Call Sign December 2014

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Saying the right thing…

phone bill and was astounded to see that on the

As it’s almost the season of merriment and the

one occasion I needed a quick number and called

them, I was charged an horrendous £4.45 for a 42

Chairman has written about the subject I was

going to tinker with - emissions - I thought for a

second enquiry! Going by their phone charges, I

change that instead of the usual moans, I’d tell

couldn’t help but wonder how much interest they

you of an amusing incident that happened to me

would charge for a loan? According to their TV

recently in a “dispute” with an account client -

ads, the APR is 99.9%.

So, being Christmas time and some extra dosh

although I suspect that she might not be phoning

too often after departing my cab at the Savoy

usually coming in handy for many, I looked up the

Hotel - rear entrance, as she apparently didn’t

cost of a £1000 loan from 118118. The answer

want to be irritated by anyone recognising her!

was that if you repay within 12 months, then that

I’ve been driving a taxi in London for almost 44

thousand quid will cost you an extra £427 - a sim-

ilar “bargain” to their directory enquiry service!

years and have had my share of good and bad days.

But I’ve had very few arguments because I won’t

So I enquired to the Dial-a-Cab Credit

allow myself to have one, however I do believe that

Union about how much a one year £1000 loan

over the years I’ve discovered how to win a “dis-

would cost any member of the CU - bearing in

pute” without the need to raise your voice and also

mind that it is open to anyone connected to

win it by scoring a clean knockout with just a few

nanosecond, I jumped in.

DaC. The answer was that against 118118’s

choice words. Such an event happened to me on

“I understand your problem now,” I said,

£1427 repayment, the same £1000 loan with

that ultra-busy Saturday evening. Whether the pas-

still with a calm voice, “and I think I can provide

DACCU over 12 months would cost you just

senger knew I’d won is another matter…!

you with the answer. Hailo taxis may well

£1070 in total - a saving of £357 - and that is

It was reminiscent of the old days - one in and

arrive within five minutes and have no run-

just on a relatively small loan. AND, if you are

one out all evening. Dispatcher Curls was send-

ins, but they apparently have no cabs either

quick on the draw, they occasionally open up

ing ‘please cover the jobs’ messages all evening.

on busy nights. Dial-a-Cab is far better than

an amazing interest account that pays more -

Most people were happy just to get a cab and

that because when we have no taxis available,

far more - than any other savings organisa-

although I offered any account customers I

our arrival time is just thirty seconds, we

tion in this country! Why there isn’t a long

picked up my usual “grovelling” apology about

charge a half-price fare and start the meter at

queue to join the 1000+ already on there, I

them having to wait longer than we’d like, I was

minus £3 so we would be halfway up the road

have never been able to fathom out! When

hoping that most - if not all - would say that the

before the meter even reached zero!”

LTFUC Patron and possibly our future Queen,

service was very good and that the wait really

A brief silence was broken when she said that

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, recently wrote

hadn’t been too long at all. Well, six out of the

she had never heard so much rubbish and didn’t

praising credit unions, she was 100% right.

seven account trips I covered that evening said

believe a word. I assured her that every word

Does anyone remember back in 2003 when it

exactly that. But I just knew that the seventh -

was true but that it only applied when we didn’t

cost 40p for a directory enquiry? Then busybod-

from a private account I had not heard of before

have any taxis in the area and were unable to

ies Oftel poked their noses in and demanded

- was going to be unhappy. Her silent entry into

provide one.

more competition so as “to help keep prices

the taxi while staring up at the meter, rather than

There wasn’t another peep out of her - not

down.” Three months ago, BT put up the cost of

the cursory glance that you’d expect, told me

even a ‘thank you’ as she departed the cab at the

calling 118118 from £3.58 to £4.45. And it isn’t

that this was a lady in a foul mood.

Savoy. And no, no one pestered her for an auto-

just BT because Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin all

I’d arrived with £3.20 on the meter and she

graph - not surprising really as I had not only not

make huge profits out of the 118118 service. So

came out within a minute or so with the clock just

recognised her, but had never heard of her!

is anybody surprised at how much profit they

clicking onto the £4 mark. But as the trip offer

intend making on loans? Do yourselves a favour

and my arrival showed that her wait had been

Doing the wrong thing…

and join DaC’s credit union…

some 12 minutes, I wasn’t expecting any prob-

Word reached me very quickly that last month’s

lems. Then she spoke in a beautifully clear voice,

online version was seen by many at the same time

Fare increase

every word almost like silk. Sadly the actual con-

as the hard copy was actually posted. That meant

I see the April increase is slated to be around 0.3

tent was more like wire wool.

that many former drivers would have seen it

percent - and possibly less if fuel costs drop fur-

“Wasn’t it bad enough that I had to wait

before current subscribers - a situation made

ther. I know I’ve said it before, but would we not

almost 25 minutes for you to arrive,” she said,

worse because it was the election CV issue.

get far better publicity by announcing that

“ but you also have the nerve to have over £4

In reality it should have made little difference,

London’s taxi fleet were foregoing any increase

on the meter and we haven’t even moved yet.

but we live in a world where online is just anoth-

this year? On a £100 fare (as if!), the increase

Hailo would have been here within two min-

er word for instantaneous and I have been told

would be 30pence…

utes and the meter would not have started

that the LTDF chat site was already talking about

until I got into the taxi.”

Call Sign’s contents after a former subscriber

Celebrations…

So in my calmest voice, I asked her the obvious

mentioned the election, while current subscribers

To Christians and to everyone else that cele-

question; why, if Hailo was so good, did she both-

were still waiting for the postman to call.

brates it, I wish you a happy Christmas; to

er phoning Dial-a-Cab?

This is something that should not happen

Buddhists I wish you a happy Bodhi Day; to

“Hailo had no cabs available,” she said in

and in future those that receive the maga-

Catholics at DaC I wish you an enjoyable feast of

that beautiful voice, “otherwise I most cer-

zine via PDF will have to wait because they

Our Lady of Guadalupe and to those of the

tainly would have.”

are second to our current subscribers.

Jewish faith, I wish you a happy Chanukah. If by

I once heard a joke on the Two Ronnies that I

I should emphasise that the actual online ver-

chance there are any Zoroastrians on this circuit,

knew I’d be able to use one day to a passenger such

sion itself wasn’t available until around a week

then I wish you all a successful Yalda as you cel-

as this Chelsea lady, and this was to be the day!

after the magazine came out and the version

ebrate the winter solstice and the birth of the

“Do you often use Hailo,” I asked in as sweet

received early was the PDF, which eventually

Sun God. Unfortunately Eid fell a bit early, but I

a voice as I could muster? When she replied that

becomes that online version but has a limited

hope Ramadan proved to be a good time for our

she used it all the time and again repeated her

circulation of around 100, as against the online

Muslim drivers and the Diwali Festival of Lights

claim of our 25 minute wait, which was obviously

Call Sign which is regularly read by over 8000

proved to be the same for Hindus.

untrue and later confirmed to me by Curls as

people around the world.

I doubt that we have many followers of the

being less than half that time, I tried to reply but

If any drivers were upset, then please accept

Kemetic Orthodoxy on Dial-a-Cab, but if there are

couldn’t get in quickly enough because she again

my apology because being responsible for the

some then I hope that the Day of the Return of

brought up my having over £4 on the meter

PDF list and the online version means that it was

the Wandering Goddess turned out well.

before we had even moved!

all my fault!

If you are not included in the above, then I just

When I noticed that she was unable to work

out where the seatbelts were, I realised that if this

Borrowing with 118118 or DACCU?

wish you a Happy Holiday and see you in 2015…

woman was indeed a Hailo user, it wouldn’t have

I note with horror that phone directory service

been the black cab side of their service. So when

118118 are going into the money lending busi-

Alan Fisher

she actually stopped moaning for one brief

ness. I have just looked at my latest landline

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign December 2014

Page 4

reflections of the chairman

emission capable.

Air Quality

I am currently considering what further

It was back in January 2011 that I informed

steps may be appropriate to accelerate this

Members of the Mayor’s intention to intro-

turnover and to support early adopters.

duce the 15 year age limit on London Taxis as

from 2012. I know that at the time it seemed

What I have reproduced in red actually sug-

the Mayor was intending to initiate a 10 year

gests to me that the Mayor intends imple-

age limit, consequently all organisations

menting the 10 year rule for taxis. With all the

within the trade, with the exception of the

burdens that have been placed upon our

RMT, combined to present a document to the

trade in recent years, a trade that has not yet

recovered from a deep recession and the

Mayor calling for the age limit to be 15 years

and not 10 as suggested.

introduction into our trade of the established

business disrupters, the 10 year rule should

I can remember at the time feeling quite

pleased that the Mayor and his team agreed

not be on anyone’s agenda at the current

time - especially as the Mayor intends intro-

with us, not simply just because they had

ducing his Cycle Superhighways from east

agreed, but because the whole trade had unit-

to west and north to south across London,

ed to present their case to the Mayor and which

something the authorities admit will add to

he then accepted. I had not seen a united taxi

zero emission taxi on the road at the moment.

motorised vehicle journey times and which in

front for some 14 years, ever since the T&G

If and when these zero emission taxis are pro-

turn must add to pollution. But that doesn’t

(Unite) left the Taxiboard back in 1997. I had

duced, what will be the cost, especially if dri-

seem to matter as it involves pedal cycles! If

been hopeful that this new found unity would

vers have to depreciate that cost over a 10

only TfL would spend on our trade just a lit-

continue. There isn’t any doubt in my mind

year period. It will lead to more expensive

tle of what they spend on cycles, perhaps the

that had it continued, our trade would not find

rental charges from fleet owners as they will

taxi trade would be just a little happier and

itself in the turmoil it is experiencing today.

have to recoup their outlay over a shorter

even increase its morale from an all-time low!

