You can also email your letters to:  callsignmag@aol.com

Ubiee PowerPill Test
The results of my Ubiee PowerPill test were very impressive as you can see by my figures. My fuel consumption has gone down and I now average 24MPG from the previous average of 21MPG - an improvement of 10% which over the year if continued, would save me about £500. I've always been sceptical of these sort of products, but I have to say from what I've seen I may well be tempted to carry on using the pills. Thanks to Call Sign for the opportunity to test this product and I look forward to seeing how the other drivers fared.
Paul Jenner (L19)
You can read about the Ubiee PowerPill test results elsewhere in this issue. However, both Paul and myself had a shock midway through the test when we discovered that taxis still under warrantee would make that warrantee null and void should work be required on a TXII engine that had been using a fuel additive. We are still looking into the subject, but fortunately for Paul’s taxi and my sleepless nights, his warrantee expired soon after, allowing him to give us his results. The warrantee article was on page 30 of the September issue (Call Sign concern over the TXII and fuel additives) …Ed

Selling Dial-a-Cab?
Reading through the last few issues of Call Sign magazine, it has become apparent that there is a will to sell part of ODRTS to an outside company. Again weighing up the pros and cons, would it really advantage Dial-a-Cab drivers to agree to such a idea? Usually this sort of thing is done by large companies to free up capital to reinvest in itself or to buy other companies. Let’s not kid ourselves; in the big scheme of things, DaC is not that big a company, however, we are market leaders in our own sector through good management and what sets us apart from other London radio circuits is that the drivers have a personal interest in the company, a lack of coverage/service reflects on the drivers and we know it.
   Many of the accounts that we hold also greatly appreciate this interest and the caring attitude of employees, drivers and management. To many of the trading companies in the city and beyond, it’s the way business always used to be conducted. I have always looked on change as a good thing, but surely there needs to be hard evidence that change is necessary and would be beneficial. Board members already have the freedom to run the company on a day-to-day basis as they see fit. Trade is strong at the moment, so there is bound to be an increase surplus at the end of the financial year; therefore money is available if needed. This blend of old fashioned values and service added to a joined-up modern thinking, makes us a unique radio circuit. So why the need to sell-off part of the family silverware to people whose only interest would be to recoup their investment at the earliest available opportunity? I for one would be very interested to hear any case for change. And as there will be financial incentives for both Board members and drivers, could the sums involved be made known?
   Lastly, in the September Call Sign, Mike Son talks of "…all trips being non-rejectable." I hope this isn't the shape of things to come?
Richard Potter (T51)
Brian Rice replies: An excellent letter Richard. It is pleasing to read a well thought out letter with valid points and giving credit to the Management of this Society – something that is almost unique! However, I do believe that view echoes the sentiments of the overwhelming majority of members although we rarely hear from them – probably because they are satisfied with the way things are going - and yes, I do believe they are appreciative of the fact that this Society has been transformed into the market leader.  What will surprise the minority of members is that personally I agree with your sentiments. However, I can assure you there is not a desire to 'sell off' all or part of this company, but as I have stated many times and indeed you have even asked the question; if there is an offer, the members will be notified - there is not an alternative to that. 
   Finally, Michael Son's view in the September edition of Call Sign is exactly that and not the shape of things to come. However, your reaction to Mike's statement does tend to contradict some of the things you said earlier, for instance: "The drivers have a personal interest in the company, a lack of coverage/service reflects on the drivers and we know it." Does that actually mean that individuals are happy provided that procedures suit them personally, but the same procedures may not necessarily be good for the Society as a whole?

