my dad got me on as his journeyman back in 1987 ( I think) and have always felt that, by and large, we have been led by decent Chairmen and Board members and Brian Rice is no exception! I don't envy Brian when making these choices and wouldn't want to be in his position. It's just that I can't see the logic of helping a competitor to grow to be a bigger threat in order for us to have jam today.
   For my part, I have had the T attribute removed even if it just means I am now able to cover more of the Dial-a-Cab accounts that the dispatcher keeps telling us are in danger of being lost through bad coverage!
   On a completely unrelated note, I recently took advantage of the 25% discount being offered by The Salieri Restaurant in the Strand through Call Sign. As soon as I told them I was a Dial-a-Cab driver, Sammy, the proprietor, made my party unbelievably welcome. I thoroughly recommend it to all other drivers.
Doug Vogel (R05)

But Some for Richard…?
After initially being very sceptical, I decided to do some transport company work. What has surprised me is that these jobs are very genuine. What I mean is that the ones I have done have been going the right way and were good quality. Maybe after all, it is a matter of coverage and not just cherry picking. The customers are surprised that a licensed Taxi has turned up, but surely the point that we can cover the work is a good advert for us? The transport companies are cheaper because the customer always enquires about the cost, so they are covering the job at a loss after paying all the fees and Vat.
   But on another point, doing work for companies that use cars and us. Of course they have every right to do this – it’s business - but I feel a little aggrieved when I do an As  Directed job that falls below the minimum fare. The use of A/D seems to be used more these days, but really it just stands for a firm that regularly gives poor quality work and past experience has found that coverage at that account has been poor. So if the car companies at Cabot Sq and London Wall are asked for a quote for a local job, I guess that to aid their ‘cherry picking’, they charge a high fee for locals so that they are not asked to do them. I feel that the minimum fare we charge should be increased to something more appropriate, say £12, as £8 is now too low. I sat in W1SW for 25 minutes recently and accepted an A/D from Old Burlington Street which went to Cavendish Sq for £4.20.That's £8 for 40 minutes work. Surely we need to protect our hourly rate, narrow the gap between us and what the car companies charge, so we are not just looked at as the cheap alternative. And as the economy is in a better shape than it has been for sometime, now is a good time as any to break the news to our customers.
Richard Potter (T51)
Brian Rice replies to the above two letters: As both of the above letters are in a similar vein, I’m sure that both Doug and Richard will not mind if I answer them simultaneously.
   Firstly, I’m glad that you (Doug) find my articles interesting reading and you will know because you are obviously an avid reader of my column, that I too share your sentiments.  Unfortunately, I cannot let my heart rule my head as I do have a business to run, consequently we have given all drivers the 'T' attribute so that if their convictions are so strong, they can in fact 'opt out' of doing the car work and leave it to drivers that find the work extremely lucrative and do not have any objections in covering it - especially as our two competitors do not have any scruples regarding the car work. Incidentally Doug, regarding a merger with a car company, I believe that is very unlikely. However, a takeover by DaC - who knows? I’m almost sure that it would not be the other way around, as I personally do not know any car company that could afford us (I know that some of you are just going to love that answer)!  It would appear that whilst we have been despatching work to car companies via the 'Concierge' system and although it is functioning brilliantly, the car companies sometimes leave a bit to be desired regarding their level of service - certainly not as good as DaC expects and that is something we are monitoring very closely. 
   Regarding Richard's letter, it’s encouraging that someone who has something positive to say actually has the courage to actually write to the magazine. However Richard, that does not mean that I will automatically agree with you. I know you sat in W1SW for 25 minutes, but that was your choice. Then when you got an A/D you thought wow – a trip 'down the road'! I can understand your frustration when it then only went to Cavendish Square, however, that’s the way it goes sometimes and because it was a local, you want to make the minimum £12. We are the only radio taxi service that operates with an £8 (or should I say £8.80) minimum, but to be honest it very rarely applies. Take a look at your credit book and I will be very surprised if you have many trips in there for £8, they are
almost always more than that.