The reason I bring this topic up now is

time frame.

because the Mayor is suggesting there should

It is very difficult to argue about having a

be a 10 year age limit on London Taxis, some-

greener environment and zero emission

Christmas

thing I explained he was enthusiastic about in

taxis, but if that is what the Mayor wants and

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity

the past. Consequently, I have re-printed the

he wants us to contribute to the cause, then

to wish you and your families a very happy

actual point we made in the original docu-

we deserve to be subsidised by TfL. In my

Christmas and a healthy New Year. I hope

ment when we did our submission on behalf

opinion, the trade cannot cope with any extra

the run-up to Christmas is busy for you all,

of the trade organisations. It read:

financial burden.

traffic jams ease somewhat and that you can

The Trade, having carefully considered

What seems very suspicious is when the

get about, because it has been horrendous in

the impact of various vehicle age related

Mayor states, when speaking about the 15

recent times due in no small part to the fact

options, contends that, without the assis-

year rule:

that half of London is being dug up at the

tance of extensive funding, the only sus-

I informed the Committee about my

moment. Obviously it has been co-ordinated

tainable age limitation policy for taxis

ambitious proposals to require all newly

extremely well by the authorities!

would be 15 years from 2012, with no pos-

licensed taxis to be zero emission capable

sibility of further tightening of this crite-

from 2018. This complements my existing

Brian Rice

ria. Any additional restrictions on the fleet

policy of retiring taxis over 15 years old.

Chairman

would make it impossible to mitigate the

On current turnover this means that by

serious negative economic impact which

2033, all taxis in London would be zero

Dial-a-Cab

our industry is experiencing during one of

the worst recessions in recent history.

You may not need us now, but cut us out for when you do!

As you can see, we were quite clear in our

belief that the age limit should not be reduced

further from the 15 years. So why have I

LOCKHOUSE SECURITY

brought this topic up? Simply because the

Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy could have quite

serious effects on our trade and indeed there

All types of locks, opened, repaired and replaced

has been considerable reporting on the issue,

especially within the cab trade. This has mate-

10% discount on keys and locks for DaC drivers

rialised even further, brought on by the dis-

Transponders / chipped keys

agreement between the Mayor and Green Party

On site key cutting services including taxis

MP for Brighton Pavilion, Caroline Lucas.

Locks replaced / fitted to insurance specifications (BS3621

The Mayor has written to the

Burglary repairs / boarding up

Environmental Audit Committee claiming

that he had reduced pollution by 20%, this

Additional security / security upgrades

figure was taken from a predicted mea-

Safes opened, repaired and serviced

surement taken in 2008. However, Caroline

Grilles and security gates

Lucas had already stated the true figure was

3%. Personally, I do not have any way of

Specialists in UPVC doors and windows / patio doors

actually knowing who is correct, but what I

Free estimates / no call out charge

do know is that the Mayor claims the reduc-

24hr service

tion in pollution is due to the scrapping of

older taxis!

You can find us at:

What is also very interesting is, as we are all

8-10 The Arcade, Farnham Road, Harold Hill

aware, the Mayor has stated that all new taxis

purchased from 2018 onwards will be zero

Tel: 01708 371115

emission, even though there is not even one

Call Sign December 2014

Page 5

TfL once claimed that there were more

licensed taxi drivers over the age of 60 than

Kurt and Bert Goldschmidt

there are under 30. Some called it just a sound

bite, but judging by the number of drivers look-

ing at the possibility of, or actually going ahead

The DaC Twins Retire!

and retiring, we could be heading into danger-

ous waters.

Kurt and Bert (with beard,

Having said that, the latest retirees are some-

otherwise how would we

what different - at least as far as Dial-a-Cab are

know)!

concerned - because Kurt (B80) and Bert

Goldschmidt (B80J) are the only twins on the

Kurt also made an amazing

Society’s books - or they were until mid-

discovery when telling Call

November when they announced their retire-

Sign at the time: “It’s funny,

ment and stripped out.

in 1965 I was in Israel for the

The owner of the cab was Kurt

Maccabi Games and we’ve

Goldschmidt and since 2007, his brother

since learned that our aunt

Herbert was his journeyman having previ-

was there at the same time!

ously had the call sign of C83. They both

Isn’t it spooky that we

joined in

1973 and now have retired

should both be in a small

together.

ed…and waited. Even with the USA using the

country for the same event and not know

There is one rather strange story concerning

Internet as an everyday tool for far longer than

each other? Maybe we even passed each

the twins and Call Sign. It goes back almost

the UK, nothing materialised. At least not until

other on the street!”

ten years - to June 2005 to be precise - when

the December 2004 issue of Call Sign in which

Dan Mayer contacted Driver Services at

this magazine was the only one to have total

we conducted a survey regarding drivers views

internet access to its pages and a 50 year search

on passengers smoking in their taxis. This was

DaC and told them about the article he had

long before it became illegal to do so. Fate then

seen in Call Sign. And indeed the article and

for Kurt and Bert by relatives in New Jersey

(USA) came to a successful conclusion thanks

intervened when two of the drivers inter-

the internet brought the family together and

to this magazine’s mention of the twins.

viewed were Kurt and Bert. Suddenly Dan’s

into contact.

Stateside, the twins’ cousin Dan Mayer in

internet provider went bingo!

But that was then. Now Kurt and Bert

New Jersey knew he had relatives somewhere

Bert told us at the time that he thought they

are stepping back from the rigors of dri-

in the world, but did not know where or even

had an aunt somewhere in the Americas and

ving a taxi and we wish them both a long

if they were still around. So he put their names

that she’d had children, but both he and Kurt

and happy retirement.

on the ‘net, sat back and waited…and wait-

were very young as it was some 60 years earlier.

But could it be that TfL were right…?

NOTICE OF

REMEMBRANCE

2014

A Knowledge Boy’s view

This is the Remembrance Sunday

DAC AGM

story of one of the Knowledge stu-

By now, all

dents at Dial-a-Cab driver and Call

members should

Sign contributor Tom Quigley’s (Y33)

have received an

KoL school, David Birch…

individual notice

“After seeing a request on a Knowledge forum asking

of the Dial-a-Cab

KoL boys and girls to volunteer to help out on

2014 Annual

Remembrance Sunday, I didn't hesitate and immediate-

General Meeting

ly replied to organiser Mike Hughes. I was asked to

advising that it

Marshall Euston Station and find volunteer London taxi

will be held at:

drivers who were prepared to take veterans, service men

and women, widowers and military families to Admiralty

The HAC, Armoury House, City

Arch for a free Poppy cab ride, partnered with the

Road, London EC1Y 2BQ on

Royal British Legion.

Sunday 8th February 2015 at

I’m delighted to say that 99.9% of those drivers I

11:00hrs.

asked obliged and that this year we had ten deep of dri-

The meeting this year will con-

vers on the rank who were only willing to take a poppy cab

sider an agenda including the

rather than take paid trips, which is a great testament to the trade. My fellow Knowledge

boys and girls and I opened the cab doors for these service personnel as our sign of respect

Election of Officers and any pro-

and thank you to them. I was just overwhelmed at their appreciation, considering all that

posed Rule Changes and

they and their comrades had sacrificed for us.

Propositions, all of which should

This service was provided by the Poppy cabs at all the mainline stations and the Victory

have been received at Dial-a-Cab

Ex-Services and Union Jack clubs. After the service had finished at the stations, all the vol-

House by 09:00hrs on Friday 10th

unteers congregated at Westminster Bridge for the 11th hour two minutes silence, which

is a very, very special moment. On the Bridge stood all the London cabs along with knowl-

October 2014 and in accordance

edge bikes and vintage cabs, which gave tourists the opportunity to take photos and make

with Society Rules.

a voluntary contribution to the Royal British Legion.

As a reminder, if you do not

Following their Remembrance march past the Cenotaph, those that had come in a Poppy

vote by post, then you must

cab returned to Westminster Bridge and were put into another Poppy cab to return them

attend in person. If you do nei-

back to the station or club they had come from. The day was very well organised by the

ther, you may be subject to a £50

many volunteers, especially the taxi co-ordinator Mike Hughes. It was a complete honour to

be part of this day and it again showed me the calibre of the trade I am working hard to

fine...

become part of. One day I’ll be there in my taxi as well…”

Howard Pears

David Birch, Knowledge Boy

Company Secretary

Call Sign December 2014

Page 6

Jery’s World

“I fort the merger talks were just wiv Radio Taxis. This one must be to make sure we get a present for Christmas!”

GUIDE DOGS

Over the past year, TfL has been liaising with the London mobil-

ity team of the Guide Dogs charity to understand issues faced

by passengers with guide dogs or other assistance dogs. It has

therefore come to our attention that some private hire drivers

are refusing a passenger because the passenger has a guide dog

or other assistance dog.

This notice is intended to remind all private hire drivers and operators and

taxi drivers that:

• It is an offence to refuse to take a booking or refuse carriage of a guide

dog or other assistance dog.

• All taxis and private hire vehicles must carry a guide dog and other assis-

TAXI AIR

tance dog; they must allow the dog to remain with the passenger during the

journey and cannot charge an additional fee for the dog.

• Any driver that has a valid exemption certificate from TfL on medical

CONDITIONING

grounds must carry this exemption with them at all times while working.

All makes and models

Exemption certificates are available from Transport for London and are issued only if

the driver has a specific medical condition that has been certified by a medical specialist.

serviced and repaired

Any complaint received by TfL of refusal to carry a passenger with a guide dog or

Mobile service - we

assistance dog will be investigated. Any driver or private hire operator found to be

come to you!

refusing a fare or trying to charge an additional fee for the carriage of a guide dog or

other assistance dog faces prosecution by TfL and the possible revocation of their

Call Mick Wheeler on

licence.

In addition, in the coming months TfL will also be working with the Guide Dogs

020 8715 0079

London mobility team to carry out some mystery shopping exercises.

Helen Chapman

Covering London

GM LTPH

and the Home Counties

Call Sign December 2014

Page 7

It is very sad to have to report not just the

death of a former Dial-a-Cab driver, but of a

footballing hero of his time. George

GEORGE FRANCIS

Francis, who died on 22 October at the age

George began scoring goals again - 15 in 37

of 80 following a long battle with bowel can-

cer, was undoubtedly one of Brentford’s

games, but in actual fact everything had

finest ever players and together with his

changed. Few of his old team-mates were

Brentford FC strike partner, Jim Towers,

still there and the team spirit that had helped

them so much had vanished. Then in 1962

created havoc to opponents defences;

and after scoring 124 goals in 260 games for

between them scoring an incredible 250+

goals for The Bees.