Speaking Frankly?
As Call Sign came through the post, I noticed two items in my copy of The Sun. First a survey carried out by Direct Line, which claimed that cab drivers were the third most-hated drivers on the road! The second claimed that the BBC spent almost £12million on "taxis" last year. Well, not with us they ain’t!
   And then there are Stanley Frankel’s (K64) letters to Call Sign. He deserves his own column! He could even be bigger than Big Al!
Mark White (B86)
I never did like that Big Al bloke. Far too flash if you ask me …Ed

And Speaking of Stanley…
Stanley Frankel wrote that Frank Lampard was great. Dumbing down is obviously contagious!
Mark Kennedy (R94)

Court in the Act?
I have just put down my September issue of Call Sign and I am fuming! On page 28, there is the story of Dial-a-Cab driver George Cato (H80) and his astonishing court case result. I just couldn’t believe how with the evidence of George and eleven other witnesses including two DaC drivers and members of the police force - not to mention a high-ranking officer, this person could be found not guilty? Even worse, this drunken lout who attacked George is with the firearms unit! I wouldn’t want to be around him when he is armed – with either a gun or a bottle! George Cato must feel hugely disillusioned with British justice, but well done to him for at least trying…
David Marks (R22)
George’s court case report caused several drivers to ring Call Sign to ask whether the story was true. The answer is yes, it was true! Putting together a September issue when absolutely nothing happens during August isn’t always easy, but I try to avoid making up news stories! …Ed

Kupkake’s Kanapes?
I have a long history with Dial-a-Cab going back to 1972 when as a night driver I was so angry at the ineptitude of an evening dispatcher, that I accepted a challenge from the (then) Chairman /Night Liaison Officer to come in, learn the job and do it better - something I
undertook with relish and succeeded. So it is with some educated grasp of the situation that I take exception to comments coming from Board Members who deem it necessary to chastise working cab drivers for refusing trip offers! I cannot speak for other drivers, maybe I should, but in my driving shift I will only reject when the trip is either impractical to accept, ie sitting on E14C and being offered Crisp Street market to West Ferry Rd (5 times), or it is a too
   low fixed price within Central London that should be a meter reading. I will also reject when endeavouring to get home and the trip will send me too far in the wrong direction. Our going home facility is next to useless compared with our competitors and should be addressed to suit the needs of the subscriber.
   I know that two of our Board members still drive their cabs and are probably more aware of the coal face working conditions than other members, so I am surprised to read that there is a theory within the Boardroom that drivers only reject credit rides in favour of cash because of the chance of a roader! As the cost of fuel nudges £5 per gallon, we the work force must
consider the amount of wasted miles running for trips concentrated within a one-square mile area at night when cash paying customers are begging for cabs!
   Surely it's time for EC5 to be disbanded as a matter of course when uncovered work builds up, still keeping the trips AD and non rejectable, but dispatched to the pick-up zones. With our state of art technology, surely we could easily do that.
   That the average credit ride pays more than the equivalent street pick up is true, but if one feeds into the equation the time and cost of running from say SW10, back to EC5, then travelling to the pick up without the meter on for fear of showing more than the £3.80 authorised, waiting whilst the client gets themselves out to the cab to travel within 8 miles of the account address, then the difference ain't all that and one doesn't need to see Private Hire cars waiting at our prestigious account clients to go "down the road" whilst we take the locals.
I don't have a problem with the subs increase; just another expense in the ever upwardly spiralling costs of being a working Taxi driver in London, but I suggest that every Board member should be compelled to drive a Taxi on a regular basis in order to refresh their "hands on" leadership qualities. After all, if you want to talk the talk, then you must walk the walk - or in our case, drive the drive…
David Kupler (Y74)
Brian Rice replies: Yes David, I remember you as a dispatcher back in those days. I thought you were pretty good, always had a nice voice and came across very well. But wow, did I get a shock when I saw you…… just kidding David!
You talk about Board members chastising members for refusing trips - has it ever been any different? Of course it hasn't - even going back to 1972. However, I am very surprised to learn that "…there is a theory within the Boardroom that drivers only reject credit rides in favour of cash because of the chance of a roader!" Well, I must say that’s news to me because if it is the case, I’m surprised that the BoM have kept it so quiet that even I know nothing about it! But if you do, then who's the mole? I think what has actually happened, David, is that you have taken Mike Son's personal view as policy when that is not the case - it is Mike's personal view.
Regarding EC5, the policy you suggest is already in place and the System Supervisor can disband EC5 anytime he chooses - obviously as the work dictates. I know it is galling to see Private Hire cars waiting at account customers to go 'down the road' (assuming they are going 'down the road') – do you have any suggestions what we do about it? Of course we both know the answer and that is to compete on price. But we then get to a situation which you pointed out quite correctly in your letter, in that you are offered a fixed price which you consider to be too low because it should be a meter reading - so the trip is refused, hence the car is outside.
   As you know, I deal with all our largest accounts personally and they all have one thing in common when I visit - the first words leaving their mouths are: "We want to improve service and cut costs." So not only do I have to talk the talk and walk the walk, I also have to schmooze the schmooze!
   Finally, you suggest that every Board member should drive a cab on a regular basis - I agree with you totally! In fact I would go even further; I believe that a Board member should attend Board meetings only and drive his/her cab on a full time basis because it is helpful when the director of a company knows where the factory is! We should then have full time professional people here employed to run the business on a day-to-day basis after the elected Board members have set the policy. However, I believe you know that has always been my belief as it isn’t a secret, but as in Mike Son's case, it is my personal view only…