Finally, I’m glad that you are giving the car work a try before coming to any conclusion. Normally the average trip for them is £31, however, during the past week the average price was up to £37. You have all the facts ladies and gentlemen, so you must all draw your own conclusions!  

Call Sign Coventry Trip
I would like to say thank you to Call Sign for enabling myself and 5 other members to go to Coventry and the LTI factory in November. This was in fact a progress report from the previous visit that we made in May 2004 in response to LTI’s listening programme. Prior to our first trip, to say that I felt cynical would be an understatement! I was concerned that although we may have talked, no one would be listening.
   We left Euston Station for the November trip and travelled up to Coventry on one of Virgin’s new trains, a very smooth experience and were met at Coventry Station by Andrew Overton, who then marshalled us into the waiting transport and we were driven to the factory. On arrival, we were reacquainted with various members of the LTI management production team who we had met on our previous visit.
   After the Agenda was set and the Minutes of our previous meeting discussed, it became apparent to me that we had talked and they had listened to some of the issues we had raised and they were trying to find solutions to rectify them.
   After lunch, we were given a brief tour of the factory. We then had the opportunity to visit areas of the production line that were of particular interest to any members of our team. These included the paint shop, dashboard fascias assembly and the rear seating fitting, as well as other areas
within the production line. We were then given the opportunity to raise any other issues that we had and were given an insight into the stringent complexities that have to be engineered into the vehicle to conform to the current TfL/PCO requirements.
   Well, has my initial cynicism disappeared? Time will tell, if TfL listen and act on the various ideas, points and issues that were raised by our group as well as others within the trade, it may give me more confidence that the vehicle I am buying has been manufactured by a company willing to produce a dedicated Taxi suited to the needs of a Licensed Taxi Cab Driver in the 21^st Century.
David Burnetts (S43)
Call Sign sent 10 drivers to the LTI factory in May and then resent 6 of that group in November to see how many of their suggestions had been taken on board. A report of the trip can be found in this issue. The next Call Sign organised trip to LTI’s Coventry factory will be in the Spring, when a new group of drivers will be selected

Get Well Linda
My Call Sign arrived 15 minutes ago and I just wanted to send a note wishing your wife well and yourself strength and good health (Call Sign Editorial Dec). Now I’m going to read the rest of the magazine.
Laurence Kelvin (W88)
   Just read the December Call Sign and I am very sorry to hear about your wife’s illness. I hope life is much better now. It makes DaC politics seem so unimportant and changes perspectives.
Mark White (B86)
Just seen Call Sign on-line and read about your wife. Hope she is well again and you are sorting yourself out. Best wishes to you both for the New Year.
Sam Stuart (ex DaC driver)
Alicante, Spain
Thanks to everyone who wrote and phoned sending good wishes following Linda’s recent mystery illness. I just didn’t have the room to publish them all! I had to take almost 7 weeks off from work and you then suddenly realise the disadvantages of being self-employed! You also begin to realise that when it comes to having friends you didn’t even know you had, the London Taxi trade takes a lot of beating. Linda is now well on the road to a full recovery, but the support we received from everyone will stay with us for a long time …Ed