The Bees, George was transferred to

Towers was famed for his shots from out-

Gillingham and became an invaluable part of

side of the penalty area, whereas George was

the team that won the Fourth Division

Championship in

1964. Unsurprisingly,

another Jimmy Greaves, with the enviable

George scored the goal at Newport County

ability of just being in the right place at the

right time.

that won the title and clinched promotion.

A minute’s applause was held for

He ended his career with two Southern

George before the home game with

League sides Hillingdon Borough and

between the two of them!

Hastings United, where for one match he

Derby County on 1 November to mark

DaC Chairman and Queens Park

teamed up with former Tottenham Hotspur

his passing. There was also a three page

Rangers season ticket holder, Brian Rice,

legend, Bobby Smith before the ex-Spurs

write-up in the Bees Review program.

told Call Sign that he had spoken about

striker was suspended by the club for disci-

Fittingly, Brentford defeated the league

football to George on several occasions, but

plinary reasons and never returned!

leaders in front of almost 11,000 fans.

we suspect that George, being the gentle-

Once George’s playing career ended,

George made his Brentford debut in 1955.

man he always was, didn’t mention how he

he went on the Knowledge and later

Just as it seemed that The Bees were set to

almost single-handedly destroyed QPR in a

joined Dial-a-Cab. But George’s biggest

lose to Walsall in the old Division Three

league match when scoring a hat-trick in a 4

honour came in March of this year when

(South), he scored a late equaliser that made

- 2 win at Loftus Road. But QPR must have

he was deservedly inducted into the

it a double reason for George to remember

remembered that match more than perhaps

Brentford FC’s Hall of Fame (see cover

the game.

was thought at the time, because just over 12

pic).

Current Premier League high flyers

months later in a move that created sensa-

George Francis was undoubtedly a bril-

Southampton probably have memories of

tions in London’s three evening papers, QPR

liant footballer, but every bit as importantly

George Francis that they would rather forget

bid £8000 to buy both George and Jim and

to all the DaC drivers, both football and non-

because in 1956, not only did Brentford

amazingly the bid was accepted. Living near

football fans, that knew him, he was a lovely

demolish The Saints by 4 - 0, but George

Acton, the move suited George. But Rangers

man. George’s son, Lee Francis (L45), is

Francis scored all four goals! In fact, such

didn’t use George as much as he had hoped

also on Dial-a-Cab and has been since 2003.

prolific goal scorers had the “terrible twins”

and he moved back to his first love

To him and all of George’s family, we send

become that in the following season and out

Brentford.

our sincere condolences.

of the total number of goals the team scored

Nothing seemed to have changed and

Rest in peace George…

of 77, George and Jim scored 51 of them just

Call Sign December 2014

Page 8

Regular readers will know that

Bob Woodford and his partner

Inca Trail to

Steph attempted to walk Peru’s

Inca Trail to try raising the £1400

needed to sponsor a taxi taking

children with life-threatening ill-

Machu Picchu:

Part One

nesses on the WCHCD Magical

Taxi Tour to Disneyland Paris.

This is their story…

My recent trip to Peru was certainly an

experience - and the Inca Trail was defi-

nitely a challenge! But despite the fact that I

would not wish to undertake this event

again, I would recommend it to anyone that

has a sense of adventure!

It took 3 flights via Madrid and Lima to

arrive at the Inca capital, the City of Cusco,

which would be our base before and after

the Trek. It was to last

4 days with 3

overnight camping stops in the Andes

Mountains before arriving at our ultimate

goal - the magnificent lost City of Machu

Picchu.

A solid base of 10 weeks training, consist-

ing of long distance hill walking and sweaty

gym sessions, seemed ideal preparation for

the 43km Trek. But no amount of prepara-

Bob an Steph up in the Peruvian rarified atmosphere

tion can prepare you for altitude sickness,

which affects people in different ways - and

it certainly affected me!

Drinking copious amounts of the local

Coca tea on arrival in Cusco (3,400m above

sea level) seemed to do the trick - for a cou-

ple of hours at least - but a slow saunter

around the town centre found me suddenly

feeling sick just as our 14-strong ‘Global

Adventure’ group were about to enjoy

lunch.

It was nothing to do with the choice of

Guinea Pig or Alpaca on the menu - but the

shortness of breath, headache, feeling of

nausea and loss of appetite (which is never

like me) had caught up with me, meaning

that it was time to break out the Diamox

tablets (prescribed pre-Tour by the Travel

Doctor in Borough High Street).

One of the side-effects of Diamox is a

gradual lead down the slippery slope to

diarrhoea, but it seemed a risk worth tak-

Bob (rear left) and Steph (front left) raring to go - in Bob’s case straight to the loo!

ing at the time - and after an afternoon

protection, it was time to follow the River

rough-edged hailstones!

nap I felt so much better and ready for

Urubamba to begin our trekking adventure.

Phew! What a relief to make it through

the following day’s Acclimatisation Day.

The distance covered was a mere 11km -

another 11km but the longest day was to fol-

Fortunately our group had an amazing

via the archaeological site of Patallacta - to

low. But now I had a different problem -

Guide, Wilfredo Cardenas Torres (other-

our first

overnight campsite at

those side-effects from the Diamox tablets

wise known as Willow), who would not only

Wayllabamba. There were more ups hills

had led to a bout of the Eartha Kitts, which

lead the group throughout the trip, but con-

than down dales on that first day, but it did

seriously threatened my progress on the

stantly refer to the history of the Incas with

seem to most that we were taking this

forthcoming day - plus a sleepless night!

his outstanding knowledge.

trekking lark in our stride. However, there

I felt really rough at this halfway stage,

Willow took us on an 8km walk the day

were surprises in store enough the next

making regular trips to the base camp’s

before the real thing in the high ground

day…

chemical toilet and I just could not contem-

above the City

- a place known as

Sacsayhuaman (which when you pro-

plate getting back onto the Inca Trail that

Inca Trail: Day Two

nounce it, sounds like ‘sexy woman’) and all

would lead us along gushing rivers, through

This was to be a seriously challenging day

seemed well. Then after a final briefing at

ancient tunnels and over more high moun-

because we had to climb the infamous Dead

our evening meal, it was time for a good

tain passes to the Sun Gate to the sight of

Woman’s Pass to 4,200m in the impressive

night’s sleep before starting the Inca Trail the

Machu Picchu through the morning mist in 2

Cloud Forest. The ascent took nearly 7

following day.

days’ time. I was starting to feel that my

hours - and the feeling of elation of con-

trekking was over.

Inca Trail: Day One

quering the pass will stay with me forever.

Continued next month…

Following breakfast, we transferred to KM 82

It was a relief to be walking downhill in

- which is the Checkpoint where we regis-

the late afternoon, but the 3,500 crooked

You can still donate to help

tered for our permits for the Trek. Armed

steps made treacherous trekking following a

Bob and Steph at:

with sun hats, sun shades and a factor 50 sun

downpour, which included quite vicious

www.justgiving.com/robandsteph

Call Sign December 2014

Page 9

Mike Higgins not only edits New York’s Taxi Talk magazine, but also runs a chat show for cabbies on

NY’s public service MNN1 TV channel. He also writes for Call Sign about problems in the NY cab trade...

The Speed Cam $cam!

I know you London guys at Dial-a-Cab

Sounds like our

have your problems with speed cams, but

US cousins have

I've started digging to find out who is

the same prob-

cashing in on the speed cam 'scam' in New

lems as us!

York City and apparently that is the multi-

million dollar question over here...

All I know is that a fellow NYC cabbie told

me he had to call Connecticut to fight a

people to speed

bogus red light ticket and added that is where

and run red lights

the New York City 'camera' data is sent initial-

just for the money

ly and then processed for summonsing for

would they??

the red light stuff. One of the speed camera

6) Lastly, in the

'kings' are apparently out in Arizona!

words of a great

But again, who signed off on this mess

comedian... 'WHO

and where are the contracts!?!?

ARE THESE PEO-

So that begs these question(s):

PLE?' I mean, if I'm

1) IF a red light camera nails a driver at

brakes at red light locales, creating the poten-

getting a ticket from a cop, at least that cop is

09:45am, and a cop issues a ticket at

tial for rear-end collisions (ie the westbound

occasionally throwing a crackhead in jail to

09:45am, can the driver plead guilty to the

Belt Parkway exit at Ocean Parkway and their

keep the streets safe. But WHY should NY-ers

$50.00/ no DMV points camera fine (Dept of

FIVE speed / red light cameras, where you lit-

be shoveling $$$ to a group of invisible geeks

Motor Vehicles) and not have to pay the

erally have to slam on the brakes in a hairpin

who've been incentivized to punish good dri-

other, 'double jeopardy' NYPD issued, real

turn to avoid a camera ticket).

vers? I've also noticed that many people are

ticket (ditto for speed cameras)?

5) WHY aren't the cameras ALL marked

not driving into the City anymore because of

2) MANY drivers say the incentive is there

with a large warning sign on them? Usually,

that nonsense!

for the yellow light to be faster at 'trap loca-

they're just a beige box sitting on a lamp

And guess what London; we also say that

tions... and it has happened on many occa-

post. If the City truly wants to protect the

cars and not bicycles are the backbone of the

sions!!

public, put a large warning sign for speed

American economy…

3) WHY are NY-ers being policed by out of

zones / stop zones on the cameras - and even

See ya soon…

state, private firms? What the hell is that all

1,000 feet before the camera zone (like they

Michael Higgins

about??

were forced to do in Nassau County).

4) MANY drivers are slamming on the

I mean, gee whiz; they wouldn't want

New York City

Uber more

expensive than

Taxis in London

ccording to a Rob Gill article in the UK's leading

online and printed publication for travel and buyers,

Buying Business Travel, London is the fifth most

expensive city to travel around according to research

carried out by online transport platform Go Euro.