Dial-a-Dream Website
Could I ask you through the pages of your worthy and informative magazine to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Board and IT dept of Dial-a-Cab, with a special mention to Jonathen Winterburn for his hard work,
accepting constant harassment from me and furthermore, maintaining his composure throughout!
   Since the inception of Dial-a-Dream, we have had a website of sorts and that site was in dire need of refurbishment. Not being blessed with a techno boffin within our ranks, we decided to seek out a website designer. Tom Whitbread said
that he would approach the
BoM and ask permission to

Good for the Goose?
Dear Chairman,
Thank you for a most informed reply to my letter in September’s Call Sign. Although I sort of understand the answer you gave me about the 50p charge, I am still a bit confused and talking to drivers on the Finz, it seems they also cannot get their heads around it. Let me explain…
1.  You say that the PH drivers who do work through our Concierge System are paying nothing to do so.
2. You also say that the PH companies ie Lewis Day are also paying nothing to take work off Concierge (that we, the drivers, paid for) because you say that we, DaC, are billing the clients the 50p a job. Am I correct so far? Now the bit I don’t get is this: Why are we drivers paying you subscriptions of £130, because as far as I can see, we would be better off financially by not being DaC drivers but becoming Concierge drivers instead? I for one would only be too pleased to let the client pay you 50p every time I do a job through the system, why the need for us to pay any subs at all, just keep billing the client every time.
   Because, as they say Mr Chairman, whats good for the goose is good for the gander and as they are saying on the Finz: What`s good for the Ford Galaxy is good for the TXII…
Grant Davis (L39)
Dear Grant, I know you addressed this to the Chairman, but how many times do I have to ask him to answer the same question? I would have thought that even you would realise that PH drivers – possibly in their Ford Galaxy cars – also paid subscriptions to the company they work for and I’d bet you £1 to a pinch of doo-doo their subscription rate is substantially more than £130. DaC have made a lot of money out of Concierge and more importantly so far as I am concerned, gained thousands of extra trips for us drivers – many of them on the Finz. Now it looks as though Concierge has won us the Deutsche Bank contract again. It can’t be that bad… Ed

Then Along Come Eight!
I was interested to read David Heath’s (ex W27) letter in last month’s Call Sign and his negative re-action to seeing 8 brand new buses going along the Fulham Road, quarter full. Considering the bus is the mode of transport most used by the less well-off and the elderly, I would have thought it was a source of pride that they now have access to new frequent buses with available seats than the draughty beat up fifty year old ‘bangers’ packed to the gunnels that they have endured for far too long. Seems a very worthwhile use of congestion charge funds to me.
David Brett (P93)
David Heath’s point wasn’t so much about having the buses available, but how many are actually needed? If they are quarter full, you could cut the number of buses by a third and still leave empty seats. Then perhaps we’d all be able to move along the capital’s streets again… Ed

