Roman Way robbery…
As you will have read in the last issue of Call Sign, I had my wallet stolen by a walk-in thief. This man, who had more front than Selfridges, walked in-between 4 drivers and past 5 fitters, with myself and the Manager just 8-feet away from the office doorway! He had already been into other premises on the estate trying to steal whatever he could lay his hands on, but without any joy.
   He had also tried to steal the coat of an Autoglass mechanic working in the next unit to us, but as their employee went to challenge him, he walked out and into our depot. Because of his appearance, he was taken to be one of the drivers who were waiting at the entrance to the depot, so nobody questioned him coming onto our property. He was a white man of about 50, with grey hair, wearing a fleece and jeans.
   That is why when you now want to come into the depot; you have to wear your badge. Due to the loss I suffered, all the staff are edgy and if you enter without your badge on, they could take you for a thief - and sometimes actions speak louder than words.
   As a matter of interest, a postman found my wallet in Canning Town, all intact apart from the missing cash (£80) that I was going to spend on going out that night with my wife.
   Although we gave the police a description, CCTV tape and pictures, plus the car’s registration (P448 NTU) and description of a silver ford Mondeo, they have not captured the miscreant. So it seems that in this day and age you have to sort out the problem yourself, as the police are too busy or unable to help.

Tom and politics…
After my last article in which I gave my views on why the country was going down rapidly due to there being no leadership, with huge amounts of money from taxes being given away or sent abroad, I believe some 5 or 6 drivers wrote or telephoned the Editor to complain that I was expressing my views in our magazine. So there had to have been around 2195 drivers that either agreed with what I said, or possibly just could not care less how the country is going! About the same percentages that are interested in attending an ODRTS AGM! So it needs someone to stir them up and gain some interest in their country.
   This being the case, all that I said was true and since that article the establishment has gone out of their way to show that I was correct. But it did cost me £80! So I wonder if any of those 6 drivers were to get into bother on the streets of London and found that no
law officers turned up, would they still think that I was wrong to try and get others to address these problems? I have never been one to bury my head in the sand or stand around shaking and hoping the problem goes away. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I will not duck your questions, I will give you an answer - even if the answer is not the one you want.

Tom's Roman Way Happenings...

Upgrades and changes at Roman Way…
As you will have heard by now, we have a new upgrade that we are installing onto your terminals at Roman Way. When you have the upgrade, all that you will notice is seeing channels 9 or 10 showing on the terminal screen. At this moment, our IT department is trying to double up on aerial sites; they are also trying new sites for existing channels.
   The other point of interest for drivers is that when you send a message, it will try all of the channels to send the message before it hits you with a ‘RESEND’ message.
   We have been trying this upgrade and it seems to be cutting down on resends, however, it will not totally eliminate the problem. So when you have the upgrade, please do not phone me saying that you have had the Resend message a few times…
   The changes at the Roman Way depot are now noticeable; cleaner toilets, kitchen and working areas, so we would appreciate it if you could help us to keep these improved standards on an upward trend. The staff now take a pride in the improvements and get very upset if drivers cannot aim correctly into the toilet and the floor gets wet and stained. They would also like you to use one of the many rubbish bins for your empty cups when you have had your free tea or coffee. The boys are working very hard during this time of upgrade, but are proud of the short time they are taking in getting you back on the road.
   We would also like you not to stray into the fitting area, as this can be dangerous and hampers the fitters giving you a quick turnaround.
   There are a range of taxi trade papers as well as a copies of the world-renowned magazine, Call Sign, available for you to read whilst waiting. There is also a table with all the replacement items you may need for your work; printer rolls, receipts for cash or credit cards, stickers, books to record your account rides and their plastic covers, plus DaC hand-out cards.
   We also still have some 2007 diaries and calendars left if anyone would like them. The pictures on the calendars can be trimmed and framed and look quite good in a hallway or toilet. Well, it gives you something to contemplate apart from your navel while in the toilet!
   We will not be getting any 2008 diaries as so many drivers say they do not want them and nowadays you can pick one up for 50p. But we will still be giving the War Disabled charity a donation. So if you are going to say that the diary is helpful for the telephone numbers, keep the one you have for this year or come

Bits and pieces…
Many drivers who have attended Roman Way have been surprised when meeting me to realise that I am not the ogre that they were expecting. This is because they have probably only spoken to me on the telephone regarding a complaint and not seen the good-looking, charming person that I really am. Editor’s note: Come on Tom, you promised you were going to tell the truth in future articles!
   Please note that we cannot fit a taxi in your name if you do not produce your taxi licence from the passing centre, which notes that you are registered as the person who owns the taxi. This is needed to make sure we keep within the rules of the Society as registered with the Friendly Societies. Our name actually explains this – The Owner Drivers Radio Taxi Service.
   When you come and visit us at Roman Way, if you have any type of leak - oil or brake fluid - from your taxi, please inform us because once you drive out, someone could slip and injure themselves. If this happens, we could have a claim for compensation on our hands and we could be looking to you as the culprit! If we notice a patch of oil or brake fluid on the floor after you have left, we will try and contact you immediately to save you from having an accident or an expensive repair bill. If you tell us of a leak when you come in, we can clean it up as you leave, avoiding any further problems.
   We have had a few drivers coming into the depot with a terrible attitude problem and start shouting or gesticulating right in the face of the fitters. Do not do this, because as their title denotes, they are fitters and not the manufacturers or repairers of the equipment that has gone wrong. This inappropriate behaviour has almost ended up in physical contact, something that is really stupid. The fitter will complete his job, but if you have any further complaints about the service, then please speak to me and I will address the matter with whomever needs to be informed or direct it to the makers of our system.
   The Roman Way staff work under my directions and I will back them all the way against any driver who is rude or abusive. So if you have a problem, please talk to me.
   And finally, if you are buying a new taxi, stripping out or exchanging cabs, then contact us at the Roman Way Fitting Bay on 020 7700 4443. All these actions need an appointment.
   Please do not contact the main office, as they will not know if we are completing any task that involves all our fitters and therefore make your journey futile.
   For all drivers who are reading this whilst off sick, all my staff and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you fit and well at the depot in the near future.

Tom Whitbread
DaC Roman Way Manager