Overdoing it?
It is very sad that since I last wrote an article, we have lost some
great friends and drivers of Dial-a-Cab. John Wells and Ian
Cameron’s death was a great shock to many of us as they were both
still relatively young. Then there were drivers who had contracted
various illnesses, some of them being life threatening and where a
cure is still somewhere in the future.
Is the problem that we as taxi drivers are our own overseers? That
we govern the amount of hours we work or the stress that we put
ourselves under? People who are employed have their hours restricted
to stop them overtaxing themselves.
As taxi drivers, there are a large number who want to improve their
standard of living - something that is understandable - with a
better life for their children, a house of their own and a new taxi.
But in the process of trying to achieve this, they stretch
themselves too far and the body can only take so much before cracks
appear and they become vulnerable to all types of illnesses.
It could also be greed that causes drivers to push themselves too
hard, the chance of that one more pound at the expense of an extra
hour’s rest for the body, or sitting behind the wheel doing an
advise arrival instead of getting off their backside and
exercising their bodies.
I’m not advocating that all drivers should go for a jog before they
start work, after watching some joggers on London Fields in the
early morning while walking the dog, they look like the moving
undead or zombies! These joggers look like they are going to have a
heart attack at any time and at the state they have reached, I would
not like to give them mouth-to-mouth! But by doing a little bit of
exercise, walking up and down some steps or into a reception, this
helps move that large dinner around the body instead of it just
lying there building up fat and dreaded cholesterol.
Is it really worth pushing your body so hard to gain that extra
luxury, only to find that you get an illness that puts you out of
action for weeks or maybe months? It’s then that the bills start to
pile up, which only adds to your anxiety and is detrimental to a
quick recovery. I tend to find that this is when drivers try to cut
corners or gain an unfair advantage over their fellow subscribers.
If they then get caught whilst trying to take advantage, they start
to shout and scream and blame everyone but themselves. They also
then say that we are going over the top in implementing the rules of
the Society.
If the problems then continue and no solution is forthcoming, the
driver could even end up having a nervous breakdown and I would not
wish that on anyone. So take it easy and act sensibly, your children
will be much happier to have a father who is not so rich, as opposed
to no father at all
And 40 credit trips a month…
During the month of December 2005, we still had 509 drivers not
completing the minimum of 40 credit rides. Some of these are long
term sick, in overhaul or on holiday. But we still have a large
number who are not and have not been completing the correct |
amount for many months. These
drivers will now be getting a complaints form, detailing the months
with problems. When the
forms are returned with the reasons for the lack of coverage, they
will then be passed onto a Complaints Committee. If drivers do not
return the forms in the correct time or even at all, they will
automatically be forwarded to the Complaints meeting.
We are trying to keep a level playing field for all drivers, not
have some drivers working hard to retain account work, so that the
greedy ones can have a fall back if street work dries up.
Drivers are now telling us that when their taxi is off the road due
to overhaul or an accident, they suddenly realise why their job
quota has dropped. They also inform us of holidays, which limit the
number of days in any month they will be working.
When they contact us for these reasons, it also lets us know that
they are fit and well or if they are under the weather. This kind of
information is put onto their personal file on computer; this
enables us to keep track of them - especially if they are sick.
Inland Revenue
I hope by this point in time you have all paid
your January instalment of income tax, if not,
you run a big risk of getting fined.
The right person for the job…
Each day I get phone calls that should be dealt with by a Board
Member who has been allocated that part of the Society to look
after. If that person is not available, then any other Board member
will try to deal with the problem.
If you have any problem associated with the Call Centre, fixed
prices, wrong details etc, then the call should be directed to Keith
Cain. Problems with signals or equipment fitted at Roman Way should
be directed to Allan Evans at Roman Way on 020 7607 6403. Allan is
also in charge of recruitment and training.
If you are unsure of any aspect of working the computer in your
taxi, you can talk to the Driver trainer. His name is Daren and you
can contact him on 020 7251 0581, extension 526.
Advertising
I have been asked on many occasions to put out messages over your
terminals regarding the sale of items including taxis. We stopped
doing this years ago as it was cluttering up the screens and causing
the system to slow down. We do put taxis that have suddenly become
available for rent over the terminals because it lets drivers who
are in overhaul or had an accident have access to a taxi on
Dial-a-Cab. This keeps up the number of drivers who can cover our
account rides and hopefully give our clients an excellent service.
Football tickets are a big no-no, as many are non-transferable and
for us to advertise them would be electronic touting. This also goes
for concert tickets - if we |
advertise tickets for a sell-out
concert, we could once again be
seen as touting. If you are selling your taxi and know well in
advance that you are going to do it, you have enough time to
advertise in the trade journals or on our notice board in Driver’s
Reception. The reason Call Sign doesn’t accept cab sale ads
is because it’s monthly and you may have sold the vehicle by the
time it appears.
I don’t know if you are guilty!
I get many drivers phoning up to tell me they are not guilty of the
offence that they have been accused of committing. When I get a
complaint, it only gives one side of the story and until I send out
the complaints form and receive a reply, I cannot make a decision.
Some drivers ask why I didn’t just phone them for an answer? Well,
some have a habit of changing their story several times from that
original telephone call and that is why we ask you to supply a
written answer and to add your signature. It also covers me when the
small group of troublemakers pop up six months to a year later
asking for chapter and verse regarding a particular complaint…
Credit cards
I’m sorry if the next few lines appear boring due to the fact that I
and my colleagues have written so many times about the correct way
in which to clear a credit card. But…
NEVER KEY IN THE CREDIT CARD NUMBER: This will be indicated
on the receipt that then informs the bank that you may not have seen
the actual card. The bank (or cardholder) could then say you got the
number from a previous transaction or third party.
Always get a signature on the receipt and retain that receipt for
at least 1 year. This is because the cardholder could say that he
never supplied the card or it was stolen. Your only proof to the
bank is the receipt with the signature on it.
Drivers often tell us that the Call Centre has already checked the
card before despatching the journey. That isn’t correct - we are
given a card number over the phone and have not seen the actual
card. The person who gives us that card number over the phone may
have found a credit card statement in a rubbish bin or even stolen
the card. They might just be taking a chance that the taxi driver is
not going to check. That’s why you must swipe the card to authorise
it and gain a correct signature at the destination.
I had occasion to speak to a driver on the phone recently and
at the end of the conversation he said that I sounded nothing like
he had imagined from reading my articles! I asked him why and he
said that the articles gave the impression of a miserable person,
but he had found me quite happy go lucky!
Well I must apologise if I sound miserable when I have to moan to
get you to do the job correctly, but I only do it to help you retain
our work so that you can afford that house and new taxi! I’m sure
that most drivers who have met me will tell you I am quite a happy
type of person and enjoy a good joke.
If you are going to the AGM, I’ll see you there. If not, have a
good month…
Tom Whitbread
DaC Complaints Officer |
