Call Sign August 2010 - Page 17 - Compliance Officers Update

Compliance Officers Update

Hello ladies and gents, a few reminders for you...

EC5
As both Keith Cain and I have often mentioned, to book into EC5 (Finsbury Square) you must physically be in EC1, EC2, EC3 or EC4 before you can gain a queue position. The Call Centre regularly monitors the situation and whilst the vast majority of you do book in perfectly correctly, there are still a few that don’t and unless that minority start booking onto our City rank in the correct way - rather than trying to gain an advantage over their fellow drivers - they will face appropriate action. The system is designed to make it fair and equal for all of us and no more warnings will be given. Both Keith and I have spoken to many of you in the past and with the queue numbers much more manageable, the system works well. Please don’t spoil it. The Board is mindful of your needs and concerns and any changes will only be implemented for the benefit of you, the members.

Weekend working on E14
As some drivers seem unsure

about working on E14 during weekends, can I just remind you that since August 2009, E14C and E14S no longer operate on Saturdays and Sundays. E14C and E14S are still open Monday to Friday 06:00 to 21:00 and at all other times the work will be dispatched into E14, which remains as a physical zone between 9pm and 6am (Monday to Friday) and at all times on weekends.
The changes have been made to assist drivers at weekends and to prevent them from being forced to sit on the E14C rank when the majority of street work comes from the underground station and Canada Square areas. This zone will be constantly monitored and it is important that you book in correctly at all times to avoid any

procedure rule violations.

Displaying the Society logo…
Finally, can I please remind you that any taxi reported as not displaying the Society logo is violating Procedure Rule No.18 ‘Not Displaying the Company Logo’ and without genuine reason, it could result in a complaint. Only a small minority of members who joined prior to January 1996 and pay increased subscriptions are exempt from this ruling. It is not surprising that taxis spotted picking up from various account addresses that have logos missing on one or both doors are very often reported by those that do sport them. The rules are in place for a reason and after all, together with the cash booking number it helps to promote our Society, which is surely a benefit to us all particularly in this economic climate!
If you have any queries on the above please contact me on 0207 553 7222 or email at Allane@Dialacab.co.uk

Allan Evans
DaC Compliance Officer

LONDON ACCORDING TO DAVE

Who pays the ferryman?
   As a London taxi driver who ferries people to different areas of the capital, it’s often said that we are a financial barometer as to how the economy is performing. We are already seeing financial cuts to the public sector biting, just as we see our own earning capacity fall.
   As any budding DIY expert will know, when it comes to turning the screw, the first few turns are slow to begin with but once the screw has a seating, it turns much quicker and harder. The skill is in knowing when to stop as you can overdo it and pull out the rawplug and plunge everything back to square one.
   We have now signed up to a coalition government without reading the small print in the summary box; ie we are not abolishing free travel passes, just changing the rules to age 65 instead of 60!
   Are 0800 numbers free? You bet they aren’t! Networks vary, read the small print!
   We now have two leaders in charge who have as much experience in big decision-making as Paris Hilton has in deciphering which is the best food to feed her pet ferret! But that seems unimportant in today’s PR politics where you can go from bland to tanned in minutes. That’s not to say commercially speaking blends don’t work, they can.
   Conservative cabinet sauvignon vintage 1980 blended with Lib Dem Merlot, that utilises modern fermentation methods, exceedingly smooth on the palette and draws you in like a velvet claw.
   But what of these people who ferry information to one another in the corridors of power, shrouded for decades in secrecy and mythology? Are their jobs under threat like the public sector with pay freezes imminent?
   The number of MPs as of now has not been reduced. So no cuts there then, just an increase in the number of those apologising unreservedly for making false expense claims.
   Local councillors are now, however, getting bumper pay rises of up to 60%, with London’s Barnet Council leading the pay surge. Councillors are now almost on a par with MP’s pay. As for peers in the House of Lords, although unsalaried, more than 100 last year claimed in excess of £50,000 expenses. That’s not bad to notch up when you are being given a £300 daily tax free attendance allowance courtesy of the tax payer.
   So call it what you like: The big society, the green society, the fact remains that so long as the west’s economy is run on oil that has to be bought at relatively cheap levels from the middle east, someone somewhere has to pay the ferryman.

David Heath (ex-W27)

WELL, WE KNEW THAT ANYWAY!

London taxi drivers voted the best for the third consecutive year...

   For the third year running, a Hotels.com survey by 1900 of their travellers has shown that they believe London’s Taxi drivers and their vehicles to be the best in the world.
   The survey results had 59% of travellers giving us the thumbs up as being the best, although just as last year, the question of b eing expensive was mentioned. However, the fact that we have to undergo the Knowledge and then purchase hugely expensive vehicles is probably why we are the best. The London taxi trade doesn’t have a ‘value’ section!
   Praise came about our friendliness, driving ability, knowledge of where we’re going and our clean vehicles. London’s finest slaughtered New York (27%) and Tokyo (26%) in the poll.
   How we achieved it in the face of competition that seems to walk over the rules, is anyone’s guess. However, we should give ourselves a pat on the back because quite simply, with or without a survey, we ARE the best...