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Call Sign September 2011
DIAL-A-CAB CREDIT UNION
later he came back asking if I could help him
on our ground floor and I'm sure Jamie would
as his gearbox had packed up and as our reg-
love to see new and old customers alike.
ular borrowers know, we have a special fund
Harp Credit Union
for those moments. So I gave him a loan of a
£1000 spread over one year, which in interest
The HARP Credit Union is one that the
cost him £65. In reality, this driver had just £1
DACCU has taken over. We were asked by the
left in his account and our criteria is a 3 to 1
FSA if we could help, in fact this is the third
ratio! So if you have £100 in savings, you can
credit union we have helped out, but in this
borrow £300. All I can advise you is to never
case we have actually taken over the reins. We
say never!
are using the HARP for non-DaC drivers, their
Come and join us!
Many of you have been enquiring about
families and friends so if you know of any-
when the next 7% account we are running
body looking for somewhere to save then
will open? We are currently unsure of
please get in touch with Lilian at the office.
Yes, come and join us! We are
what we can or can't do as regards that
You never know, if we can get HARP as suc-
account and we await an FSA decision. We
now one of the most successful
cessful as DACCU then we may be able to
are working closely with them on this
offer a 7% interest scheme as well.
Credit Unions around and you
matter and as soon as we know, then you
I think that's all for now but if you have
as a Dial-a-Cab driver or family
will be notified. Our thanks for your
any queries on the above, don't hesitate to
patience...
member or staff member, can be
call us on 0207 729 8171 or call in as we
love to see your lovely smiling faces. If
a part of it.
Tiger Tyres
you don't know the address yet, it's Unit
Many of those who come in to the Tiger
14, Peterley Business Centre, 472 Hackney
I'd just like to mention Tiger Tyres just in
Tyres workshop on the ground floor of our
Road E2 9EQ. The entrance is next to the
case you don't yet know who they are. They
office for their tyres but who are not DACCU
Docklands Office Furniture shop.
supply all your cab tyres at reasonable rates.
members, they are the ones we target to get
They also sell batteries and window wiper
I'll finish with the usual be lucky but be very
them to join us. Of course they all ask the
blades. All tyres are balanced with a new
careful out there..
same question: Why should I join? Well I like
valve. They also do laser tracking for all FX4s,
to think that this is the easy part! Firstly, once
John Riley (K38)
TX1s, TX2s and TX4s in addition to the Vito -
you start saving and need a tyre or four, then
but only the front wheels. They are situated
get them fitted and come upstairs to either
DACCU
draw out your savings or get a loan to pay for
them. Secondly there aren't too many places
The loneliest TX4 in the world?
you can go and get a loan within 5 minutes
and either have that money in your bank
account within the hour via a chaps payment,
Over the past few years LTI - and its successor
or a signed cheque or by most people's pref-
the London Taxi Company - have been very
successful in selling the TX4 overseas. Most
erence - a BACS payment, which takes around
exported models are made in their Chinese fac-
3 days to get to your account.
tory in Shanghai and the company's publicity
Most members have their Credit Union
department (hi Asha and Maria) do a very good
money savings stopped via their credit
job in notifying the trade should it want to pub-
work and while on the subject, I would
lish a story. But Call Sign was told that LTI's
like to take this opportunity to thank
Export Logistics Manager Nigel Walters actual-
DaC's Financial Controller Warren Smith
ly tried to dissuade buyer Subhash Sanas from
for his hard work and help in the smooth
purchasing his TX4, as there was no back up in
Subhash and
running involved in sorting out our dri-
his Indian home city of Pune!
his new cab
in India
ver's payments and getting them over to
Pune is the second largest city in the state of
us so we can put your hard earned money
Maharashtra, renowned as India's cultural capital and probably famous for being
home to Venky's owners of English Premier League team Blackburn Rovers.
into your DACCU account.
But now the city has a new claim to fame with city businessman Subhash Sanas, apparently bored
One of the arguments I often hear against
with seeing Audis, BMWs and Merc E classes on the streets of Pune, buying himself a new metallic
joining DACCU is that it's just another debt or
blue TX4, the first of its kind in India. Even more astonishingly, the cab is said to have cost
that they don't take loans or even sometimes
Subhash around Rup 5million including substantial import duties - around twice the price London
ask just what the committee are getting out of
drivers pay!
it! We are here for one reason - to help you
The millionaire has been a passionate collector of rare vintage cars since his youth, but getting the
and not to turn you over. We who work in the
TX4 to Pune was no easy task. For a start Mr Sanas had to conduct a number of meetings with
DACCU office - that's Terry, Brian, Derek, Lily
Nigel Walters and convince him that he really wanted the taxi at any cost!
and me are all licensed as deposit takers by
Nigel Walter was said to be reluctant to sell it to Subhash because there is no service centre in
the FSA. If you're not sure, go online and look
India. The meeting was followed by months of negotiations before Subhash made the long trip
from the sub-continent to the London Taxi Company's Coventry factory!
us up on the FSA website. We have over 900
Indian government policy and tough import restrictions made it difficult for him to bring the TX4
members but would like to have all you DaC
to India and in fact he had made several previous attempts over the years. As a regular visitor to
drivers on our books, because you never
London since 1973, he fell in love with the traditional London taxi icon many years ago, but every
know when you might need a bob or two.
time he tried to buy one, restrictions were put in his way until last month!
And that applies to your families as well.
"I saw the cab and was an instant fan," he said. "It is unique and has a class entirely of its
It reminds me of something that happened
own. I made up my mind to purchase one and today I am proud to own it. Am I a snob?
to a driver. I had the devil's own job to get
Well if I am, then I'm proud of it!"
him on board and he saved with us for about
Famous Bollywood star Dharmendra Singh Deol has asked Subhash if he can borrow the taxi!
3 months before coming to me and saying that
Whether he intends making a Bollywood star out of the icon, he wouldn't tell Call Sign, but
he didn't really need to be saving and could
Subhash Sanas' taxi has now acquired a celebrity status in Pune as has Subhash himself. He even
he have his money out? Naturally I said yes,
asked if he could have a Dial-a-Cab logo in gold. I said Call Sign would let him know!
but advised him to leave a pound in just to
Baghwat Singh
keep the account open. He did that, probably
Call Sign Online
just to avoid upsetting me! Well just two days
