First electric taxi?

I wonder who the bright spark was that claimed the UK's ‘first electric taxi’ was at the Motor Show (Aug Call Sign page 8)? Well, it was a false statement - in fact it was 110 years wrong!  In August 1897, 12 Bersey Electric Cabs left their garage in Juxon Street, Vauxhall, to ply for hire on the streets of London. The Bersey had a range of 30 miles and a speed of 9mph. The Bersey project lasted two years. 
In 1908, the Electromobile put 20 cabs on the road with a range 45 miles (50% increase over the Bersey), but which was still 10 miles less then needed. As cabs, the Electromobile didn’t last long either. In the late 1890s, New York, Paris, Berlin and other cities were putting electric cabs on the street. All finished with the advent of the petrol engine, which gave the cab a longer range and better speed. Now Allied Vehicles claim that the E7 has a range of up to 100 miles and a top speed of 60mph – not too great for a hurry up job to the airport! 
   I wonder if they looked at what happened in New York last year when the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission pulled the plug on the Electric taxi project because despite similar claims to those Allied are making, the ones in New York failed to do as stated.
   The only cost effective way forward for the cab trade in all our cities is to use BioMethane. It would be a lot less expensive than using Lithium-ion batteries. In fact Mercedes, Fiat, Honda, Ford, Volvo, Opel and many others all produce and sell Natural Gas cars and vans.
   Remember, the taxi is a go-anywhere vehicle and none of us would like to lose the job of a lifetime because of a stupid battery.

I found the Call Sign article on the cab strike at the Buckingham Palace garden party very interesting. I especially liked the way you reported on both sides of the dispute. A good story well reported…
Jon Trevor (W94)
Thanks Jon. What I find interesting is how a newly married man to such a gorgeous wife – albeit a Celtic supporter – has time to write to Call Sign! …Ed
 

After reading your Editorial (August Call Sign) I’m still a bit confused. Are private hire vehicles now allowed in the Royal Parks? I’ve seen three in the past hour as I’ve driven through Regents Park and two by Buckingham Palace. I know you said that the situation applied in January and you’d heard nothing since, but it would be useful if we knew for certain…Kevin Went (N15)
I spoke to TfL and they tell me that my synopsis was correct – ie private hire vehicles are still not allowed into the Royal Parks. TfL also said that there is currently a consultation in which taxi and private hire representatives are being asked for their opinion. My opinion is that if the PCO are correct and there are currently 50,000 licensed private hire vehicles in London and they are to be allowed into the parks, then the traffic along The Mall will
stretch back to Marlborough Gate as a normality. It should

I am writing to notify you that both the former Chairman of the LCDC, Alan Fleming, and former LCDC Treasurer and Membership Secretary, David Cohen, have now cancelled their membership of the above with immediate effect.
   Our decision has not been taken lightly and has been the result of recent events.
David Cohen (E94)

W101 hotel

Re W101, our island rank for Mayfair accounts. Up until a year or so ago, I used to be a regular on what was then the Mayfair Hotel as it was a reasonably straight hotel ie first cab, first job. It suited us as cab drivers for local account work and if we had not yet accepted a job off the radio by the time we got to the point of the rank, you might be lucky with a flyer or possibly not so lucky with a local. Either way it was a fair gamble. Not any more; when it closed for refurbishment as the Mayfair Hotel, the BoM closed the rank whilst ongoing work was completed and our accounts still got covered very well from W1SW or its backup zones. Now we have a situation where the hotel has reopened as the Edwardian Radisson with many new staff and porters and a concierge being 100% bent or crooked - call it what you will. I know very well they are using private hire for LAPs and any other job that gives them a commission. I’m also ashamed to say many of our own so-called ‘black cabs’ are paying a bung to get a decent job while we Dial-a-Cab drivers are servicing the hotel. Anyone passing by this hotel rank will see it is made up by at least 50% DaC drivers. So my question to the BoM is why should we be asked to rank and service this hotel, when the rank could be moved to a hotel say like the Dorchester, Intercontinental, Hilton etc. They at least may appreciate our services as these hotels are reasonably straight. I don't like it to be seen that we DaC drivers rank on this hotel with the BoM’s blessing. I've voted with my own feet, I don't use that hotel anymore.
Pat Keefe (G01)
Keith Cain responds: I will ask the Board to discuss this at the next Board meeting. I agree with Pat's sentiments and I for one do not want to force drivers into having to sit on a hotel that is not 100%

