Page 26
Call Sign November 2011
COMPLIANCE OFFICER'S REPORT
minal and the additional cost to the Society
Hello Ladies and Gents,
would run into considerable sums of money.
GPS or zonal dis-
The Board would never say never and will
be replacing the dispatch system in a few years'
patching???
time. This is more likely to be part of a contin-
The Editor has asked me to answer a letter from
uing project that could be further discussed.
Pat Keefe (G01) and due to its' length, he felt
As a matter of interest, I have spoken to Pat
it would be better to incorporate it within this
on numerous occasions and I am sure he
article rather than on the Mailshot page. Pat, a
remembers asking me to check his GPS co-
long standing member of over thirty years, asks
ordinates in the Canary Wharf area because he
the question: `To GPS or not to GPS, that is
was getting slightly incorrect readings due to
the question?
the high rise buildings and bouncing signals
Part of his argument for a review of the cur-
from the satellite. Pat, I rest my case...
rent system is due to the results of the last com-
plaints hearing, which lists a number of mem-
Choosing the route
bers falsely booking into zones or booking in
Finally, it is advisable in these days of atrocious
to incorrect zones, in both cases to gain advan-
traffic conditions to give clients the opportuni-
by your fellow peers. Society members
tage over their fellow members. Pat feels this
ty of choosing their desired route at the start of
expect wrongdoers to be dealt with.
problem could be alleviated if GPS was used to
the journey. Most of the time they will trust and
Pat also mentioned the imminent introduc-
dispatch trips. If - and it is a big if - the nearest
benefit from your judgment, but from my expe-
tion of the new GPRS based terminal and it is
taxi to a pick up address or the point taxi on
rience it is always worth giving passengers the
worth mentioning that although we are replac-
the rank was offered a particular trip, Pat's
option - especially when clients are on meeting
ing the hardware, the software is still relatively
point would be perfectly true, but signal
deadlines and mindful of cost.
the same to begin with. GPS dispatch is a
strength and satellite positioning regularly
Be very lucky and drive safely...
rewrite of not just the terminal software, but
offers or allocates the trip to a taxi much further
Allan Evans
also of the V6 dispatch system. That makes it a
away from the pick-up location because the
DaC Compliance Officer
much bigger project than just replacing the ter-
cab's signal is that much stronger. Furthermore
on some occasions a single trip offer can be
wrongly doubled and offered to more than one
Preferential rates for
taxi. The unlucky driver will not only lose the
trip but may also be booked-off the system
when the scrub is eventually cleared.
legal services
As I have mentioned previously, in a perfect
world offering work to the nearest driver would
be ideal. However, London is far from perfect
with its bizarre one-way systems, roadworks
While helping LTFUC's underprivileged children...!
and traffic, therefore surely offering a driver the
choice and flexibility of a sizeable area they can
Legal firm Davenport Lyons, who are based in
reach within 15 minutes is better than limiting
Old Burlington Street, have been in existence for
them to work based on their GPS position. And
over 75 years and are accepted as one of the
surely being able to trust them to be honest is
most successful firms of its kind. They are now
in my opinion what Dial-a-Cab is all about.
offering their services to Dial-a-Cab drivers - and
As a Board of Management, we have contin-
indeed the licensed taxi trade as a whole if they
uously discussed different ways of dispatching,
happen to read Call Sign! But this is a legal ser-
listened to many members and still consider the
vice with something of a difference. Davenport
zonal system to be the fairest way of dispatch-
Lyons provide bespoke legal solutions service
ing. Nothing is perfect, but even in a quiet peri-
delivered by their market-leading lawyers who
od, queue position one will ninety-nine per cent
understand the challenges that clients including
of the time offer you a trip whereas drivers on
the world's finest taxi driving fleet - face.
a GPS system may work all day and not see an
But now they have come up with an idea
offer on their screens - and that is a fact, you
that will provide you with the best possible
only have to ask ex RTG and ComCab mem-
help in your time of legal assistance, while at the same time helping the
bers. Our system is tried and tested over many
London Taxidrivers' Fund for Underprivileged Children because every fee they
years and still is in my opinion the fairest way
receive from a taxi driver client will see 10% donated to the LTFUC! And those
of trip allocation.
fees will be preferential rates and agreed beforehand, so there is no question
Any system is open to abuse but I truly
of Davenport Lyons just adding that 10% to your cost. The 10% will come
believe that it is only the small minority of dri-
from the company's profit.
vers that give the rest of us a bad name and
lessening one problem will, in my opinion, just
Among the services offered are:
lead to another. The system will always need to
WILLS · POWERS OF ATTORNEY · TAX ADVICE
be monitored and drivers who violate the rules
CONVEYANCING · FAMILY & MATRIMONIAL ISSUES ·
will always look for new ways to cheat the sys-
tem, but they will be caught and dealt with in
TRUST ADVICE · BUSINESS ADVICE · CODICILS
the appropriate manner and rightly so, some-
If you need any of the above, then ask for Nick Hall on 020 7468 1623. His spe-
times by the Compliance Office and other more
ciality is wills, inheritance tax planning and the above, but if you are looking
serious complaints judged by a committee at a
for something else he'll be happy to find the right person for you
complaints hearing.
If you have always used the same solicitors and are happy with them, that's great! But
As an experienced member who has sat
if you are looking for expert legal assistance and want to help a taxi trade charity at
on the complaints panel, I am sure Pat will
the same time, then contact Nick Hall on 020 7468 1623...
agree that most complaints are best judged
