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As Directed From time to time, I am asked by the Controllers to remind drivers what the Procedure Rules are, because it’s becoming more common for drivers to conveniently forget how we operate. Can I remind you about the type of trips that are dispatched As Directed: Apart from a True A/D trip, the others fall into four categories. An airport destination, a wait and return, a trip where the destination is the same zone as the pick up and VIP accounts that are masked as A/D. The reason for doing this is solely to ensure the less lucrative journeys are covered and the service we supply to our clients is second to none. What we are seeing is an increase in the number of drivers who are accepting A/D trips, only to find that they are running further to the pick-up address than the trip is actually going. While this is acceptable, it is being stretched just that bit further in the mornings when all trips between 7am and 10am are dispatched as A/D. Drivers are being offered trips from back up zones, accepting them to see where the destination is and if it’s only going local, they then play the ‘running further than the trip is going’ card to get the Controllers to recover the trip. This action is no way within the spirit of how the majority of the Society works and I have now instructed Controllers to refuse to do this. I think many, at times, forget what the trip offer is all about. It was designed to offer a driver a trip and the driver to make the decision whether he/she wanted to do that trip. On the trip offer, it does give the pick up |
 zone, so a driver, before accepting the trip has time (a minute and a half to be precise) to decide if they want the trip. If the accept button is pressed, then the driver should do the trip. That’s working within the spirit of the Procedural Rules of the Society. More importantly, when a driver asks for a trip to be recovered it takes time, which can add to the trip being delayed and this is happening more frequently. In future, if drivers finds themselves accepting an A/D trip from a back up zone and the trip is not going further than they are travelling to the pick up, please do not ask for it to be recovered as a refusal will offend.
Changes to SE75 |
be topped up before accepting.
With this account, they have been using taxis for more years
than most of our fleet have held a badge and they know all too
well drivers reject the local trips. Some drivers are very
outspoken to these passengers, telling them that their journey
is no good for them. Why? We are going through one of the
toughest times ever, but some drivers never think outside the
box about what possible damage they could be doing to the
Society by expressing their feelings. Unfortunately, this all
comes back to the Board and it’s our responsibility to placate
the client and give assurances. By dispatching the work without
a destination and what the fixed price is, it enables the client
to get an improved service. It will also ensure that the smaller
trips as well as the longer trips get their cab in an agreed
time. Believe it or not, more drivers will get a chance of both
local and long distance rides. I know there were a couple of
trips with a questionable fixed price and I have instructed that
these trips be reviewed with the client as soon as possible and
hopefully drivers will understand that although shorter trips
will not be as lucrative, they do allow for a speedier return to
accept another trip.
And for other accounts…? Keith Cain |
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Corporate travel planners vote… London: World’s top conference destination! |
| London is the
best destination in the world to hold a conference, according to
corporate travel planners. The UK capital won the coveted gold
award in the Best Conference Destination category in the
inaugural Conference & Incentive Travel Magazine Hot
List. More than 400 event planners, representing some of the biggest brands and their corporate travel budgets, voted across an eight-week period. While London may have been boosted by corporates keeping their meetings on home shores due to the recession, it is its positioning as a vibrant destination for high-profile events such as the G20 London Summit, that has highlighted the capital’s event infrastructure. C&IT editor Yasmin Arrigo told Call Sign: "With just over 1,000 days to go until the 2012 Olympics – arguably the biggest event on the planet – rolls into the capital, corporate event planners have placed London top of the conference league. And on the eve of ExCeL London becoming the capital’s first International Convention Centre (ICC), London can be justifiably proud of its event offering." The C&IT Hot List 2009 is designed to celebrate the best destinations, venues and suppliers for events across 12 categories, as voted for by C&IT readers, with a Gold, Silver and Bronze place awarded in each. Despite long-haul incentive travel taking a hit during the downturn, ExCeL London took gold in the Best Conference Centre category, while country estate Chewton Glen was voted Best UK Incentive Hotel and Welsh retreat Celtic Manor took gold in the Best UK Conference Hotel category. The winners received recognition at a gala event held at Axis, at London’s One Aldwych on 30 September. |
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