MAILSHOT

Why?
Dear Alan,
A few thoughts on a few subjects. Regarding disaster recovery, since the demise of the voice channel I wonder how much attention has been given to the subject? I know that some has, however, one weekend last year the system went down and parts for a repair were unavailable in this country. We had to go to telephone dispatching in order to give at least a modicum of service to our clients. It was only by luck that the problem occurred at the weekend. Could someone reassure us that a full back-up of the system is now available and usable in the event of similar circumstances? I realise the reasoning behind doing away with voice, but it is obviously not good enough to be dispatching by phone.
   On the recession and cash rides: Does anyone know the 'one number' for cash rides that was brought in a couple of years ago? This number was for the public to be able to contact all the radio circuits in rotation to enable them to get a cash cab when they wanted one. I have never seen this number advertised. The £2 booking fee was to be charged to cover costs and to advertise the number. With the exception of cards given out by drivers, I don't think it has ever been advertised. I feel that as times get harder we are missing a trick here and should be pushing for work wherever we can get it. Is it time for the advertising budget to be increased to bring awareness to the public who, by and large, don't realise that you can book a licensed taxi? Some of our rivals in the minicab industry seem very good at getting their name out there. Brand awareness and all that.
   On a similar subject, why are Addison Lee allowed not only to get away with removing the rear wiper from their cars, but also to stretch their remit in respect of rear signage? The PCO notice clearly states that the size of any sign in the rear window should be no more than 33% of the height from the lower edge of the window. Also, any signs should only be on ONE of the permitted positions. Addison Lee are flouting the spirit and letter of this regulation by incorporating a logo larger than the permitted height. They are getting round the regulation by 'bleeding' the bottom of their logo onto the bodywork of their cars. Surely this means they are using two positions (the rear window and the tailgate). This is blatantly against regulation 5.4 of PCO notice 16/08. Do you think it should be down to us to continue to complain about minicabs flouting laws and regulations or should we expect PCO regulations to be upheld by the regulators (the PCO)?
Sorry if I've gone on a bit…
Mick Davis (M14)

Ronnie Mitchell to the rescue!
About 10.30 on the evening of 2 December, I has just picked up from Canary Wharf and was heading towards the west end. As I came out of the Limehouse Link, traffic eastbound was at a standstill when a minicab did a u-turn and drove straight into the side of my taxi. He then drove off up the Highway. I gave chase and managed to catch up with the minicab in Alie Street E1. The occupants got out and ran! By this time I was on the phone to the police giving them the vehicle’s particulars. They told me to stay with the car as they were on their way. After 30 minutes of waiting for them to arrive, I rang 999 again only to be told that they were too busy to deal with me. At that point I thanked them for their help and carried on working.
   The next morning I rang my insurance company, only to be told that the minicab was uninsured. That was of no surprise to me, even though it had the regulation PCO stickers on it. So I went to my local garage, Stables in Penarth Street SE15 to see how much the damage – which was to the front door and wing - was going to cost me. I spoke to Gary, who runs the garage with his father Ronnie, and explained what had happened and that I was going to have to pay for the repairs out of my own pocket. Gary told me that as I was one of their regular customers, they would repair the damage free of charge!
   In this day and age, that is something so rare – a garage that looks after its regulars. So I was able to enjoy a stress-free Christmas with my family after initially worrying that I’d have to work over the holiday period to pay for the damage! So I’d like to wish all those at Stables Garage a belated Happy New Year and add a big thank you to them.
   As for the police, don’t bother phoning them if you ever need assistance as they will just leave you stranded after keeping you waiting and then tell you they’re too busy to come out! Why? They are probably too busy nicking hard-working taxi drivers for over ranking!
Lee Wood (T18)
Thanks for the letter Lee. I must admit that although I’ve never met or spoken to him in my 38 years as a taxi driver, I’ve lost track at the number of times I’ve heard the name of Ronnie Mitchell mentioned. Now I can understand why! You’re right, it’s not just rare for a garage to look after their customers to that extent, but it’s becoming even rarer. If anyone has a story of good service ‘over and above’ by their garage, let me know and we’ll give them a mention …Ed

Concierge?
Dear Al
In the Chairman’s End of Year report, I read how well we are all doing now that Concierge is doing so well. Am I right that DaC makes 50p for every job that is booked through the system and that very soon the radio rent is going up to £140 a year? In this current climate, how about drivers getting a subs reduction as the work is just not there? I do feel we should get a benefit from Concierge of some sort, as when I drive past London Wall there are 10 cars to every taxi with many other accounts now also very similar. I can’t really see how it’s of any benefit to us drivers if we don’t see any of these profits? We have trouble booking into EC5 at all now, yet the work is still at London Wall and other major accounts, but the volume of taxis has dropped and risen in cars - from what I can see. So is Concierge a hindrance rather than benefit to we drivers?
Dave Raymond (F56)
Brian Rice replies: I’m really pleased you read my report, however you made me read it

