Grant me an answer…
I’ve had several drivers asking me the same question and in truth, I haven’t a clue about the answer. Month after month, LCDC Vice Chairman and Dial-a-Cab driver, Grant Davis (L39), has a pop at DaC or the radio circuits as a whole in his regular column in The Badge. The July issue had a piece on radio circuits and minicabs and as he never excluded DaC from his comments, we must assume that his reference to the way circuits treat their drivers by giving work to minicabs as scandalous, also includes this Society. Everyone, of course, is entitled to their views.
   He also wrote about a summer sale at Dial-a-Cab where he claims to have been "informed" that DaC have three prospective buyers out there. He adds that once the best offer has been sorted out, then the sell off will begin.
   Call me silly, but as an article in this issue explains, what is so unusual about successful companies such as this one being targeted for a buy-out? Is it not a compliment and are there really just three who are interested in us?
   The point is that even if there were 100 prospective buyers out there, the final word on selling will come from us – the drivers. If we say no, then it will not be sold. If any offer should sound interesting, then drivers may decide to look at

it. It is entirely up to us
   The Board can act for us but only if we say yes, so isn’t it rather presumptuous for people like Grant to think they have to give us advice because we are incapable of making up our own minds? Well that is exactly what Mr Davis thinks.
   My belief – although I don’t know – is that someone, somewhere will make an offer and we eligible drivers will have to decide. We don’t need anyone telling us what to do thank you, we’re big boys and if we don’t like any offer, we’ll just say no thank you and goodbye. No one can sell our company except us.
   And the question that drivers keep asking me? If it’s that bad here, why doesn’t Grant Davis try his luck elsewhere? Could it be because it is by far the best of all the circuits and as a side issue, why would anyone who would financially profit from a sale, want to leave?

Mickey’s mate!
Call Sign’s music man, Mickey Lappin (E46), interviewed someone he thought had a future in the music world in the May issue of this mag after he’d written and sung a poignant song with a strong message about the July 7 bombings. It was his first piece and also his first interview. Now Mickey tells me that Call Sign’s very own discovery Dan Raza had his own slot on BBC Three Counties Radio on Sunday 22nd July at 5 pm. As Mickey says with a touch of pride showing through: "How cool to have his first-ever interview in Call Sign?"

Chamber of Commerce survey
Is there the chronic shortage of licensed taxis on Saturday evenings that the recent Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey claims it has discovered after speaking to 200 licensed taxi drivers?
   Well the answer in the West End must be yes. If you have ever tried to catch a taxi in Shaftsbury Avenue or any of the surrounding streets after 11pm, you’ll know that it’s probably easier to spot the first alien landing on top of Nelson’s Column! If I want one, I phone DaC and usually have little problem. I sometimes have to wait 20 minutes, but for a Saturday night I consider that to be acceptable.
   However, it must also be said that most other parts of town do much better and getting at cab in Holland Park or Kensington High Street is nowhere near as difficult until you get beyond the midnight hour when you can see the number of cabs begin to dwindle.
   It is a fact that today’s drivers

finish earlier than did the drivers who passed out in the 60s and 70s. Perhaps they are more spoiled and don’t feel the need to do the 14 hour shifts that those who needed the money used to put in. Nowadays, they take their money and want to go home.
   To be honest, while I can see the above as having much truth to it, I could have written it without the 200 driver survey.
   Why? Well it does seem to be factual that our trade is ageing and that being the case, a larger proportion of the fleet will have paid up their mortgages and to put it bluntly, not need as much as they used to. So do they stay out to their regular time or come home early when they have taken what they need? I think the latter and hence the drying up of taxi supplies after midnight, whilst many wives and partners would rather their other half didn’t work on a Saturday anyway.
   But – and it is a big but – if we don’t provide that service, will private hire be legally allowed to do what Call Sign has written in fear many times, either be allowed to ply for hire or more probably, be given West End ranks? Either way would be bad news.
   The survey recommends more drivers "sharing" cabs so that they are on the road longer, the PCO handing the Knowledge over to a private firm, more marshalled taxi ranks in the centre and the most controversial issue, fast tracking of Knowledge students.

This page has said time and time again that four years (or even the 40 months the survey quotes) is too long for the KoL and if a student is good enough to do it in 12-15 months, then great. Many are but seem to be held back. In the short term, more cab drivers means less work for the rest, but once passengers realise that they have a good chance of catching a "real" cab, they’ll try for one and demand will pick up quickly. Otherwise by the time the Olympics hit London, PH will be plying for hire and totally swamping us.
   Two things: I am totally against any minority group being given preferential treatment while doing the KoL. Everyone should have an equal chance and a fair one of progressing quickly if good enough. Secondly, I would have felt more comfortable with the survey had not the Chairman of a north London radio circuit been a member of the Chamber of Commerce with a survey that he could almost have written himself.
   Make no mistake, once private hire get a foot in the door with ranks, plying for hire will soon follow and then our trade really will be dead. The time for expansion is now whilst London is buzzing. Provide an excellent service and we’ll always be in demand - and please don’t tell me how long you waited on a rank at 1030 in the morning. It’s late afternoons and evenings where PH are taking their ground. We have to fight back and start from now…

Alan Fisher
callsignmag@aol.com