Page 4
Call Sign September 2011
reflections of the chair man
End of year...
Olympics again
As you are probably aware, the end of our
We have all heard stories regarding contracts
financial year is 31 August. I know you don't
being awarded to car companies for the forth-
need me to tell you that it has been another
coming Olympics. This was probably started
difficult trading period, but under the circum-
by the Mayor who remarked on a radio pro-
stances Dial-a-Cab has performed quite well.
gramme that a contract may have been award-
Of course our figures have not been audited
ed to Addison Lee. You can imagine how our
as yet, but we have made a reasonable surplus
industry acted on hearing that! His statement
without any increase to member's subscrip-
was clearly incorrect and was immediately
tions and yet we were still in a position to give
denied by AL. I never doubted the statement
an increase in salaries to your staff in April.
was incorrect, as I knew any contract for the
The above is coupled with the fact there has
Olympics would have to go to tender before
been a small increase in top line turnover. I
being awarded. On that note, the first notifi-
believe there are many organisations that
cation of tenders (transport) that will be dis-
would like to be able to report the above and
tributed have been released, while the tenders
also be in a position of having substantial cash
themselves will be released in the next few
reserves that have been carefully reserved
weeks. The first one is quite unusual in that
he attacked me on an internet site I do not
over the years in order to be able to weather
they are looking for an organisation that can
have any problem with that, but I'm told he
any financial downturn, as indeed our indus-
supply `sufficient qualified' drivers to convey
try has experienced during the past three
5,000 vehicles from Tilbury to Olympic Fleet
did get a little personal. A member of the site
years. I was determined this organisation
Depots. I can only assume these vehicles will
apparently had the audacity to speak up on
would not have to repeat the experience of
be the BMWs to be driven by volunteer drivers
my behalf and support me (thank you, who-
the early nineties when we were close to
during the Olympics and Paralympic games.
ever you were). This person, Walker, then
going out of business. We will also be re-
There will also be a tender issued to taxi and
came back with this:
equipping the fleet in the not too distant
private hire companies to offer a service from
"I understand that most paedophiles
future and will not require any finance in
Paddington Station to the Bloomsbury area.
are like a kindly old uncle during a
order to accomplish the task!
This will be for the foreign media who will
grooming process. Not that I am suggest-
reside in and around Bloomsbury. I don't know
ing that Rice is one of those, god forbid."
if you are aware, but the main media commu-
Who does this person think he is mention-
And whilst on the
nications site will be Russell Square, conse-
ing my name in the same context as a pervert?
quently all media will be located in that area.
subject of figures...
He then believes that he is excused by adding
I hope the above will put a few rumours to
that final sentence. You now have a pretty
I recently read an article by someone called Mr
bed regarding contracts being awarded to pri-
good idea about this individual. As I stated
Walker. This is an individual whom to the best of
vate hire without also offering our industry the
earlier, I have never met or even heard of this
my knowledge I have never met. In fact I'd never
same opportunity.
Walker, but I just hope our paths never cross.
even heard of him until he wrote an article that
If they do then I think it would be quite
was forwarded onto me. Consequently, I did
Brian Rice
appropriate to replace just one letter from his
some investigation regarding this Walker and it
Chairman, Dial-a-Cab
would appear that he is the self-appointed Guru
name and then he would be a Wa*ker!
of the taxi industry and an academic who believes
he is an authority on everything! In reality he is a
ComCab driver who according to him, passed his
THE SALIERI RESTAURANT
11+ with a record score and went to a top
Grammar school for two years until he decided to
376 Strand, WC2
attend the local comprehensive oh yeah!
Anyway, you no doubt get the picture
regarding this highly qualified individual.
We Invite Dial-a-Cab drivers and their guests to our
However, I digress; he recently published an
article regarding the three radio circuits and
restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine
came up with the extremely scientific fact that
And as a thank-you for helping our clients come
the turnover of all three taxi radio circuits had
fallen in the last couple of years. That is quite
and go over the years, we are happy to be able to
amazing and I can't think how that could have
offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill
been! He then went on to state that Dial-a-
Cab's turnover had fallen by 40% in a two year
period. Does he not realise as a self-proclaimed
We are certain that you will be delighted
intelligent man that it was due to the fact that
Dial-a-Cab alone service most of the major
banks in London and when they went through
their financial crisis, they cut back on their taxi
usage? It would appear that this person for
some reason has a dislike for Dial-a-Cab and
me in particular! But I'll come to that later.
It is a shame that he did not discuss how well
we have done during this downturn and of
Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID
course the reserves that we possess, but obvi-
ously that did not serve his purpose. To cap it all,
Salieri Restaurant
he used the figures that were compiled up to
376 Strand, WC2
August of last year - obviously a fast mover as it
has taken almost a year to produce his nonsense.
Reservations: 020 7836 1318
Since making my enquiries regarding this
individual, I have learned that some time ago