Taxi for sale…
Can I put my taxi up for sale through Call Sign? It is an 08 reg, black TX4, Silver model with 57,000 miles on the clock. It has been main dealer serviced and fully maintained. It will be passed in the new prospective buyer’s name for £23,999 and available with its new plate from 15th March.
Tony Arnold (F03)
No, you can’t put it in Call Sign …Ed

Medicals
Having seen an ad on the DaC notice board advertising taxi driver medicals in City Road for £50, I was wondering if there was any reason why we can’t use them as the cost seems now to have increased to around £165 at most GPs – certainly a huge amount for those over 65 who need yearly medicals?
Bernie Silver (G08)
Medicals have to be done by your GP as he / she has all your past records. And yes, the cost is extortionate but still preferable to the PCO’s original idea of outsourcing medicals. At least you have someone that knows you …Ed

£1 for your thoughts!
I was disappointed to read the letter from Geoff Levene (K43) in February’s Call Sign criticising my methodology, tactics and "lack of honesty" in the war against Westminster and co. He begins by asking whether I should be so boastful about my false excuses? If you'd been following my exploits, you’ll remember 18 months ago that I wrote an article published in a number of trade papers including Call Sign, entitled an open letter to the Taxi trade. In it I attacked local authorities and urged all drivers to dispute and refuse to pay all PCNs. The piece was generally well received, but if I'm honest was probably largely ignored by the people that really matter, ie everyday non-politicised Taxi drivers. So I changed tactics to write of my own victories. My point, Geoff, was not to extol my own virtues but to use humour and even occasionally self deprecation to make sure that once a driver began reading, they would finish the article feeling informed and hopefully entertained as well. But also - and most importantly - to show how easy it is to beat these people and therefore keeping your hard earned money in your pocket!
   Geoff asked if I would accept a traffic warden being so economical with the truth? It is this question that most alerted me to his detachment from reality. No, I categorically do not accept it and therein lays the whole point! I did not accept it when 3 years ago, a warden sprinted 60 yards to block me in order to get my tax disc details for his already completed PCN whilst seeing that I was getting in my cab. I do not accept it when my peers are ticketed by CCTV whilst uploading the disabled in wheelchairs after taking out their ramps. I do not accept the numerous PCNs received outside our account customer’s addresses when there are no alternative parking spaces within a quarter of a mile (such as Soho)! I do not accept receiving PCNs when clients ask to stop at ATMs or while paying us! And I think it's a total disgrace that we are frightened to stop anywhere for a wee!
   Geoff, do you think that Westminster were honest with John Shakeshaft (P52) when they sent him a PCN by post with four stills of his cab, while omitting the video that clearly showed clients both getting in and out (Call Sign, Oct 2008)? Or Peter Hopkins (W60), who stopped to wipe up the coffee that he spilt so that it didn't seep into his electrics (Call Sign Dec 2008). Was that fair or honest? Is it right that the public toilets in Queensway are targeted to avoid any bladder bursting relief? How do you think Editor Al feels about the honesty of Westminster when CCTV caught him there after 9pm one evening? And just under your letter was the case of Martin Russell (T10) who was 'served up' by Camden, 5 months after it was legal for them to do so!
   Geoff suggests that I 'invest £1' in the parking by phone system. Another tax on the taxi trade! There are the 4 or so times we stop to spend a penny for a minute and a half, plus a few minutes to grab a sandwich for lunch, not forgetting the odd can of drink that you might stop for where you'll literally throw 60p at the newsagent and run out and finally all the account customers that we wait for! So that's between £8 or £9 a day, 5 times a week. You must be a wealthy man, Geoff!
   Through helping myself, I've helped and advised lots of drivers plus our company and indirectly, our account customers. Whilst you Geoff, contribute by criticising me. But that's easier to do that than anything positive isn't it? Despite that, I look forward to your phone call so that I can help you fight your next PCN. I doubt that'll happen though, as it’s easier to just leave it to DAC - after all, they'll pay, won't they?
Martin Hizer (M47)
I’m keeping out of it! …Ed

