Page 4
Call Sign August 2011
reflections of the chairman
August again!
Army and the Cab trade which was held at
the Regents Park Barracks in Albany Street. It
Just when we all thought things were getting
consisted of a series of events where teams of
a little busier, along comes August, the qui-
four competed against each other. There
etest month of the year. We'll all no doubt
were eight events, such as manoeuvring a
complain about August and the lack of work
coach through cones and into a parking
and then remark that it's quieter than last
space, a similar course with a London taxi,
August just as we did last year and proba-
manoeuvring a fork lift truck through obsta-
bly every year before that! I suppose we
cles and stacking a pallet I am sure you all
could all go on holiday in August, but
get the idea.
because families with school age children are
It was a fantastic day; the soldiers were
forced to go away that month, all holiday
excellent and made us feel very welcome. But
prices shoot up. Consequently, if you do not
perhaps unsurprisingly, the team finishing
have to go away in August, the money you
first was the army (they had more than one
will save on your holiday will go some way
team) closely followed by the cab trade - a
towards compensating for the lack of work in
magnificent achievement. My team finished
during the quietest month of the year!
fifth overall, which I was quite pleased about.
Although in the main business is still quite
tough, our figures for this year have shown a
Just to give you an idea; the army reps
would hold from September 2013.
slight improvement over last year's and come
were a Transport unit or Logistics Corps that
The current Master is Dial-a-Cab member
the end of this month and our financial year,
had seen action in Afghanistan. One of the
Jim Rainbird and I must say that in my
we will be showing a bottom line that is in
events was to jack up a Landrover, remove a
opinion he is doing an excellent job.
the black - no mean achievement considering
flat tyre, put on the spare, let the vehicle
However, the demands placed upon his time
the downturn the trade has experienced and
down, start it up and then park it. This was
are enormous and I have become more
of course taking into account that there has
all supposed to be done under fire - fortu-
aware of this scenario since becoming Lower
not been an increase in member's subscrip-
nately, we only had to imagine that bit! My
Warden. Consequently, I have given the issue
tions for several years.
team did it in 2minutes 50seconds, which I
of becoming Master in just over two years
thought was fantastic, but the winning army
Cost of buying a taxi?
time some considerable thought and have
team knocked a whole minute off our time! It
come to the conclusion that the position of
I wish I'd have known earlier that the Editor
just shows how professional they are.
Master would be too demanding on my time.
had interviewed the Sales Director of the
The first event I did was to reverse a coach
My priority is Dial-a-Cab and I do not wish
London Taxi Company in this issue because
through cones and park it well, I flattened
to be in a situation whereby I could not
I'd have asked Alan to pass along this ques-
the cones, which incurred a time penalty.
devote the time to the position of Master and
tion to Rob Laidler. No doubt you have read
Consequently my time was three minutes. I
thereby commit and do it the justice it
in the trade press that they (the London Taxi
believe everyone enjoyed that as I had never
deserves. So I have reluctantly resigned my
Company and not Alan!) had recently sold
seen so many people taking photos of flat-
position as Lower Warden with immediate
1,000 taxis to Baku in Azerbaijan for the sum
tened cones! But later in the afternoon, my
effect as I did not wish to put anyone in a dif-
of $27,000,000 and it got me thinking. I know
team was informed the coach we used in the
ficult situation by resigning the position just
the TX4 Style is £30k and I believe the
morning was faulty and had to be changed
before I was due to become Master. I believe
Elegance is £2k dearer, so why the vast dif-
after we'd used it, so we were given a second
there is more on this topic elsewhere in the
ference in price between here and
magazine and I hope you are all not too
go. This time I didn't knock any cones over
Azerbaijan? If we divide the $27m by 1,000
bored. Being in the cab trade where rumours
and did it in a time of 50 seconds.
units, that works out at $27,000 per unit. If
abound, I have already heard several
Surprisingly, no-one took any photos!
we then convert at $1.6 to one pound ster-
rumours about why I resigned as Lower
ling, then each taxi would cost £16,875 -
The only reason I am putting the record
Warden and all of them are totally untrue! I
around half the price we are paying here. I'm
straight is that I believe the pictures of the
just do not know why we seem to have so
sure the vehicle would not be exactly identi-
flattened cones will surface somewhere and I
cal to the ones sold here, but the difference
many rumourmongers within our industry.
thought I'd get in first!
in price is phenomenal. I am sure the LTC
Cab trade v the Army
could give us a list of the differences between
Brian Rice
the two vehicles, but half price? Now that
Talking of the WCHCD, our former Beadle
Chairman
will take a bit of explaining...
John Sheen, who I am sure many of you
Dial-a-Cab
know, organised a competition between the
The WCHCD
As many of you are aware, I am a member of
the Worshipful Company of Hackney
The Flower Mill
Carriage Drivers and have been so since
becoming Chairman of Dial-a-Cab. In my
view it is a very worthwhile organisation and
Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings
does much to enhance the reputation of the
London Taxi trade.
Some years ago, I was asked to sit on the
Tel: 07854 738895
Court of Assistants and duly obliged. What it
actually meant was that I attended four meet-
Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk
ings a year where, as you can imagine,
`Company' business was discussed. Then last
year I was asked to become Lower Warden and
Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk
I must admit I was a little sceptical at the time
because it actually means you progress to
Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties
become Renter Warden then Upper Warden
before finally becoming Master, a position that
is held for one year. Attending four meetings a
"It is at the edge of a petal that love waits"- William Carlos Williams
year has not been a problem, but since becom-
ing Lower Warden I have become aware of the
demands placed upon the Master, a position I