Mike Son and No-Rejects…
Having digested Mike Son’s comments re account work and his obvious desire to make all
account work non-rejectable, I get the impression there is, possibly, a hidden agenda in what he has said. Mike, both you and Mr Cain maintain account work represents better value than street work. Not entirely true. Clearly, compulsory account work would, with time, decimate the fleet and be replaced with Licensed Private Hire (?). LPH would give the Society a far better return than cabs. Moreover, LPH drivers do what they are told and do not write critical letters like yours truly. I am a night driver and 95% of the work I do is account work. So, you may ask, what am I complaining about?
   I, like the bulk of the night drivers, opt for account work not because it represents better value, but simply because it is more compatible work. I am embarrassed to admit that I find it difficult to adapt to the binge mentality that exists on our streets. For some unknown reason I find it difficult to accept drunken fares that are either argumentative, have not got sufficient money to pay the fare or wish to leave me with a technicolor upchuck!
   For these reasons, I choose to drive professional people who generally, are courteous, sober and friendly. However, account work does have its own peculiar downside. I can do a lot of time waiting for a job allocation; and again, wait so as not to exceed the run-in when the job is pre-booked. I cannot help feeling that your claims of account work being more lucrative than street work is nothing more than "spin", commonly known as propaganda. I suspect you already know all of this. If not, then you should include yourself to be what some of us drivers are accused of being – dinosaurs.
Steve Shaller (R75)
Hola Senor Steve, always nice to hear from you. Hope Spain is keeping you fit for your EC5 trips!
   I’d like to take you back to June 1997 and my first piece of writing as Editor. In it I said that things would be changing from the Call Sign readers were used to seeing. I promised articles by drivers and their partners (true) an uncensored letters page (true), a children’s page (ok, you can’t win ‘em all!), the most valuable competition prizes in the trade (true). Last and certainly not least, I said that I no longer wanted BoM reports that invariably all said the same thing – cover the work in the south west of London. Part of what I wrote back then was: "However, I have informed the Board that if I am to be the Editor of Call Sign, then I must be allowed to edit. So, no more will we have six identical board reports. Space will always be available for Board Members to give a report but NOT if they have nothing to say. I do not want any pages of nothingness!"
I believe that to still be the case and while nothing is perfect, I believe that Board reports are far more informative of company policy and also – and this is where you come in Steve – more interesting because they often give their personal views. That is what Mike Son did. The Chairman has said in response to another writer that Mike’s answer was NOT company policy, but I asked Mike Son again and this is what he told me:
   "I consistently speak to clients who ask why they sometimes have to wait an excessive amount of time when they can see DaC taxis with their for-hire signs on passing them by. Again having to justify this service issue, I do state that sometimes it is in the clients’ best interest that our data dispatch system allows the driver the freedom to reject trips - especially when traffic conditions are appalling. However, the customer still cannot see why drivers are allowed to reject during their working day unless going home. Keeping the freedom of job choice for drivers and giving the optimum taxi service can sometimes prove to be a difficult task.  Steve, with the superior technology Dial-a-Cab has developed over the years, plus the calibre of driver we have on the circuit and the dedicated staff at Brunswick House, the plain fact is that all the customer wants know is how long will the cab be and how much is the fare?   
   Non-rejectable account coverage would bring us an incredible amount of work and increased revenue for the drivers, but that is just my personal view and I cannot see it ever becoming company policy. In addition, if it ever were to become policy, I have no doubt that it would be overturned at the following AGM.
   My last point is with reference to Call Sign. This magazine is an open forum that allows not only drivers to air their views, but also Board members. I was a little disappointed to read that you thought there might have been a hidden agenda with regard to my comments, so let me make it quite clear that any comments I make - whether in the past, present or in the future - will never have some secret agenda. I must be true to myself and be allowed to express my thoughts in both literal and conversation."  
I hope that you can accept the above, Steve, but if not, at least you have the consolation of watching those beautiful senoritas pass by …Ed
Learning How to Avoid Tickets with Call Sign!
I recently needed to use the public convenience at the north end of Carnaby Street and with no parking spaces available, I had to park on a yellow line. I
went in, had a wee, washed my