The company ranked sixty of the world’s major cities based on

the cost of their urban transit options including public transport,

Taxis and peer-to-peer platform Uber.

London’s average cost for a single journey public trans-

port ticket was £4.68 while a 10-kilometre taxi ride cost

£17.91. However, a similar length journey using Uber

came to £20.78.

Only Stockholm, Zurich, Gothenburg and Rotterdam were

more expensive for similar journeys. Manchester ranked as the

18th most expensive for urban transit with the average public

transport costing £2.58 per ride, while taxi and Uber journeys

were similar at £12.94 and £12.61 respectively.

So why does everyone think that Uber is cheaper than taxis?

Good marketing perhaps? If you keep telling people that one is

cheaper, they will eventually believe it…

Our thanks to Rob Gill…

Call Sign December 2014

Page 10

COMPLAINTS MEETING

RESULTS

A complaints meeting took place at Dial-a-Cab

House on Monday 3 November 2014. These are

the results...

Name:

Rules broken

Jetmir Rama (T17)

2, 11

Description of complaint:

Driver was in SW11 near St Johns Hill (GPS) when messages went out regarding a trip from Heathrow Airport to

Birmingham. The driver immediately put his meter on and ‘soon to cleared’ into W50C, which is a back-up zone to WW00.

The driver was then offered and accepted the trip and then offered a delay of 45 minutes. Heathrow Airport is a physical

zone and you must be within the Perimeter Road or the Feeder Park to book-in. Many warnings have been given in Call

Sign and via the terminal…

Verdict:

Rule 2: One week suspension

Rule 11: Two weeks suspension (reduced to one week on Appeal)

Name:

Rules broken

John Davis (V41)

7, 9

Description of complaint:

Driver cleared a Fixed Priced staff trip before reaching the final destination. Driver has been warned about this practice on numerous occa-

sions…

Verdict:

Committee decided no complaint to answer due to incorrect Procedure Rule submitted…

London’s electric car charging infrastructure…

HACKNEY ROAD TAXI TYRES

BREAKING DOWN???

We have to

FOR THE BLACK CAB TAXI TRADE

get electric

taxis - but

where will

• Austones for the TX

we charge

• Barums for the Vito

them???

• Michelin and Continental

also supplied

At a time when TfL are pushing their ULEZ Consultation, an interesting

article by Julian Rendell appeared in the Daily Telegraph regarding

•

4-wheel laser tracking

London’s network of electric vehicle charging points. It claimed there

was confusion over who has responsibility in London for electric car

for the Mercedes Vito

charger maintenance, with the result that the network is breaking

down.

• Puncture repairs

The article claimed that many charging points are currently not work-

ing and that there was little prospect of them being repaired anytime

soon - even though the network was sold off last month for £1million

• Also free tyre checks

and the new owners, French company IER, were said to have ambitious

expansion plans. In fact, in some areas the number of broken points

outnumbers those actually working!

Find us downstairs the

At the time of Julian Rendell’s article, south of the Thames

between Southwark and London Bridge saw 10 of 12 chargers

DaC Credit Union at

out of action, while all eight chargers around the Barbican were

The Peterley Business Centre,

unserviceable. Camden added that just 70 percent of its charging

points work at any one time.

472 Hackney Road, E2

These problems with chargers mean electric car owners are finding it

difficult to get around. It also seems that TfL can get little right - and

these are the people we pay to look after us!

0207 729 5237

Call Sign December 2014

Page 12

The MyFav Website - Win £100!

You may have seen that the What’s On, Useful

Information Documents and other useful taxi

related websites are all accessed from the

www.myfav.co.uk website, which is regular-

ly mentioned on page 2 of Call Sign. Well

this website has an awful lot more to offer. It

was designed to be “Your Ideal Home

Page”.

Google is the majority of PC and Mac users

Home Page. This is great for specific search-

es, but for your everyday regulars like

Mailbox, eBay, Amazon, TV guide, lottery

results, weather and directory enquiries etc,

the MyFav website makes it so much easier

and has lots more. The default page has a

genuine Google search box, the font size is

the same as Google’s but is surrounded by

everything you could ever need.

There are currently 7 other search engines

(Bing, Yahoo, Ask etc) search bars available

with just one click. Below the Google search

bar is a retailer search bar. The default being

Amazon, but currently 24 other retailers search

codes, exchange rate converter, maps, etc.

mission to your account when ordered

bars are also available, again, with just one click.

The other major advantage of joining is

through the MyFav site!

Below the retailer search bar is what is

that your customised MyFav page is

For a time and to enable you to see how

called the Iconic Grid, usually up to 72 icons

stored online, so it’s available from any

the page looks customised, we are changing

or tiles as they often known. Just click on the

internet connected computer in the

the usual defaults being different on almost

icon to load that webpage in a new tab, so

world, very useful when on holiday using

every visit you make, to see how the page can

that the MyFav page remains loaded for fur-

an internet café.

be customised. Very soon you will be saying:

ther use.

Not only is it free, your personal informa-

“This is MyFavourite website” and

The default icons are the most commonly

tion is kept secure and not passed on to third

“MyFavourite Home page.”

accessed websites. To the right is a list of

parties.

Go try it now!

other categories and with just a single click

And very importantly, you can actually

Then make it your “Home Page”

on the link, a new grid of icons appears. On

gain financially. First we offer a £100 per

it’s own it’s useful, but if you become a

month prize just for recommending

www.myfav.co.uk or

MyFav member by clicking the “Join” button,

MyFav (see site for T&C’s) and coming

www.myfav.com

you can customise your page with your own

soon and unique to MyFav, purchases

www.myfav.uk

regularly used bookmarks, post-it style notes

from selected retailers will accrue a com-

Alan Nash (A95)

and gadgets such as clocks, weather, dialling

KPM and Mercedes

ollowing last month’s news that Peter DaCosta had re-emerged

from retirement to purchase the remains of the old KPM from

Administration and re-launch it as a new company, a number of

Dial-a-Cab drivers asked Call Sign if we knew when Mercedes

had stopped providing the old KPM with Vitos, as they did not want

to feel that their order - complete with deposit - may have been

accepted after Mercedes had stopped the flow of vehicles.

So we asked Caroline Pidgeon at the London Assembly, who in

turn asked Transport for London. This is the response - including

something of a surprise at the end…

“In September this year, Mercedes Benz UK informed TfL of the with-

drawal of its dealership franchise from the KPM Mercedes Vito Taxi London dealership. However,

MBUK have also confirmed that after sales support and warranty repairs for the existing Vito Taxis will continue to be carried out at

MBUK dealerships and we are aware that MBUK are liaising with taxi driver associations in London to offer support at this time. MBUK

have also provided additional contact details to TfL to ensure taxi drivers and owners of this vehicle can obtain further information if

required. As such, TfL is satisfied that the level of support provided to London Vito taxi owner/drivers by MBUK will enable them to

continue operating with confidence.

“There are currently five vehicle manufacturers who have advised TfL of their intention to develop and manufacture

new taxis for sale and operation in the London taxi market. The majority of proposed vehicle designs and production

plans are now at an advanced stage and TfL is working closely with manufacturers to assist, wherever possible, in the

launch of these vehicles into the taxi market.”

Esther Johnson

Correspondence Officer at the MD's Office

Call Sign December 2014

Page 13

Hello Ladies & Gents

This year is coming to an end with Christmas

Operations Manager Report

fast approaching and a New Year soon to begin.

And it has certainly been nothing less than an

…and chat from the Control Centre

interesting 2014! Our trade as a whole is being

attacked from all sides; to say that our com-

Pre-allocation of trips is what James is asking

petitors are offering reduced pricing is an

despatchers to do, something which in my

understatement and for the Board of

honest opinion I believe to be against the spir-

Management to offer you a fair rate for your

it of the circuit. I can understand that some-

expertise is becoming increasingly difficult.

times it can be frustrating to travel into town

The market place has changed out of all

and then see a trip that is uncovered or in the

recognition and the fare structure seems to be

Bids in or near an area that you have driven in

moving further and further away from the

from, but zonal despatch assigns all trips 100

meter, with some of our competition offering

per cent fairly and equally, be it a pre-booking

free rides and gifts as a way to disrupt the

or an ASAP journey. The lead-in times are var-

Licensed taxi business.

ied and can be adjusted depending on the area

and all members have an equal chance of a trip

into central London or out of town if there are

Coverage (again)!

trips available, irrespective of their sign-on

Our coverage during the busy morning periods

times. The Control Centre try their utmost to

remains a cause for concern and although I

give prior warning messages on certain prob-

have frequently mentioned this in many previ-

lem trips, they will unmask journeys and in

ous articles, it is important that you know that

addition give street names for the actual pick-

lucrative trips are being scrubbed, in many

ups to help all members, with absolutely no

cases without even offering the clients a time -

card trip is now almost £27, so it is certainly

favouritism to anyone on the fleet and this

which seems senseless. I have constantly

not to be sneezed at.

should never change. Experience tells me that

instructed despatchers to help you out as

this is the fairest way to allocate trips, there will

much as possible and I am asking you once

Promoting DaC

never be a perfect dispatch system for every-

again to please help them to help you, espe-

To further promote our services and in partic-

one, but as long as we are all equal and free of

cially in the busy build-up to Christmas.

ular the credit card and account app, re-

any bias, in the main it still works. Lots of

designed to run in conjunction with the

things could happen in a few hours and again

Credit Card fraud:

Supersides we have a large supply of hand-out

this is another obstacle that could arise; either

New procedures…

cards and rear seat adverts available from DaC

the driver waits for a lengthy period and then

House and RomanWay. Please pop in to either

he or she is scrubbed or conversely the mem-

Over the last month or two, we have encoun-

location and pick up a set. The adverts are

ber may not be able to carry out the journey

tered a number of fraudulent on-line transac-

available in both TX and Vito format and do

that they have been given because in those two

tions. Unsurprisingly perhaps, it seems always

help to generate additional work.

or three hours after it was allocated, something

to be on longer journeys when picking up from

important turns up. The Board are always

the more obscure locations. We have had some

happy to consider new ideas (see above piece

success in catching one or two of the guilty par-

Mailshot answer

on Credit Card bookings), but I do believe that

ties, no more so than when Fox 39 contacted

James Griffin

(T97) wrote in this issue’s

on this occasion the membership would con-

me regarding a trip he thought was not as it

Mailshot: Ref morning coverage problems, has

sider pre-allocation to be unfair.

should be. He managed to hold his nerve for

any thought been given to a facility to accept a

quite a while until the police finally appeared

booked job a few hours before the booking time

Lastly, can I wish you and your families a

ie if I know I've got a job from near home at

very happy festive period… and be very lucky!

at the scene to arrest the three chaps in the

back of his taxi. The 40 minutes we spent on

7.45am, I will adjust my start time to then rather

Allan Evans

the phone to each other and the police must

than drive in empty only to see a ‘please cover

DaC Control Centre and

have seemed a long time to him, especially

SW19 job or account in danger’ messages once

Operations Manager

when the three guys were becoming more and

I'm in town.

more agitated; but on this occasion we were

successful, they were charged and are due to

appear in court very soon.