Signals at Xmas
Sorry, but after yesterdays debacle I feel it’s about time to have a rant. Last evening (Dec 3) at around 6pm, it got fairly busy on the radio. But guess what? You couldn’t do any work because you can’t get a signal. It’s resend, resend and discard, discard! It was the same last Xmas when it got slightly busy, so in the end you just forget it and return to working cash. As a result, I managed just £12 on the radio yesterday - something I am not used to as an ex-ComCab driver!
   So much time is spent with eyes off the road trying to use a medieval system like this, how long before someone has a serious accident whilst trying to accept / reject a job etc? This is a very serious issue and needs to be addressed, surely something dramatic needs to be done to ensure the system at least works and is safe to use? The system simply cannot cope when it gets slightly busy. I know there were supposed signal problems that night, but this was the same last year and every time it gets busy. I like radio work and want the chance to do it, but with this outdated system, it’s getting harder and harder.
   Please don’t tell me to re-join  ComCab (who had very little signal probs) or another circuit, because I want to stay on Dial-a-cab who I find are very progressive and friendly, but are just using a slow, outdated system of despatching work.
Daniel Priddle (N96)
Brian Rice replies: Yes Daniel I do understand your frustration, but on the particular night in question channel one went down. It was a problem with the landline and BT, so unfortunately was something beyond our control. Approximately one month ago, one of our competitors had a total shutdown when eight of their aerial sites went out of commission at the same time - these things do happen. Incidentally Daniel, it was not the evening of the 3^rd, but of the 2nd December when we had these extenuating circumstances.
   Regarding your belief that there are very few signal problems on ComCab, that is not strictly true. I was recently talking to Geof Kaley, the former MD of ComCab and he told me that he always used to tell his drivers "the same as you do" (meaning me)! "The
only thing I can guarantee are bad signals!" Now that must obviously be the case otherwise I would not go into print with it. The last thing that I would tell you to do is join ComCab, because I am pleased that you are a member of DaC - warts and all.  Finally, you know that we are aware of the problems as I went into some detail regarding signals in my last Chairman’s report. Things will get better - but on the night in question there was nothing that we could have done as it was a BT problem, which unfortunately, will probably happen again…

DIY Radio Repairs
I’ve looked on the Call Sign website for the "Tips from Roman Way" article, but I cannot find it. Is it possible for you to email me a copy of this article please?
David Marks (R22)
So many drivers have asked, that I have decided to reprint it in this issue …Ed

Zingo Enquiries from Singapore
I’ve been following the Zingo situation in London. I am sure you know that ComfortDelGro have bought it from Manganese Bronze. At one time it was seen as a possible threat to the traditional call-taking taxi business in London, but obviously hasn’t made an impact? I was looking at a similar system from Israel a few years ago, where passenger’s calls are routed directly to the nearest driver. Subsequently, I am told the project was abandoned as the taxi companies did not

support it because it was seen as
a threat. I guess it may work in a
place where individuals rather than corporations run the taxi business.
   Christmas being round the corner, I take this opportunity to wish everyone at Dial-a-Cab and
the Call Sign team a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
Regards
Oh Seong Tatt
SMRT, Singapore
The same greetings to you Seong. Oh Seong Tatt is a Transport Analyst from Singapore who writes for Call Sign occasionally …Ed

