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In this issue’s Mailshot, Stephen Gander (V20)
asks about the possibility of sending EC5 trips to their
original zone during busy periods, about fleet size and subs
increases. Keith Cain answers… In answer to Stephen Gander’s letter in Mailshot, I can confirm that the idea of splitting the work within EC5 to its original zone is being tested as I write. It has taken rather longer to be written than one would have liked, but the original request came at a time when other urgent changes to the workings of our despatch system were equally needed. The delay was also compounded by the complexity of EC5 having its own set or programming rules. Providing the testing is successful and does not cause any bugs entering the system, its planned implementation was the end of October. If I have interpreted your letter incorrectly, then I apologise, but if you think the decision to increase the fleet is based solely on covering work from EC5 then you could not be further away from the facts. While demands for our service are very high in the evenings, it also continues during early mornings, lunch times and at weekends. It is the increase in volumes of work that actually dictates the size of the fleet and if all from the present fleet were to increase the number of trips they take in a day, then we would have a sufficient fleet size to meet the demands. With members choosing what they want to do and when they want to do it, Dial-a-Cab will always find itself in this situation. You refer to the success of the Concierge system having paid for itself and should now start to |
DAC REWRITING EC5 |
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just to keep the Society afloat. At that time, it took just two years for this Society to go from being in a good financial position to the Board having to take a vote to close the Society down! You may also recall this Board has taken decisions in previous years to not increase subs. When we have increased them, it has been over an eighteen-month period rather than twelve. On one occasion, we even reduced them! So I think it’s fair to say that a decision to make any increase is not taken lightly and the next increase will not come into play until April 2007. It may also be forgotten that the success of the Society during the term of this Board has allowed us to equip the fleet with £6 million worth of new technology and put us in a very envious and strong financial position to be able to expand the Society by purchasing for cash a new building, both of which have been at no cost to our members. I personally, would never remark about the fantastic value Dial-a-Cab offers to members, because those who choose to undertake a lot of credit work obviously receive better value than a member who chooses to do far less. All I will say of the Board’s management decisions and predictions is that all have been far from what you believe of us Stephen, as having lost direction or steering the Society the wrong way. Compare us with the others and we are doing very nicely and our position within the market place is still number one despite what others may say. Keith Cain |
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the drivers and prevent an increase in subscriptions. This would also be a good idea if it were the only reason used for making the decision to raise subs. Every year, running costs increase for any business just as they do for each household and it’s because we are very fortunate at this time to be extremely busy, that subs have been kept to the substantially lower levels than those charged by other radio circuits. Subscriptions count for about 35.5% of the total running costs of the Society and it makes for good management practise to keep them at a reasonable level just in case account charges from customers fall. Drivers have no idea of the pressure the Board are under to reduce client charges. If we were to circum to such demands, then the simple equation of what needs to be done to survive would be to increase the subs to cover the shortfall. Managing anything is a balancing act and Dial-a-Cab is no different. It is because of the Board’s awareness of how the Society was originally set up that we keep our subscriptions at a lower level. Many of us were part of the Board of management who back in the very early nineties, had to increase subs by £20 per month |
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TRADE ACCOUNTANT ALAN WALL DIES |
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is sad to report the death of long-time taxi trade accountant,
Alan Wall, following a heart attack at the age of 62. Alan – a partner in the Simia Wall company - became well known for his outspoken articles in the trade press when he hit out at those drivers who seemed to take little notice of the Inland Revenue timescales for handing in yearly figures. He was also an expert on London history and enjoyed writing articles on the subject. To his family, we send our sincere condolences. |
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