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

Credit Card bookings

From early December, Credit Card

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

Bookings (CCB) through the system will

variable bank interest rates?

appear on your terminals as normal

Well wonder no more! If you are a subscriber, journeyman or

account journeys. This not only means the

member of staff at Dial-a-Cab, then you qualify to join the

destinations will be shown throughout the

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union. Any member of your family residing

day (other than between 7am and 10am

at your address also qualifies for membership!

Mon - Fri when they will be As Directed in

the normal way), but that the passenger

Then if you are over 18, have been a member of the Credit Union for

will no longer have to produce their credit

over 3 months and have established regular savings, you can borrow

card.

up to 3 times your total savings…

Credit Card trips via street hails will still

operate as they do now; that is at the end

The cost?

Just 1% per month on the outstanding balance (or APR of 12.7%).

of the trip the card is put into the PED and

Loans can be paid back early AND there can be an annual dividend on your shares.

the pin number is entered.

If you are scrubbed, you will now retain your

The question is: Can you afford NOT to be in it…?

original queue position in exactly the same way

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

as a normal account ride. The trips will be

shown as CCB and although a normal run-in is

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

mentioned as part of the terms and conditions,

Member’s funds protected up to limit set by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme

the run-ins will be totally discretionary. I hope

DaC Credit Union Ltd, Peterley Business Centre, 472 Hackney Rd E2 9EQ

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

that these changes will not only assist you, but

Registration number 213263

also help with coverage. The average credit

Call Sign December 2014

Page 14

There seems to be fashions in

Another true story from Geoff Levene

lost property. When I started as

a cab driver, it seemed to be

LOSING IT ALL...

umbrellas and gloves. The police

were sometimes less than keen

but Stanley was brilliant and we made it.

to do the necessary paperwork

There was about £170 on the clock and I gave

him £200. He didn’t want to take it but I per-

when you turned up at the

suaded him and put it down to experience. It

Police Station - remember those

was a lesson and it certainly wouldn't happen

places? So a friend of mine once

again.

handed in one glove…just to

So this year we decided to return to the

wind them up!

Hotel Spanakopita on our favourite Greek

These days you have to explain to the

island of Soutsoukakia. At Keftedes

PCSO or SPCO or HMSO - you know, that guy

Airport, the travel rep escorted us to the

behind the counter, how to fill out the forms!

minibus and off we went. We were the last to

Then came the File-o-Fax; in reality it was

be dropped off and as the bus drove away, I

a glorified diary, but people packed so much

felt something was missing. It was my hand

vital information into them that losing one

luggage that I’d left on the floor of the bus! I

meant your life was apparently ruined!

found myself doing what I'd seen people do

And then came the mobile phone and it

at stations and airports - waving frantically

Luton. It's only about 40 minutes away, so we

all went mad. How many of us have never

and hoping the driver would see me. Some

take a cab and I pay the going rate. If we have

found one lying on the back seat or been

hopes! There was a thud as the good lady

to go from Stanstead or Gatwick, I man-up

alerted to the ringing when the owner

wife’s jaw hit the ground.

and drive.

phoned the number to retrieve it. These days

We soon established that the driver had

So one year, a few days after Christmas,

an iPhone can be traced via a computer. A

found the bag, but had to return to the air-

Stanley turned up at 5.30am to take us en-

colleague of mine once answered a knock on

port. I asked Fortis, the owner's son, to get

route to Tenerife. Snow was forecast, but it

his front door. The man standing there said:

me a cab. But he said he would take me

was dry as we made our way up the M1

“I think you might have my phone!” They

because I might have to wait a long time.

amongst the trucks and coaches. But as we

looked in the back of the cab and there it was

Obviously “airport wait and return” didn't

left the motorway and approached the first

- amazing or what!

create the same excitement as it would on a

roundabout, I looked around the cab and

And now people are even losing lap-

Dial-a-Cab trip! There followed a hair-raising

couldn't see my hand luggage. That was

tops. It seems surprising they can mislay

25 minute drive. I hoped I wasn't looking as

because it was sitting on a chair in our living

fairly large and valuable items like that.

scared as I felt!

room!

Of course this kind of thing would never

The bag was at the Olympic Airways

“Stanley,” I called out, “we have to go

happen to streetwise guys like us, would

building - which I discovered was a wooden

back.” Not quite Houston we have a problem,

it? Well would it…?

hut! Then back we went to the hotel, but

but a bit closer to home.

When we go on holiday, we like to fly from

Fortis wouldn't take a cent. A real gent - what-

By now the snow was falling in big clumps,

ever that is in Greek.

So the moral is: Don't think it won't hap-

Watch out at

pen to you. It just might…

Geoff Levene (W32)

Ropemaker Street

Call Sign Online

Go down Ropemaker Street in

the City at any time of day or

Immaculate White

evening and you will find taxis

parked. Most are either waiting

Cab Available for

for their passengers, or to be

offered a radio trip. Call Sign

Weddings

had heard of very few drivers

being sent Penalty Charge

Notices for waiting. Wardens

often pop by but we’re not even

sure if there are warning signs

informing drivers that there are

also CCTV cameras about.

But at least one driver, Gerry

Tobin (L32), has now received

a City of London PCN for

being parked in a restricted street

where waiting restrictions are in force via a CCTV camera - ie

Ropemaker Street. The fine is for £130 (or £65 if paid within 21 days).

The photo sent to Gerry with the PCN (taken opposite 28 Ropemaker Street) and

timed at 22.37, clearly shows the wheels of Gerry’s cab parked by a double yellow line,

Female driver

but we saw no warning signs suggesting that cameras were watching. However, the

10% reduction for Dial-a-Cab drivers

cameras are there so we can assume that the City of London Corporation are no

Contact Debbie (W18) on

longer going to bother with warning signage and together with their 20mph speed

limit, are obviously going all out to increase their kitty.

07956 317040

So watch out at Ropemaker Street…

Call Sign December 2014

Page 15

Call Sign could fill many pages with photos

sent in by drivers giving examples of how the

licensed taxi trade is being brushed aside by

Transport for London in a way that the old

MUGS?

Public Carriage Office never did. The ques-

tion we are constantly asked is whether we’re

being taken for mugs?

It is undoubtedly true that we had more

than our share of problems with the PCO, but

compared to the way we are treated by Mayor

of London Boris Johnson and his team, it

was kid’s stuff!

So we are going to publish two of the many

photos that have arrived here recently and

see whether we get any response. We some-

how doubt it.

Pic one shows an advert designed to fit on

the rear of a pedicab and apparently with the

Mayor’s blessing as it displays the official TfL

/ Mayoral logo.

Pic two shows a minicab with its PH

roundel correctly displayed, but also with a

sign suggesting that the vehicle was pur-

chased from Birmingham’s Taxi Warehouse -

but only the word readable is Taxi and we

know what impression that gives to the man

or woman in the street. The question is what

impression it gives to Boris and co.

Jamie Corum

Call Sign Online

Drive (London Taxis) like

an Egyptian…

tourists as they provide a unique, secure,

ot on the heels of an order for

peaceful, comfortable, air-conditioned

another 500 TX4s into

environment - a safe haven contrasting

Azerbaijan, the London Taxi

with the heat, hustle and bustle of the city

Company is pleased to announce that it

traffic and hot climate. The TX4 is an excel-

will supply a further 60 black TX4s into

lent alternative for metered, chauffeur-dri-

Egypt before the end of 2014.

ven transport and sits very well within our

The London Taxi Company’s newly

retail portfolio, which includes Chrysler and

appointed Director of International Sales,

Jeep vehicles.”

Stephen Copley, sealed the deal with

existing Egyptian franchise partner,

Mohamed Abou Ghaly, of the Cairo-

based Abou Ghaly Motors, following

the successful implementation of the first

65 vehicles.

Commenting on the new order,

Stephen said: “Mohamed is an excellent

operator who has leveraged every benefit

of our Black Cab, from its safety for dri-

vers and passengers alike to the fantastic

iconic shape, recognisable the world over.

As well as running a highly popular

London Taxi fleet, Mohamed ensures that

standards remain high by running his

Another sale for the LTC

own driver training academy. He invites

passengers to rate their experience in the

cabs via his Facebook site, using the feedback received to continuously improve ser-

vice. We are both confident that the addition of these new vehicles will further

strengthen the reputation of his fleet and the London Taxi as a viable, profitable fran-

chise business proposition.”

The automatic transmission Egyptian TX4s, which are available for hire in both

Cairo and Sharm-el-Sheikh, are all fitted with passenger plasma televisions screens,

which provide relevant location based advertising information as well as an additional

revenue stream for Abou Ghaly Motors.