Gravy Train?
With regard to the thought of making changes to driver’s working hours, has Mr Cain thought about getting off the gravy train and being a taxi driver?
Terence Floyd (R96)
Keith Cain replies: Having read my September article again and then again, I'm confused as to your comment. The whole point of it was to highlight to drivers the expected busy time ahead, the importance of covering the work and inform of the forward planning undertaken here at Brunswick House and to raise the question to see if drivers also were forward thinking. In any professional business - and I include taxi drivers as being professional business people - forward planning is essential. When demand slowed over the past few years, many drivers I spoke with informed me that they had changed their hours to meet customer demand. Perhaps now, because it’s getting busy again, is the time for them and anyone else to reconsider the hours they work to be sure that they achieve the maximum earning potential from the hours spent in the cab. In my article, I asked how many of you had thought of making changes to meet demands? I then went on to say: "Then again, how many of you have said I only
do these hours and I'm not changing for anyone?"
The hours you and everyone else decides to work is none of my business and I have no intention of making drivers change their hours – even if I could! What does concern me is the number of irate customers I and others will have to deal with regarding Dial-a- Cab drivers not covering the work…

M&O Loan Cab
I recently had a loan cab from Mann & Overton for a few days whilst my own cab was in for a small repair. It was fitted with DaC equipment and is loaned exclusively to DaC drivers. The cab was given to me in a filthy state because this was how the previous DaC driver returned it. Inside the driver’s door, at some point he/she had spilt a cup of coffee down the door trim and just left it to dry, all the hubcaps had been smashed to bits and the carpet had never been swept.
   This 05 metallic blue cab was just 3 months old and you wouldn’t see another owner-driven cab in this state, so why is it some drivers just abuse these cabs? There is no justification for it. By the way, I worked in the motor trade for many years and no garage is under any obligation to provide a loan vehicle, let alone one with radio equipment. The drivers who have abused this cab would be the first to moan if this facility was withdrawn. I spent a measly fiver getting the cab cleaned first as I don’t think any account customers would be too impressed at getting into such a dirty cab. You may think you are having a pop at M&O in abusing their cab, but all you are doing is stitching up the next driver who uses the taxi.
Jim Buckley (W33)
I think most of our drivers know that Jim, but like most things in life it is the odd one who lets down everyone else. I remember speaking to one of our drivers outside the office soon after M&O first told Call Sign that they had fitted DaC equipment into 3 of their new cabs. I was surprised to see that he had a new cab, but he told me that it was an M&O loan cab and he was just trying to use up the last of the diesel that he had put in! After having a brand new taxi loaned to him, he was scared that he was leaving in half a gallon more diesel that it had come with – and that’s when derv was 65p a litre …Ed

Frankel-ly Speaking?
Please inform Mark White (B86) that I am unable to give him the address of my charm school, as it is a rather exclusive institution that bans taxi drivers – especially those that watch crappy programmes on the telly. In fact, in my opinion, anyone who watches shows such as The Weakest Link must have close associations with The Misery Link! I would like to point out that I too am a former pupil of Davenant Foundation Grammar School, but I am not proud of the fact that after spending 4 years obtaining a good education, I ended up as a humble cabby.
   Moving on to Mr Abed-Alaziz (N09), he states that the media does not show ordinary Muslims going about their everyday lives. Of course it doesn’t! What could be more boring than that? The media concentrates on news stories such as hurricanes, bombings, murders and politics etc. Can you imagine Trevor McDonald telling us that early this morning Tony Blair got out of bed, had a ‘pee’, cleaned his teeth, took a shower and then had breakfast consisting of Corn Flakes, 2 slices of buttered toast, one boiled egg and 2 cups of tea? Of course he wouldn’t. Admittedly there is a certain amount of prejudice in this country, even though on the whole Great Britain is the most tolerant of all nations. As for me, I’m not at all prejudiced – it’s just that I hate everyone! I don’t know when Mr Abed-Alaziz left Egypt, but he should know better than stating Madrassah is just plain and simply an Arabic word for schools. Of course it isn’t. If he looks up his dictionary, he will see that it defines a Madrassah as a College of Islamic Study. Now as we all know, there are various religious schools ie Catholic and Jewish, which generally produce students with a high level of education, even though some of them may be rather dogmatic – even extreme in their views - nevertheless, they do not turn out the sort of pupil who wants to blow up themselves or others. In Pakistan, many of the Madrassahs preach religious intolerance and as we know, are directly responsible for terrorist attacks on innocent people around the world. Even here, we have all become aware of Islamic extremists who threaten our civilised way of life. So please, Mr Abed-Alaziz, get your facts right.
   Finally and to end on a happy note, I know a young lady that visited Egypt who during her stay, was involved in an accident and returned to the UK as a mummy!
Stanley Frankel (K46)
Stanley, there are Madrassahs around the world and many seem to be just schools for Islamic studies and I think it’s important that we understand that not everyone who follows Islam is a fundamentalist / terrorist. The word Madrassah means centre of learning in Arabic and its purpose is to provide free religious education, boarding and lodging, essentially for the poor. A Madrassah student learns how to read, memorise and recite the Quran properly and at the end of their studies, certificates of various levels are issued for successful pupils. I have no doubt that some come out as terrorists, but did the IRA go there as well? I don’t think that terrorists need to go to a school to learn how to kill. I also think that Mohamed Abed-Alaziz was very brave to go into print giving his views…Ed