Roaders?
Hello Alan,  
A few months back Allen Togwell asked in Call Sign for drivers with new ideas on how to sell the services of Dial-a-Cab, giving a few examples and saying how a customer might react! Well, sitting around waiting for a fare-paying customer to hire me has given me plenty of time to think - not something that's easy for me! It appears most of the business world has gone on a cost-cutting exercise, so we are being offered less work. Also many larger accounts are using cars on longer journeys. Fixed prices won't help, we will still be too expensive. So I have being thinking… how do we make the price cheaper for our customers, yet still get our drivers the full metered fare? Talking with some of  my passengers, it appears cars aren’t that much cheaper than some of our metered fares.
   What if for a trial period we offered all fares to outer London postcodes for just the meter price with no booking fee, no admin charge, no extra waiting fees and no gratuities? That would also mean no VAT (I think). Maybe even no run-in? That would make a pretty big saving would it not? Would it help to generate more work? Of course it would need to funded in some way, after all DaC needs income too! So what if £1 from the fare was deducted by DaC? Before you all scream at me, it’s just an idea.
   Another question Allen Togwell asked was where is the new blood going to come from to run Dial-a-Cab? I know where it was at AGM time - like me, sitting at home! I need some help for a rule change that all new members must attend their first AGM, hopefully giving them the sense of feeling that it’s their radio circuit and showing them that other drivers care.
   It won't belong now and summer will be here. When are we going to be able to offer clients a taxi with air conditioning? Already I see V6 in bids and I worry that customers will order a Vito taxi without knowing they are not the only taxis with full aircon. We seem to offer everything else, so why not an aircon attribute? Every new car has it nowadays.
   Yours with to much time to think…
Jon Robinson (E88)
Allen Togwell replies: Jon, without expounding all the negatives from clients, members and the Society to your suggestion, we already offer a more attractive journey cost than the ‘meter minus all the extras’ in our fixed price rate per mile, which incurs no gratuity, no waiting time and no run-in. Contrary to what you say, that is more cost effective than a meter fare.
   As for your rule change; I really cannot see the benefit of forcing all new drivers to attend their first AGM and afterwards choose to follow the example of those members, such as yourself, who prefer, as is your prerogative, to sit at home. And as for caring, are you suggesting those members that don’t attend don’t care, when you yourself chose not to attend?
   And lastly, making an attribute for A/C when only a very small percentage of our fleet have this facility would have an adverse affect on service. Perhaps in the future, when at least 50% of our fleet are fitted with A/C and our summers extend to more than a week, it might be worth including A/C in our list of attributes.

Advising arrival early?
Sir,
With regard to the debate on Advising Arrival notices, I would like to make one or two observations. The benefits of an early arrival notification would seem obvious as a tool for mitigating our client’s costs and time. Let us take a good example of two drivers accepting an asap job on EC5 for a city ride. Driver 1, using his skill and experience advises arrival some minutes before his physical arrival and puts his meter on so as to arrive within a gnat’s crotchet of the run-in maximum. His client, having been notified, grabs his copy of Nuts and heads for the exit, boarding his cab with about £7 on the clock. As the driver heads towards the Link, his screen alerts him to the fact that the cones are making their way once again to the centre of the road for a nights work. Our driver just makes it and his passenger arrives home to a nice meal and a blanket wrestle, before drifting into a restful slumber.
   Driver 2 meanwhile, having put his meter on round the corner to the account address, is waiting patiently for the clock to spin up to the run-in. Being stationary, his meter is spinning more like a water wheel than a Catherine wheel and it takes ages to hit the target. His passenger gets the notice, but has to take a call that proves unimportant. He folds his copy of How to Screw Up and still get a Big Bonus and heads for the exit. He boards his cab with around £16 on the clock. By the time they hit the Link, Butchers Row looks like a cab demo. Our client arrives home over half an hour late - the promise he was on long gone.
   Our clients are not stupid and would readily understand that an arrival notice can be a reliable ETA as well as an AAT. So for a trial period, can drivers use their initiative regarding advising arrival to aid the Society, on sufferance of a complaint being lodged should a client complain about late arrival?
Joseph Batty (W90)
Allen Evans replies: Joseph, can I first mention that the run-in at the moment is up to £4.20, so I would hope that drivers who are near to the pick-up would probably have less than the full amount on an asap trip and no more than £4.20 on a pre-booking. You particularly mention the City, but on any trip in the London area you can encounter traffic problems and delays on the way to a pick-up and will need to adjust your meter so as not to exceed the allowed amount. In this case driver 1 having advised arrival some distance away, may not be outside the account address when the passenger comes out of the office to board the taxi (the passenger may even already be outside of the building when he is advised that the taxi is there, when in fact it is yet to arrive). Taxi 2 would in most cases also need to adjust the meter (especially on tariff 2 or 3) and again I believe it is false economy to sit outside of a pick up location and wait for the meter to reach the run-in max, which in general only applies to asap trips and not pre-bookings. Personally if I was on top of the location, I would much rather advise arrival and complete the journey and be ready for the next trip. When clients query run-ins, with GPS technology it can be accurately proved that the taxi was outside at the point of arrival with the correct amount showing on the meter. If it shows the taxi to be some distance from the pick-up when the arrival is pressed, especially when £4.20 is already showing on the meter, you can appreciate that there is no case to argue only that the driver has exceeded the allowed run-in, which would be seen to be in breach of procedure rule No.4 and may lead to a complaint. I am sure that drivers already use their initiative, but in my opinion your method would create many problems.

PCNs and demos
   I am currently fighting a Camden u-turn PCN but in the meantime have received two more tickets whilst on radio jobs. One is in the process of going to appeal, the other I sent back only today. After the fantastic turnout for the drive-in earlier this month, I feel that as a trade we should warn Westminster and Camden to stop issuing these PCNs to taxidrivers in the course of their work. It is, in my opinion, another money raising scam and should cease immediately.
   Drivers on DaC have these fines paid if on a credit job, but what of others who stop to wait for, or collect passengers? Who can afford to pay £60 for a job they may have earned £8/10 for? An all day drive-in would not go amiss; it should be in several places at once and cause the biggest shut down of London since the blitz!
Steve Hassan (P95)
Would drivers support that? I’d be interested in hearing your views …Ed