Call Sign April 2007 - Page 30 - MARY LOOKS BACK AT THE DAC MECHANICS COURSE! - Taxi Licensing: Appointments And Licence Variations

Going back almost 20 years, Dial-a-Cab driver Alan Fisher (F07) - later to become Call Sign Editor - made a phone call to Redbridge Technical College regarding their advertised mechanics course. He asked whether there were any for licensed taxi drivers as there were so many of them in the surrounding area? The answer was no, but that he should try Barking Tech… So Alan arranged a meeting with the head of Barking Tech and asked why they couldn’t run a taxi driver mechanics course? The answer was that no one had ever asked before! So Alan did and was told that if he could get 10 drivers interested, then the college would find a teacher and set up a course. Alan had the message put out on DaC’s (voice) radio and 20 drivers put their names down for what was to be called the Dial-a-Cab Mechanics Course. The term would culminate with a City and Guilds diploma for successful candidates under the stewardship of teacher Mike Martin. However, word about the course got out and a delegation from what were then called Computer Cab approached Alan asking if they too could go onto	MARY LOOKS BACK AT THE DAC MECHANICS COURSE!
	Mary Looks Back at the DaC Mechanics Course
	the course. So he dropped the DaC prefix and the course became known as the taxi driver’s mechanics course. With ComCab’s entry and word reaching the rest of the taxi trade, it ran with four classes each week at Barking Tech – later to join up with Havering as Thames Gateway. At the recent DaC AGM, Alan met up again with Mary Leaming (C44) who was not only the first woman to go on the course, but was also the first person to pass it and gain a City and Guilds accreditation. Mary told Call Sign: "I remember thinking that the idea was brilliant and put my name down as soon as I heard about it. I had always tinkered	with our car, so I wasn’t totally green as to what the various parts did, but I found the theory part of the taxi course to be much easier than the practical side. When actually working on the cab, there always seemed to be something in the way of whichever part you were trying to get to! But I must say I enjoyed doing it and was so grateful that someone had thought of the idea. And yes, I was proud of gaining my City and Guilds diploma." And does Mary still do all her own mechanics? "No, I take it to the garage!" And Alan? Well as the founder member, he was also the first to give it up. Why? "I didn’t like getting oil on my hands!"

Taxi Licensing: Appointments And Licence Variations

Licensing appointments up to the end of March
1. This Notice should be read in conjunction with PCO Notice 03/07 (March Call Sign) which provided detailed information about the arrangements for licensing taxis prior to, and after April 2, when the inspection service is to be transferred to SGS (United Kingdom) Ltd.
2. There has been increasing demand for licensing appointment slots before the end of March and this Notice is intended to clarify the position for owners, drivers and overhaulers. With the co-operation and assistance of owners and overhaulers, it should be possible to ensure that the requirements of most licensees for appointments between now and the end of March can be satisfied.
3. The profile of the supply and demand for taxi licensing slots during March is as follows:
   Taxi licences expiring during March 2007: 1,915
   Total PCO licensing slots @ 104 per day (up to 23 March): 1,768
   Additional appointment slots released for March Saturdays: 320
4. It will be seen from the above that the total number of slots made available by the PCO exceeds the predicted number of taxis with licences expiring during March by 173. These slots have been, and are being, allocated strictly in accordance with the following criteria:

   Where the licence expires before the 2 April
   A brand new vehicle, previously unplated
   A vehicle transfer where the existing plate has been surrendered
5. Every effort will be made by the PCO to accommodate taxis that need to be licensed where they fall into one of the above categories. Where it is not possible to accommodate a vehicle, the owner or overhauler should contact the PCO Contract Management Team (see 12).

Licences expiring before end of March but appointments required after 2 April
6. It is also recognised that some vehicle owners/overhaulers may not be able to present a vehicle for inspection before 2 April where the licence is due to expire before the end of March. In these circumstances, the vehicle owner or overhauler should contact the PCO Contract Management Team (see 12) and every effort will be made to obtain the earliest suitable appointment with SGS.

Expired licences from earlier months
7. For those vehicles where the licence has expired prior to March 2007 (eg February, January or earlier), vehicle owners or overhaulers are advised to contact the SGS call centre (0845 378 2345) and they will be offered the earliest available appointment, which may or may not be at an inspection centre of their choice.
8. If the vehicle owner or overhauler requires an earlier appointment than that which SGS can offer, the owner/overhauler should contact the PCO Contract Management Team (see 12). Every effort will be made to establish the possibility of finding a mutually acceptable appointment slot.

Variations to licences after 2 April
9. Once the licence has been issued, there can be a number of reasons where the licensee may require a replacement paper licence and/or replacement plate.
10. Paper licences issued from 2 April onwards and an accompanying information leaflet for licensees, will provide clear instructions for licensees to follow in the event that they require a replacement paper licence and/or plate.
11. With regard to those licences issued before 2 April, where one of the following changes occurs, licensees should contact the PCO Contract Management Team (see 12) who will advise the licensee on the action to take:

These are:
   Change of licensee address: Change of ownership: Change of VRM: Lost/stolen
   licence plate: Accident damage: Epsom and Ewell dual licence: Surrender of licence
   plate…
12. The PCO Contract Management Team can be contacted on 020 7126 1638.

Dave Stock
PCO Head of Service Delivery

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