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COMPLIANCE OFFICER’S REPORT |
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Hello Ladies & Gents,
The summer holidays are now well and truly behind us, schools are back and traffic is now returning to normal. The workload has certainly picked up and after a rather quiet period on the complaints front, I feel I need to remind you all of a few do nots that have started to creep back in. I’m sure none of you have failed to see the regular terminal messages reminding you that certain zones are constantly monitored and that complaints will be processed for blatant misdemeanours and frequent offenders. Two such zones are EC5 and E14 and I would once again like to remind you of the booking-in procedures that a small minority of our members seem to have forgotten. EC5: When this zone is in operation, you must physically be in one of the four EC zones (EC1 / 2 / 3 or 4) before booking in. If trips are unmatched in this zone, they will appear in the Bids and you are quite within your right to bid, accept and offer a time on the journeys. E14: Between the hours of 9pm and 6am Monday to Friday and at all times throughout the weekend, you must be in this actual postal zone before you book in. During |
 weekday working hours (6am to 9pm) the E14C and E14S ranks are in operation. Regular Trips: I have mentioned previously that during the course of a week, there are a number of regular trips that may come out frequently or even on a daily basis. It is not in the spirit of our Society, in addition to being a procedural rule, that any member seeking to make this type of trip their own by waiting for long periods before the trip is dispatched or maintaining a queue position to ensure that they are allocated the trip, is in breach of these rules. It is reasonably simple to check driver loggers and accurately monitor the length of time each member is in a zone or if they constantly reject alternative trips and use the temporary off button to maintain a queue position in a |
particular trip zone - I am
sure you know where I’m coming from! In the very near future, our GPS will capture additional information that will be available to account clients. It will not only show locations at time of acceptance, arrival and PoB, but the amount on the meter at each of these points in sequence will also be registered. It is important that you press the arrival button outside of the actual account address and not before and clear each trip as soon as the passenger alights from the taxi. Please remember that the normal run-in (excluding Westminster TaxiCard journeys), or unless otherwise authorised is up to £4.20 at booked time or actual arrival time on an ASAP. Without further labouring these points, I am sure you will agree that there is stiff competition out in the market place and we must always stay one jump ahead of the rest. Our professionalism should always shine through and we should never underestimate good customer service and understanding the needs of our clients. Be very lucky... Allan Evans |
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John Griffin: "Call Sign is wrong!" |
Views
on life as seen through the eyes of David Kupler (Y74) at… KUPKAKE’S KORNER |
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The September
Call Sign Editorial from Alan Fisher picked up
on an interview Addison Lee Chairman, John Griffin,
had given to the Sunday Times. Alan’s comment – based on
the article – said that for as long as he could remember, the
Addison Lee boss had stated that his aim was for taxis only to
pick up street work whereas private hire should do all the radio
work. Alan added that even though he disagreed strongly with Mr
Griffin on the point, he believed that he meant it but then
referred to himself as being stupid for doing so! That last point was because according to the interview, John Griffin claimed Addison Lee were working on a court case where they would argue that minicab drivers should be able to use bus lanes and pick people up on the street – just like black cab drivers! He added that it was time for minicabs to be given the opportunity to compete fairly. Alan’s answer was to inform them that they could pick up in the street already – his drivers just had to do The Knowledge! Within days of the issue coming out, John Griffin obtained a copy or read the online version and responded to Alan’s article. "Why does the taxi trade persist in believing that the minicab industry has a secret agenda involving picking up passengers from the street? This work is the exclusive domain of the London Taxi with his knowledge and turning circle. If minicabs could ply for hire, it would be not only the end of the Taxi trade, but also the end of companies like Addison Lee who rely on their livelihood by charging the driver for agency work. If a journalist gets the wrong end of the stick you should know better than to believe him." In all honesty, it is difficult to argue with that logic; after all, one of their strengths is that they tell passengers their drivers are more available for radio trips as they are not allowed to pick up in the street. So please do not write to Call Sign to tell us you’ve seen an AL car picking up in the street...it doesn’t happen! Ron
Yarborough |
As I drove along Upper Bank Street, I was the only cab on the Island, As I dropped off on Westferry, I was the ONLY cab on the Island, Kopyright Kupkake 2010 |
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