Renting taxis on DaC?
Hi Alan
Just a quick note about rental taxis. I am aware that the only way to rent a taxi while on Dial-a-Cab is from another driver, but have DaC looked at changing this rule? The reason I ask is because I have spoken to many drivers who would like to rent, but who also want to stay on DaC. I have been trying to rent a Mercedes Vito on a long-term rental, but nobody on DaC has one available to rent. Therefore the only remaining option is for me to buy one, but £37K is a lot of dough if after 6 months I don’t like it! I currently rent my TX4 and having worked both days and nights, I can easily say that my taxi is cleaner than many owner-driven taxis. Would the Board look at local garages to rent to DaC drivers, ie like M&O and KPM? With the cost of running a new cab increasing every year, many drivers are looking to rent. At least they’d know the taxis would be newer and cleaner!
Mike Leo (Z09)
   Brian Rice responds: I take your point Mike, but our name is ODRTS (Owner Drivers Radio Taxi Service). As you correctly suggest, the only way forward for you is to have a rule change voted on by members. Unfortunately, as you are a journeyman you cannot advocate this rule change, only members can do that. I must confess that as a Board we would not propose this rule change, as I know from experience how very difficult it is to keep track of our equipment whilst on a garage cab.
   So Mike, the only thing you can do is get some friends who are members to propose the rule change you are suggesting. I wish you well...

Powerpill
Dear Alan,
Do you know if Powerpill is still in operation? I have tried their landline and mobile numbers without any success.
Laurence Kelvin (W88)
   Hi Laurence, yes, Powerpill are still operating with many DaC drivers using it for their taxis. Extra mileage? I get between 1 and 2 miles extra per litre, but I get it more because of the increased performance and for the way it cuts down on smoke. You can contact Chris Hayball on 01246 856 153 or 07737 956 298, however because he is a one-man band, if he isn’t at home then the phone won’t be answered! His mobile usually works though or far easier, you can buy from the website at www.powerpillonline.com  ...Ed

Cash numbers?
I have noticed that there has been a bit of chat about whether our cabs should all carry the cash phone line number. I had reason to change my cab very recently and had the new sherbet
fitted out with DaC radio equipment and door decals. Due to other commitments at the time, I was unable to take the cab to Roman Way personally to have this done and arranged for someone else to do it for me. When I got cab back, I noticed it did not have the cash line number on it. I have no problem with having the number on and had I been contacted
to ask if I wanted them on or not, I would have said yes to putting them on.
Perhaps Roman Way should ask all drivers who go there for whatever reason if they are not carrying the number, whether they had any objection to them being put on .No pressure, just a simple question with a yes or no answer.
Eddie Lambert (V37)
  DaC’s Roman Way Manager, Dana Thananjeyan, replies: It is a shame that Eddie was unable to attend Roman Way himself, because he would have been able, at first hand, to see for himself that we do indeed as and when they visit our Depot, offer the fitting of the ‘Cash Number’

Daily Mirror and Addison Lee
Hi Alan
I guess you saw the Daily Mirror of September 9. My mum gave it to me and it says that Addy Lee made £83 million last year. Not bad for a recession! However, I think I would sooner drive a double decker bus than work for them!
Jon Robinson (E88)
   For those that didn’t see it, Daily Mirror undercover investigators Andrew Penman and Nick Sommerlad wrote the article. They were questioning exactly how self-employed John Griffin’s fleet of drivers actually are? The newspaper claimed the drivers couldn’t use their own vehicles but had to hire them through Addison Lee at £260 a week – yes that’s per week and not month! Added to that were weekly additions of £38 for insurance and £12.50 for car washes. Penman and Sommerlad estimated that after paying for fuel, Addison Lee drivers begin the week around £350 down and that the only way to make a profit after that was by working very long hours. According to the Mirror duo, many work at least 60 – sometimes 70 - hours a week over six or even seven days, quoting one driver as saying that if he worked five normal eight-hour days, he could end up losing and wondered how could you be self-employed working round the clock for one boss? The article added that drivers couldn’t select their own hours or fix their own prices even for cash trips. The bottom line was left at how could that be classified as being self-employed? According to AL boss’s son Liam, drivers don’t rent their cabs or pay for insurance to Addison Lee – they pay it to John Griffin’s company, Eventech, who are conveniently based in the same building! Call Sign’s bottom line is that perhaps it isn’t so surprising to watch them touting at night and that perhaps, instead of complaining about them, we should have a whip-round to help them out!
   And by the way Jon, I drove a double decker RTL and then a Routemaster for 6 years between 1963 and 1969 before going on the Knowledge and I really enjoyed it...Ed