Band Of Brothers?
There was a function / service at the Old Hall, Lincoln’s Inn on 7 December. Low and behold a lot of minicabs were called as transportation. There they were driving round and round Holborn and Lincoln’s Inn Fields looking for the pick-up venue. The minicab drivers asked me three times for directions to the pick-up, but sad to say my memory failed and I could not direct them! A little later I was on the Lincoln’s Inn rank and one of the minicabs who had asked me previously, asked the second DaC driver for directions. This driver was most helpful and directed him to the pick-up precisely and to the exact yardage.
   I politely mentioned to the DaC driver that it was a minicab to which he replied, and it must be said rather aggressively: "So what, they are doing the same job" and that we are "…all the same these days." He then went on to say that I should mind my own business and keep my opinions to myself and that people like me have "an old fashioned attitude."
   Now I thought I was minding my (TAXI) business and his also, not so it would seem. Perhaps he is a convert to the DaC Board’s decision that it is now our business to give work away to minicabs? Perhaps this DaC driver thought he was helping one of Brian Rice’s Concierge minicab drivers. It seems to me that more and more drivers are swallowing the line that we are to work alongside our newly licensed 'brethren'. So when you see a minicab driver going round in circles, give him all the information at your disposal, as he might be one of our Concierge mates. Failing that, you could just open your moneybag and let him take a dip into it whilst you are roasting on a rank. And if any minicab drivers (who read Call Sign and contribute to Call Sign, such as Daniel Olev) get lost, I suggest that you ask a very helpful driver who drives a Dial-a-Cab logoed Metro, index number N*** ***, he will help you out.
Maurice Haben (G17)
I haven’t reproduced the number plate you sent in, as it would be unfair because I don’t know the other driver’s side of the story. I have to say that I both agree and disagree with your philosophy. I think I’d rather go without food for a day than give a minicab directions. However, like it or not, there are now two types of minicab driver not including touts – the chancer who is out to make a few quid to subsidise his income and those like the driver you mention and who wrote for Call Sign – Daniel Olev. He works for a reputable company and wouldn’t be seen dead picking up in the street. He takes his job seriously, is always dressed smartly and his car is always clean. I know you don’t want to hear this, Maurice, but without people like him, Licensed Taxi drivers just could not cope. Before Gotla introduced his fleet of Renault Dauphines in the ‘60s, perhaps we could have provided a complete service, but we were very expensive and too many prospective passengers started to use minicabs. The door was opened and it can never be shut again.
   As for Concierge, as a Licensed Taxi driver I can’t say I am delighted with that situation, but I believe that DaC should be congratulated for being the ones to develop the system. If we hadn’t, I’m sure that sooner or later there will be a joining up of several large PH companies and they will then undoubtedly develop their own Concierge system. Rather than us passing work to them as Concierge does, they would then be passing it to us. I know which option I prefer. You could say that we just won’t partake, but what then if all our large corporates decide that PH Concierge is what they want and leave Dial-a-Cab? We are then no longer in a position to dictate. We have to be the best and give customers what they want or they will go to someone who can. After all, we are talking here about clients who spend millions every year - not fifty quid occasionally if it rains. I know it isn’t the answer you wanted, Maurice, but it represents my view …Ed

Late CV
Although my nomination for election onto the Board of management was received by the Secretary in good time, I am afraid my CV was late arriving and consequently was not published (editors dictate). Another consequence was that my name was omitted from the article 'Standing for Election at the 2004 AGM'. This was probably a poor choice of heading because it implies that those included in the article are the only candidates. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to declare to the membership that I am standing for election onto the BoM at the 2004 AGM.
   I apologise to the membership for this mishap and would be glad to send my CV and answer any questions you might like to put to me. 
My email address is paul@tully8hd.fsnet.co.uk 
Paul Tully (Y40)
In all fairness to myself, I should add that Paul’s CV didn’t just miss the cut-off date that had been advertised for the previous two months, it was almost a week late. The first article made it clear that those who wished to put a CV in could do so, whereas the article itself containing the CVs made it clear that these were the CVs received before the cut-off date. Putting CVs in Call Sign was a service to readers and not part of the election process because at the time the CVs were received, I didn’t know who was standing. The decision on whether Paul should be allowed to enter his CV so late (the magazine had already been laid out) was mine. The closing date was Friday 12^th November, but I kept it open until the 15^th so that no one could say they had just missed it, however, I considered a week late as being too much.  After all, the other nine  candidates managed it on time. Paul asked if his CV could go into this issue, but I rejected that as being unfair because the other candidates had opened themselves to questions from subscribers, whereas Paul would have been excluded from that possibility. I didn’t take either decision lightly, but acted in a way that I felt would be fair to those standing …Ed

Thank You from an MBE
Dear Alan,
   May I just thank your Chairman Brian Rice, your good self and all the members of Dial-a-Cab, for the courtesy and respect they have given me (considering I am not even a member of your circuit) on receiving my MBE. It was a great honour to have received it from Her Majesty The Queen and my family and I will never forget the day. It is a great pity that other people in the trade could not even be bothered to acknowledge that I have received this award as I personally think that something like this reflects the good that the trade charities do.
   Thank you all once again, may you all have a happy peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Alan Cohen MBE
LTFUC
Congratulations Alan, it is indeed a great honour for the Licensed Taxi industry …Ed

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