Commenting on his London Taxi fleet, Mohamed said: “We are very pleased with

the success of the London Taxis; they have been embraced by both residents and

Call Sign December 2014

Page 16

As promised in last month’s Call Sign, these are the questions regarding candi-

dates for the 2014 DaC AGM elections that were received. Answers will be in the

next issue. No more can now be taken. Comments are in the Mailshot pages…

DAC ELECTIONS: QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

From Alex Constantinou

is not the time to change Chairman, with so

cover account work and could he please

much experience vital in getting us the best

explain his concept of dealing with our ene-

(N05) (For Garry White)

deal. All credit to Garry for standing, but

mies?

Regarding the forthcoming elections, I would

please get a few more years on the Board

like to ask two questions of DaC Compliance

first. I would like to offer an example…

From Colin Jenkins (Y22)

Officer Garry White. In 2008, together with

around ten other DaC drivers, I was put on

I was recently on a Complaints committee,

(For Pat Graves, Michael

my one and only complaint by then-

something that I would not usually comment

Parkins, Javid Raja and

Compliance Officer Allan Evans for booking

on, but with elections coming up I feel I have

into what was then the E140 zone

no choice but to at least put this into the pub-

Garry White)

(Docklands within the security boundaries). I

lic domain.

Pat Graves: How many AGMs have you

was at the traffic lights at the eastern end of

The information supplied by the

attended?

the Limehouse Link and within just a minute

Compliance Officer (Garry White) was sub-

Michael Parkins: How many AGMs have you

or two of reaching the entrance. I felt rather

standard and nowhere near what was expect-

attended?

miffed at the time, but on the plus side I have

ed. Considering that Garry wants to be

Javid Raja: How many AGMs have you

never done it again and realise that there

Chairman, the Complaints committee as a

attended?

have to be some rules that we abide by so as

whole were very disturbed to find that he

Javid Raja: How long you been a cab dri-

to make our system as fair as possible.

seemed unable to print or read a logger -

ver? How long have you had the business and

So my question to Garry is this: I’m not

often a vital part of a complaint. As a result,

financial acumen to destroy minicabs? Why

sure how long you have been running the

the information provided was totally inade-

have you not shared this information with the

Complaints department, but I’d guess it must

quate and the complaint fell apart without

trade before? Who is it you intend carpet

be close to a year if not longer, yet I can only

even being looking at. The other complaint

bombing as per your CV?

remember reading complaints results just

of the two also had no information and it was

Garry White: Can you be honest with the

once compared to the regular ones we had

purely the driver holding his hands up that

membership and explain your reasons for

when Allan Evans was in charge.

meant a ‘guilty’ verdict was arrived at.

standing against Brian Rice as alluded to by

Or do we no longer have any drivers that

I don’t know how long he has been our

Keith Cain in his Call Sign article?

break any rules?

The second question is regarding tenders

Compliance Officer, but it is some consider-

that you say are done in the “same old way.”

able time. However, his performance on that

From James Griffin (T97)

I have never filled in - or even seen - a tender,

day was nowhere near what was needed just

(For all candidates)

but I always believed that they were a direct

for that job, let alone running the company.

The CVs of candidates understandably refer-

answer to questions. How can you fill one in

ence past achievements, it's what CVs usually

differently?

From Jaweid Iqbal (D65)

do. But short of saying things like you have

(For Javid Raja)

some ideas, “so please elect me,” there does

From Martin Freeborn (C67)

Why is BoM candidate Javid Raja (N72)

not seem to be a plan. Can all the candidates

(For Garry White)

against the merger? What does he plan to do

for the Board elections give us their top two

Re the BoM election, personally I think now

with subs, which he calls a dis-incentive to

ideas to improve DaC?

ALFIE HIZER: SPURS MASCOT!

Long-time Dial-a-Cab driver Martin Hizer (M47) has for even

onger than being here, been a supporter of Tottenham

otspur. Hoping that one day Spurs will actually win some-

hing, Martin has persuaded his 7-year old son Alfie to fol-

ow in his footsteps!

Before the recent home game

against Stoke City, Alfie took his

Call Sign

place as a team mascot. The photo

December 2014

shows him standing in front of

Editor: Alan Fisher

Ryan Mason, a genuine home-

Address: 39 - 47 East Rd, London N1 6AH

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

grown talent and Spurs man that

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

cares about the club rather than

Website:-www.dac-callsign.co.uk

one of the team’s foreign merce-

Printers: Premier Print Group

naries, who seem to care more

25 - 31 Violet Rd, London E3

Design: Aldan Publications

about the money!

Tel: 07958 300 428

Tottenham lost the game 2 - 1

Email: deborahfresco@gmail.com

but Alfie loved the day and step-

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

ping out in front of 36,000 cheer-

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

ing fans…

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign December 2014

Page 17

I advised you in the last issue of Call Sign

that we had opened a small number of

accounts with no gratuity and were in the

DAC SALES REPORT

process of marking these accounts with the

‘N’ attribute. The update to this is that we

With Keith Cain

have received the file that will add the ‘N’ to

everyone’s attribute list and as soon as this is

and trying to meet with as many existing and

done, drivers will only need to contact Driver

prospective clients as we can. I have to say

Services if they do NOT wish to be offered

that service is starting to become more preva-

these types of trips and to have the attribute

lent in our conversations. It does seem that

removed from their list.

promises that were offered by competitors

With the busy period being upon us, the

over the past year or so are not always being

above implementation has been held back

delivered, however, costs are still very high

until early on in January. That is because

on the agenda and questions are still being

there are very few accounts this applies to

asked of us about how much or how low in

and installing the attribute will mean taking

price we are prepared to go.

the despatch system down and restarting it.

We all know the meter is the killer blow to

Experience tell us that the last thing we want

the taxi market, but I am offering a much sim-

to happen is to bring the system down during

plified administration charge which, when

a busy period and then find that it does not

combined with journey costs, is allowing us

come back up!

to compete more.

It may seem that we are being over cau-

Finally, I would like to take this oppor-

tious, but as with the temperamental

tunity to wish everyone a very Happy

nature that many despatch systems can

Christmas and prosperous New Year.

sometimes have, it isn’t a good idea to

fact it's very robust and functioning very

tempt fate heading into one of the year’s

well - it's just me suggesting that it can

Keith Cain

busiest times. I’m not saying there is any-

wait till after Christmas to do it!

thing wrong with the despatch system - in

We have been very active in Sales recently

DaC Head of Sales

DON’T BE LIMITED BY AGE!

As news of a possible reduction in the age limit for hackney carriage vehicles emerges from the Mayor’s

Office, The London Taxi Company offers the trade a worry-free way to buy their next new vehicle.

As the last Fairway leaves the roads of

* 12 month’s road tax

London following the initial 15 year age

* 12 months’ RAC cover

limit restrictions laid out in the Mayor’s

Air Quality Strategy, the trade had the

In four years’ time, choose to:

news that TfL have announced a consul-

* Buy your TX4 for a Guaranteed

tation to review whether the age limit

Residual Value of £14,450

should be reduced by a further 5 years

to 10, as officials strive to meet strict

* Use your vehicle to part-exchange

European air quality limits by 2020.

against a new LTC vehicle

This news, coupled with other uncer-

* Hand back the keys and simply

tainties both within the taxi trade and

walk away

the wider economy, mean that the deci-

sion to simply invest thousands of

TX4 has market leading residual values of more than 60% on average, so now is the per-

pounds in a new vehicle is made all that

fect time to talk to the LTC team about releasing the capital in your current vehicle. For

more difficult.

example, LTC are paying approximately £3,000 more for three to four year old vehicles

That’s exactly why The London Taxi

than in 2012.

Company has continued to offer a vari-

For more information, contact The London Taxi Company’s Customer

ety of options for drivers looking to

Relationship team on 0207 700 0888 or email london@london-taxis.co.uk.

update their vehicle. Drivers can buy

their new TX4 for £37,995 outright with

either cash or via HP (available for up to

five years), or they can take advantage

of the Black Cab manufacturer’s most

popular current deal and have the

option to simply walk away in 4 years.

Here’s how the deal works:

Buy a new TX4 Elegance from £139

per week with a £2,995 deposit and

get:

* A 4 year, 120,000 mile vehicle

warranty which you can extend at

point of purchase up to 180,000

miles with a one-off payment

* An unlimited mileage core engine

warranty

Call Sign December 2014

Page 18

t is not often a father can brag that his

As a DaC driver sees his son’s debut novel published, Joe Connor

child is a published author, but Dial-a-

proudly talks of…

Cab’s Joe Connor (N64) can say exactly

that (see cover pic).

“It was a complete shock,” Joe told Call

Sign “when Ross told his mother and me of

My son the author!

his chosen career path. But we’re mightily

proud of him and his new book, which will

be published on the 28th November

come into fruition.

is a Spanish knight who sets out on an epic

2014. Published by Top Hat Books, an

“All the research

adventure that incorporates most of medieval

imprint of John Hunt Publishing,

and hard work that

Europe, with the inclusion of many notable

Mercenary is a work of historical fic-

went in to the

figures such as Henry VII,

‘the great’

tion. Though unlikely to topple the likes

book are finally

General Cordoba and the Borgias. Long lost

of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden

paying off. I really

battles are also explored, including the

in terms of book sale numbers at this

hope he makes a

Battle of Flodden, which last year celebrated

early stage, it is being sold by giants of the

name for him-

its

500th birthday, while reference is also

industry Waterstones in the UK and

self.”

made to the likes of Richard III whose

Barnes & Noble in the US.

Mercenary,

remains were unearthed last year in a

Joe went on to explain that Ross had

the first in a

Leicester car park.

been studying Sport Science at St. Mary’s

p r o p o s e d

If Historical Fiction is your thing,

University in Twickenham, when quite out

series, is set in

Mercenary is available to pre-order in paper-

of the blue he told him of his decision to

the aftermath

back on Amazon UK, with the eBook version

leave.

of the Wars of

available to purchase from the 28th. If you

“Within 4 months, he had decided to

the Roses,

wish to find out more about the book, please

leave and enrol at Southampton Solent

during

the

visit its page on Goodreads or to find out

University, where he would study Writing

early

16th

more about the author himself, please search

Contemporary Fiction. I guess he chose

century. The

for R.J. Connor on Facebook or Twitter.

right.”

protagonist,

Mercenary is published by Top Hat

Five years down the line, a degree and

R i c h a r d

Books on 28 November…

120,000 words later and Ross’ book has finally

Longsword,

NOT THE TOWER OF LONDON AGAIN!