The Utility Warehouse

I have just gone into business with The Utility Warehouse in my spare time and wondered if anyone out there would be interested in it? You can read about it on-line and it is a way of getting your services much cheaper. The more services you have with them, the cheaper and more discount you get, with the average household being able to save up to £500 a year when they take gas, electricity, home phone and internet.
   If any DaC driver is interested, either drop me an email to bardin@btopenworld.com or call me on 07811 474 516 and I’ll be happy to meet up with you to give you some more info. We changed over 3 months ago and have saved £17 a month alone just on the internet. You don't have to worry about any paperwork, as I will complete it all for you.
   Look forward to hearing from soon.
Tony Bardin (R09)

DaC Credit Union

I have just returned from holiday… where has all the work gone? It must be August again!   
   But the purpose of this letter is to offer a big thank-you to all at the DaC Credit Union for dealing with my cash flow problem so promptly. What a great job the Credit Union do and so much

Spurs to Uganda?

Re the Call Sign story about Steve Bryant flying to Uganda to present the kids with Spurs shirts, haven't those people already suffered enough without giving them Spurs shirts! They may well say: "We've heard of Dial-a-Cab… but who is this team called Tottenham!"
Richard Barford (R39)
Thank you Richard. If ever you appear in this mag again (last time was when you won a free ‘gold’ spec taxi) remember that modern technology gives me the ability to change people’s facial looks! …Ed
 

Thank you DaC…

I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of your extremely helpful Dial-a-Cab operator who helped me regarding my lost property. I had taken my granddaughters to visit Buckingham Palace and just as we were entering the Gallery, one of them realised that she had left her bag in the taxi. She was the only one of us who had brought her mobile phone – and that was in the bag! We had to return home to SW3 to report the lost bag to DaC and then returned to the palace – just in time for the last tour of the day. When we later arrived home at 6.30pm, there was a message to say that the bag had been found and that the DaC driver had delivered it to my husband’s office. We could hardly believe it! Mary, the granddaughter, was so relieved and thrilled.
   We just wanted to say a big thank you to the DaC operator and driver for their helpfulness and efficiency in retrieving and returning the precious bag. It was such a happy ending to our rather blighted afternoon. Well done to Dial-a-Cab and their lost property department.
   With gratitude and great appreciation,
Mary Higgins and Pamela Bullmore
London SW3
Thanks for taking the time to write. I’m pleased it all worked out in the end …Ed
 

Tony Gillam and DaC

I recently read an article in the July issue of The Badge newspaper, proclaiming a court victory over DaC in a court case concerning Tony Gillam. I assume that you have read it too. What concerns me is the accusation that Brian Rice left out certain facts when writing about the case in the May edition of Call Sign. I know that the LCDC have  their own axe to grind concerning Brian and DaC, so perhaps Brian would like to clear up any uncertainties about this matter.
Brian With (Y84)
Brian Rice replies: Unfortunately Brian, I have not read the piece you are referring to. However, I would like to make it crystal clear that I stand by every word that was written by me in the May issue of Call Sign.  You obviously realise that I have been around long enough and have enough experience, that I would put nothing in print regarding a legal matter unless it was vetted and deemed to be true and correct by our legal advisers.  Consequently, as I have previously stated, I stand by everything that I have written and it was written with the knowledge and consent of our legal advisers and was a true and accurate statement regarding the course of events.  It is now up to you to decide who is correct!
   Ed’s note: You can read the May issue in the Call Sign online library…

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