Minicabs and the M4 bus lane
Hi Al
I’ve just used the M4 taxi and bus lane and there were more minicabs than taxis in it! I thought about taking some registration numbers, but what would be the point? No one at TfL seems to give a monkeys...
Kevin Went (N19)
   The problem as I see it is that if the future court case TfL constantly talk about decides that minicabs can no longer use the lane, private hire would by then probably appeal quoting grandfather rights! I believe that TfL do really care, I just think they are scared of getting involved in expensive legalities. I also think my battle described by

Euro 5?
Hi Alan 
Could you give your best technical advice and please explain the difference between Euro 4 and Euro 5 for new cabs from next year and if there are any systems to buy?
Gerry Mulcahy W78
   Call Sign doesn’t claim to be the What Car of the taxi business, but we’ve done our best to shed some light onto the situation. The article is elsewhere in this issue ...Ed

Terry’s Vito v Terry’s TX2
Hi Alan,
Having just bought a Vito, I’d like to give my view. Seven is my lucky number. The seventh cab I have bought over 30 years driving is a Vito, so I have some experience of taxis. I am not going to tell you how good it is, the three-pointed star speaks for its self. I’d just like to tell you what I miss about my last cab, a TX2. I miss the cramped space for the driver, not knowing if it was going to start first thing, the clonking drone of the timing chain, the noisy tick over, the struggle to clear the windscreen when it’s raining, the shakes and rattles when the doors close, the squeaks and buzzing vibration from the dash, doors and partition, the crashing sound and bangs when going over pot holes and speed humps, the clunking noise when the gearbox changes up or down along with the pauses plus the purge as the speed picks up and finally the embarrassment at 60 mph when it’s shakes like mad and goes no faster.
   I could go on, but as you can see I didn’t love my TX cabs, - certainly not the last one. You think I had a dodgy TX2? You got that right! It broke down with just 18 miles on the clock, the RAC man laughed and so did I, after all it only cost £32,000.
   To be fair it has some plus points: It was better in tight spaces and turned well. And that’s it!
   Ok, the Vito looks like a van, but it drives like a car. My TX2 looked like a cab but drove like a tractor! If you love your TX cab, don’t whatever you do test-drive a Vito because your love affair will end. I like the Vito, if you think it’s a bit big, get over it. You’re a professional driver, you can drive anything...
Terry Catherall (Y90)
   I wish you luck with your new cab Terry and have to admit that I agree with you – it does look like a van, it’s too big and also looks nothing like a taxi. I’d rather have my TX4 any day, but freedom of choice is what it’s all about. I think it says it all that the private hire association are complaining about taxis using a vehicle that is already being used by the minicab side of the industry! So yes, I do sincerely wish you luck but you won’t see me in a Vito unless there are no TXs left, because to me it is a minicab ...Ed

Insurance warning
There is a myth that if you have a Non-Fault Accident and you are not making a claim under your own policy, then you do not need to notify your own motor insurers if you are using a Non Fault scheme. This is not correct, as even when you are not making a claim under your own policy, recoveries for the repairs to your vehicle will be made from the negligent party and as such, the claim will be recorded on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE).
   Just by reporting the claim, you should not receive an increase in premium. Also all claims have to be reported to the insurer on any vehicle where you are a driver. That’s your wife’s car, your own car or Taxi etc.
And finally, I would suggest that if in doubt, speak to your insurance broker or advisor.
Jason Beazley
Cabsurance

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