Try the Radar Tower!

No Dial-a-Cab driver will be surprised to hear that the UK’s most

popular sites are located in London. Even less surprising are what

those sites are: 2013 figures show that the UK’s most visited

attraction was the Tower of London (2.9 million visitors), fol-

lowed by St Pauls Cathedral (2.1 million) and Westminster

Abbey with 1.8 million visitors going through its doors.

But there is another end to that league table - the least visited -

with the worst tourist attraction being the Radar Tower in

Harwich. That saw just six visitors in 2013 - although 2014 could

see an improvement as five have already gone there with three

months to go! And it isn’t as though it has no history, because it

was built in 1941 and used by the Royal Navy to detect German 'E'

boats within 15 miles of the approaches to Harwich Harbour dur-

ing WW2. Yet, sadly there is no interest.

Then there is the British in India museum in Nelson, Lancs,

where you can see a variety of swords, kukris and commemorative

boxes, not to mention a large collection of Indian regimental neck-

ties as well as lots of other stuff. That had almost a dozen times

more visitors that the Radar Tower... with 70 visitors!

At the National Trust’s Long Crendon Courthouse in Aylesbury,

you can enjoy the venue for their annual manorial court where

those responsible for horrendous crimes such as selling bad fish or

brewing beer without a licence found out their fate some 400

years ago. 153 visitors wanted to know more in 2013.

So far as free entry attractions are concerned, top of the pile was

the British Museum with 6.7 million visitors followed by the

Keith Reading

National Gallery, the Natural History Museum and the Tate

Modern.

Professional Toastmaster

Outside of the capital, the most popular attractions in 2013 were

Master of Ceremonies

the beautiful Durham Cathedral, York’s National Railway

Museum and the Museum of Liverpool - no doubt with the help

Tele: 01279 465 938

of a certain pop group!

Chief Executive of VisitEngland, James Berresford said following

Mobile: 07774 860 374

release of the report: “Attractions in England are core to England's

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

tourism offer and we are fortunate to have such a wonderful and

wide variety of indoor and outdoor attractions to suit all visitors,

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

from the rich history and heritage and local relevance associated

with smaller, sometimes ancient sites, to the international appeal of

Fellow of the Guild of

our stately homes, castles and places of worship.”

Professional Toastmasters

Anyone fancy a trip to Harwich...!

Call Sign December 2014

Page 19

aC driver Sean Farrell (B39) looks at trade history from a different angle

Brethren of the Whip

for the four wheel hackney coaches and anoth-

Carter the

er for the two wheel cabs (in 1846 it was

informer…

reported that the stand in Palace Yard could

Ever wondered how

hold 200 cabs). Many of the coaches were

the law was enforced

empty, the drivers were in the King’s Arms

before

the

Tavern. Seeing rich pickings with the unat-

Metropolitan Police

tended coaches, Carter began recording the

were formed, before

plate numbers for a future prosecution. Driver

traffic

wardens

Charles Ashton seeing what was happening,

prowled the streets

rushed into the King’s Arms and shouted out

and definitely before

“informers, informers.” As a mass, the hackney

CCTV cameras! The

men left their beer and entered the street. They

bain of the working hackney man in the 19th

were in no mood for appeasement. Carter’s

century was the ‘informer’. But they were not

understudy, Felstead, was attacked by the mob

a nineteenth century invention; the Act of 1662

using bludgeons and heavy sticks. Where these

states that informers would be rewarded for

weapons came from is not mentioned, but cab-

assisting in bringing successful prosecutions

men would often wield their heavy bronze

against coach proprietors. Ironically, the

badge at the end of its leather strap and this

informers came into their forte in the years fol-

was sometimes mistaken for a stick. Carter’s

lowing the foundation of the Metropolitan

wounds were much more serious, someone

Police, giving the hackney coachman an adver-

had used a knife to his face, cutting his chin

The Cabman is surrounded!

sary on two fronts.

“very near to the bone.”

defence, Edsell said he was not in the Kings

Informing was a veritable industry, with the

The most serious charge resulting from the

Arms but was on the point of the rank - if he

most successful informers having offices and

affray was against Thomas Edsell. He was

had been then surely Carter would have got

employing clerks! They were educated people

charged with maliciously and feloniously

who tended to direct their attention to a few

into his coach to go home. Fortunately for

assaulting Carter and if convicted, could face

Edsell, this contradiction was not raised and

specific trades, publicans, carmen (the white

transportation for life. The only evidence

van man of the time) and hackney coaches.

the jury found him not guilty of all the charges.

against Edsell was that he held a grudge against

Their modus operandi was to find something

Informing, as Mr Pickwick found out, could

Carter who had brought an information against

at fault; an illegible plate was a common com-

be injurious to one’s health…

him previously, and that he was wearing

plaint. They would study certain Acts of

Carter’s hat. In the affray, Carter had lost his hat

Sean Farrell

Parliament, particularly new ones where dri-

and picked up Edsell’s and vice versa. In his

vers etc were not aware of the changes. If the

Call Sign Online

law stated the plate number should be black on

a white background, then an informer would

jump at the chance of bringing an ‘information’

against the owner of a plate if it was white let-

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

tering on a black background.

They made their money by receiving a moi-

376 Strand, WC2

ety, their half of the fine that was inflicted on

the person found guilty. They never hesitated

to inform the magistrate of the maximum fine

We Invite Dial-a-Cab drivers and their guests to our

available, but usually the magistrate - who

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

often had little time for informers - would pass

a mitigated fine, much to the chagrin of the

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

informer. Besides the moiety, they could also

and go over the years, we are happy to be able to

claim expenses, the 2 shillings (10p) for bring-

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

ing the summons, the charges in bringing wit-

nesses and for their own time in attending

court. It was often an expensive process for the

We are certain that you will be delighted

hackney coachman if there was an information

against him. Many drivers often accused the

informers of taking bribes from drivers in order

not to make claims against them.

In 1833, Charles Dickens has his epony-

mous reporter, Samuel Pickwick, ask a

hackney coachman for details of his

employment and his horse. The coachman,

convinced that Pickwick was an informer,

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

stopped his coach and wanted to fight him!

Such scenes were not unheard off and

Salieri Restaurant

Dickens may have based it on fact.

376 Strand, WC2

In January 1839, Carter the Informer want-

ed a cab to take him from Palace Yard to his

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

home in Paradise Street, Lambeth. There

were two ranks in Palace Yard at the time, one

Call Sign December 2014

Page 20

-A report in the Evening

Standard claimed that comedy

DAC DRIVER’S

agent and producer for

Objective Talent Management,

Corrie McGuire, had been

attacked by masked activists

CAB KICKED

during the anti-capitalist Million

Mask March protest organised

…as marchers try to pull passenger out!

by the group called Anonymous.

A masked attacker caught

She was said to have had “the

on camera confronting Peter

wrong accent.”

while others are kicking the

She told the paper she had been appalled

cab in an attempt to pull

to see hundreds of masked people being very

out the passenger!

violent. That was just one of several reports

claiming of attacks by masked demonstrators,

back to work as part of the life of

but many suspected - including Call Sign

a London taxi driver in 2014.

after listening to plaintiff demonstrator’s

Our only question is this?

cries of innocence and police “brutality” from

Should those demonstrating in

demonstrators - that some were making up

London be allowed to wear

the stories. Most of the protesters were wear-

masks to keep their identities

ing masks, which apparently became a sym-

concealed? Our answer must be

bol of civil disobedience following the

fairly obvious…

the cab to find several dents and scratch-

movie, V for Vendetta. Others claim it makes

es to his cab.

cowards feel brave.

Ron Yarborough

“I was just pleased to get out of there in

However, after speaking to Dial-a-Cab

one piece,” Peter told us before shooting off

Call Sign Online

driver Peter Evens (H97), we now believe

that the claims made against the

marchers probably carry a great deal of

Lee’s cup dream lives on!

truth.

Like most Dial-a-Cab drivers working that

Colliers Wood Utd 4

evening, Peter watched for updates on his

Ringmer 3 (AET)

terminal and after hearing that the masked

Dial-a-Cab driver and goalkeeper for

demonstrators were heading to Buckingham

Combined Counties Premier Division

Palace from Parliament Square, informed his

team Colliers Wood, Lee Pearce

passenger, who was going to South

(J71), has made no secret of his desir

Kensington, that he would avoid using the

to play in a Wembley final. The FA

Royal Park and would go up St James Street

Cup seems rather improbable and

even the prestigious FA Vase seems

and then turn left into Piccadilly instead,

difficult.

hopefully missing the demonstrators.

But their first FA Vase game saw

It went to plan until they turned left to hit

them grab an amazing 4 - 5 away

Piccadilly and the traffic. Suddenly Peter saw

victory in extra time over

lots of demonstrators in masks running

Holmesdale in which Lee saved a

through the traffic and causing as much trou-

last minute penalty. That was fol-

ble as they could. They smashed the rear win-

lowed by a home tie against

dow of the taxi in front of Peter that had

Shoreham where the team came back

attempted to turn right at the ‘no right turn’

from a goal down to win by 2 - 1. But that was only part of the story

lights into Albemarle Street to try to escape

because Lee Pearce couldn’t play and the number two failed to show, leaving the left back to go

these demonstrators that now resembled riot-

between the sticks! But that hard fought victory earned Colliers Wood another Wibbandune home

game - this time against Sussex League club, Ringmer.

ers.