Dear Brian…
Last year's published accounts show that by the end of August 2004, DaC enjoyed a turnover in excess of £36 million with reserves of cash at over £2.2 million. Six months later, at the AGM in February of this year, you told us that our cash reserves had risen to over £3 million.
   I was therefore pleased to read your prediction in last month's Call Sign that "…it does appear that we are going to have another very successful year with our turnover and surplus increasing above the figures we returned last year." So with another bumper year, we can confidently expect our cash in hand to be approaching the £4 million figure.
   Why then, with all this spare cash, is there an increase in subscriptions? I know you refer to on-going development of a new generation of terminals, but how much of this is a smokescreen to disguise shortcomings you are reluctant to disclose? Perhaps, for once, we can have some hard factual information (along with some detailed costings if you managed to do any) about these developments, rather than learn about them after the event as we
did with Concierge.
   You also refer to our two major competitors to support the subscriptions increase, but you know very well such comparisons are bogus. Let me remind you what you wrote to Paul Jenner in the August Call Sign: "Regarding RTL ... I do not believe you can bring them into the equation because you are not comparing apples with apples." Absolutely right, Brian, we are after all, a non-profit making society that operates for the benefit of its members and not a company trading for profit and paying corporation tax.
   What concerns me most about the way you have handled the prospective subscription increase is your inability to present and argue a case based on facts, figures and projections. Your preferred style inevitably involves meandering and unquantifiable generalisations. For example, you do not provide any evidence of attempted cost savings through administrative improvements or other efficiencies, you simply expect members to pay up. It's not paying that is the problem, it's what I'm paying for…
Tony Lawyer (C51)
Brian Rice replies: I do not believe that we have one member of this Society that could not answer your letter. Most of them by now have realised that with your letters to the magazine, you are not really interested in answers just endeavouring to make political points - and not very good or clever ones at that! However, I expect your tiny group of friends are impressed.
   You obviously listen intently to what I have to say at AGM's regarding our surplus, because you nearly got the figures correct - which is a first! Although the Auditors will not be visiting Brunswick House until October, I expect our cash at the Bank to be around the £4.8million mark - a quite remarkable achievement and I will gladly relay your congratulations to everyone concerned.
   When you refer to the below-inflation subscription increase and you make a quote that I made to Paul Jenner regarding not comparing apples with apples, you have taken my quote completely out of context as I was referring to the way in which the respective companies were run. 
   Finally, I know how you like to get personal, Tony, so I was not surprised by your quote about me: "Your preferred style inevitably involves meandering and unquantifiable generalisations." Well all I can say is that I bet our two competitors wished they had someone with that style, as it has meant that this Society has shown a profit for every year of the past ten - something the others haven't done - and with £4.8m in cash and everything paid for - wow!

Tom Tom Dave?
Could we have Tom Tom navigation added to the work with the radio or is it not possible?  Just thought it might be a good idea for when you are in the suburbs outside London.
Dave Raymond (F56)
I must say that using my satnav when out in the sticks has helped me take a job that I would otherwise have rejected because I wouldn’t have known how to go cross-country to get there. There is, of course, nothing to stop you adding Tom Tom to your own pocket PC and taking it out to the cab as many seem to have done, but I can’t see it being added to our current terminal and as your letter came in just as we went to print, there is also no one to ask. However, Dave, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find that our next generation of driver terminals included a built-in satnav system …Ed

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