In the first few seconds, Lee parried a half volley which Joe Mead managed to clear. Lee was kept

Peter locked his doors and attempted to

busy and soon claimed a dangerous low cross. But Colliers Wood went ahead on 10 minutes when

move forward hoping that the traffic would

a Mead corner was headed home by Darren Caesar. Then and within 60 seconds, it was 2-0 when

move, but he got stuck behind a bus outside

Dan Harding lobbed the keeper. Suddenly Ringmer started to believe in themselves and Lee Pearce

the Ritz Casino. Masked attackers began hit-

made one point blank save before also tipping a free kick over the bar as the away side piled for-

ting his taxi with lumps of wood while at the

ward. Soon after, the DaC man made another good save - this time from Hopkinson, but a Ringmer

same time others tried to force open the rear

goal had to come. And it did on 36 minutes when Jordan Woodley stabbed home from close

doors to get at Peter’s French passenger. Like

range following a corner that should have been cleared. Then on 42 minutes, Ringmer equalised

Corrie McGuire, his accent would not have

when yet another badly defended corner kick let Jordan Stubbings turn the ball in. After being 2 -

pleased them.

0 up, ‘Wood were lucky not to go in behind at half time.

The second half saw CW putting some more effort in and a Lee Pearce long clearance found Sam

Unable to move and not knowing what to

Harding but he was pulled back by Vickers, who was sent off with a straight red giving ‘Wood a

do, Peter laid on his hooter and within a sur-

penalty. Harry Wise took a poor spot kick which was easily saved by the goalkeeper. Cousin Dennis

prisingly short time, fifteen riot police turned

Wise wouldn’t have been pleased! But Colliers Wood made it 3 - 2 when Sam Harding took a bril-

up and sent the masked hoodlums packing -

liant through ball from Eli Ogunseye and scored a beauty for his second goal of the game. But CW

no doubt straight to the newspapers to com-

failed to keep control and five minutes later the defence was again caught dithering allowing

plain about police brutality! The police

Woodley to drive home from the edge of the box making it 3 - 3. Fortunately for the team, Lee then

enquired how Peter and his passenger were

made another two saves - the first being an excellent one where he managed to just tip a Woodley

and when they said ok, they moved on to the

free kick round the post before making a brilliant one-handed save from Woodley.

next problem.

Then with just over 15 minutes to go, Sam Harding scored his third of the match and this time

Peter safely dropped his passenger, who

the team held out and earned a tough away match against another Sussex team, Pagham.

Peter told us had said surprisingly little

Stop Press: At press time, we heard that the team had defeated Pagham by 2-1 to move

else other than to tell the DaC driver to be

into the National section of the FA Vase. So Lee’s Wembley dream lives on…

careful! In the morning, Peter examined

Call Sign December 2014

Page 21

Compliance with Garry

dealing with all the extra traffic

that enters the capital over the

festive period.

Arrival notifications

Please make sure you press your arrival but-

ton ASAP at your pickup location and you

receive back an acknowledgement to your

terminal to show your correct run-in, then do

your advise arrival. If at any point you have to

move your taxi, please inform dispatch re

your new location as clients are not all famil-

iar with pick-up points when they are away

from the their office. So the more info we

have as to where you are parked helps the

client and dispatcher.

Arnavut Fadil:

Hello Ladies and

1 Jan1957 - 9 Oct2014

Gents

I attended the funeral of Fadil, proprietor of

Holiday period

I would like to wish all those that celebrate

Framewright Taxis, on 14 October 2014.

The funeral took place at the Suleymaniye

Christmas, a merry Christmas and a Happy

It’s our busiest time of the year

New Year to you all.

Mosque on Kingsland Road and was attend-

and one where I would like to

ed by drivers and various people associated

Be lucky…

think our good service gets you

with the trade. If you ever had the pleasure to

meet Fadil, you would have known why he

brownie points for the year

was so well respected both as a man and also

Garry White

ahead with our account clients

in the taxi trade.

DaC Compliance Officer

for the service we provide in

He will be sadly missed by many…

Call Sign’s Stephen Berndes (R14) says...

IT’S A CABBY’S LIFE

resulted in costly abject failure, never to see

Stephen’s view on the possible merger

the light of day.

If a company is struggling in the market place, is it sensible to asset strip its

I am sure we’ve all read in the trade papers

own assets and distribute the equity raised to its employees (members), then

about Mountview House Group Limited.

to merge with another company? It’s a question I asked my wife, a company

Its liabilities far outweigh their assets and this

accountant. She gave a wry smile and just said Dial-a-Cab, as she continued

can easily be confirmed by doing a simple

about her business.

internet check if you have a moment’s time at

It is this unconventional or radical proposition that we find ourselves con-

hand.

templating on the ranks and watering holes around London town - a merger

They appear to own a mews in Lennox

of equals with Radio Taxis. So let’s examine the facts about Radio Taxis and

Road N4 consisting of a portfolio of build-

profile a case study about their demutualisation in 2004…

ings, which offer substantial development

The Chairman, Geoffrey Riesel, demutualised Radio Taxis with backing

potentials. I presume these assets are lost to

from Brian McBride, an American taxi operator in the US. Mr McBride is an

the members of old. The one jewel in their

educated man who has attained accountancy qualifications, together with

crown is a company called One Transport,

being a trained lawyer. He and Mr Riesel are chums from working with each

primarily a consolidator for private hire. It is

other via the Taxicab Limousine and Paratransit Association (TLPA).

unduly reliant on the BBC account for suc-

The 2,500 driver members of Radio Taxis were given £1,100 and

cess.

issued with 1000 shares each. The deal had been constructed to ensure

In a previous edition of Call Sign, I wrote about Radio Taxis using Addison

members retained about two thirds of the company.

Lee en masse on August Bank Holiday at Kings Cross Station. A friend worked

As a minority investor, Brian McBride agreed to a closed share trading mar-

on the day in question. I was told that the Radio Taxi’s “man on voice” was

ket where only he, the drivers and staff were able to trade shares.

desperate to cover jobs, giving an ultimatum to the drivers re bringing in

The deal was sold to Radio Taxi members that their shares were confidently

Addison Lee. My friend was told that Addison Lee was the only private hire

predicted to be worth in excess of £5 in good time. Sadly ten years on, the

company in London that guarantee 10/12 minutes arrival. So let’s not be shy

shares are being traded for 8p each, reduced to penny share status.

to say that Addison Lee is the default service provider for Radio Taxis.

So the essential questions that need to be asked are:

In the light that the American private equity giant Carlyle, who own

1. What percentage of shares do the drivers (former members) own?

Addison Lee, are spending fortunes trying to gain access to bus lanes, contest-

2. How many shares and percentage does Brian McBride own?

ing the existing rule of law through the High Courts of England and beyond in

3. How many shares and what percentage do Mr Riesel and the other direc-

Europe, perhaps Radio Taxis ought to apply some loyalty to the trade?

tors own?

By chance, I recently spoke to an RTG driver who said he owned 2000

shares because his friend was only offered 8p when he stripped out his termi-

Forty trips

nal, so he was given his 1000 shares for nothing!

We now have an anachronistic rule that needs to be repealed in our official

It is on record (Daily Telegraph) 30 April 2004 at the time of demutualisa-

rule book that due to the paucity of work the vast majority of our fleet cannot

tion that Mr Riesel said:

adhere to; that is that each driver must complete 40 credit account hirings

“If I say so myself, for members this is a great win /win deal, with no loss of

each month. The rule could be rewritten in the rule book after the next AGM,

control. I think they would be crazy to turn it down.”

when I suspect more entries may be made.

Mr Riesel was right about that, because Brian McBride and the directors

have absolute control. Mr Riesel controversially was the first to introduce pri-

Stephen Berndes

Call Sign Online

vate hire - albeit driven by trained Knowledge drivers from their own fleet. It

Call Sign December 2014

Page 22

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

next to me, our

house, I naturally

Move over Victor…

other neigh-

expressed my con-

Having laughed at many off the ridiculous situ-

bour looking

dolences, where-

ations that Victor Meldrew found himself in

on and of

upon she looked at

during the long running BBC series of One

course, this

me and said that

Foot in the Grave, little did I realise that as I

person’s front

her mum wasn’t

got older, I would be finding myself in various

similar circumstances.

door

was

dead but that it

Once, whilst walking in my street, two

smashed to

was in fact her

policemen approached me asking whether I

smithereens!

husband’s birth-

knew anything a neighbour whom they were

Explaining

day (hence the card and

trying to get hold off. Apparently he had been

was kind of

flowers) but the distraught neighbour’s cat had

ill and his wife, who was at work, couldn’t get

difficult!

died and she was extremely upset.

hold of him and was very anxious. So she

Another

Then on 4th November at about 9 o’clock in

phoned the police.

time, after

the morning, I heard a very large crashing

Knowing the couple, I informed them that

having seen

noise. Knowing that there were builders work-

another neighbour had a key for feeding their

an elderly neighbour in her late 80s being

ing two doors away, I went outside to find not

cats and just then, as if by magic, that neigh-

taken to hospital the previous night, the fol-

a problem with the builders, but a skip sitting

bour pulled up in her car. After the police

lowing morning I saw another neighbour look-

on the back of my cab! Further up the road was

explained the situation, she tried to open the

ing distraught and crying with a bunch of flow-

a bemused BT phone installer in a state of

door but unfortunately the key didn’t work, so

ers and a card at the elderly neighbour’s front

shock; he had left the handbrake of his large

the police borrowed a hammer from me and

door and enquiring how the old lady was.

van off. It was filled with equipment, began

just broke the door down as apparently the

The distraught neighbour ran off crying that

rolling downhill gathering speed until it

man was supposed to be on suicide alert.

she was too upset to talk as the neighbour was

reached the builders skip, crashed into it and

Fortunately there was no body or man in the

dead! Well I’m no Colombo, so I just put two

pushed that into the back of my taxi!

house, as the police had the wrong address!

and two together about the poor old lady’s fate

Luckily no one was hurt, the cab is repairable

Once again, and as if by magic, the household-

and being a good neighbour, I then told anoth-

and the builders were witnesses. But please

er of the now smashed up front door came dri-

er neighbour and so the message went around

excuse me because I just have to say: “I don’t

ving up, got out of her car and looked at the

the street.

believe it…!”

scene in shock - I was standing there with a

Later that day and talking to the daughter of

Tom Quigley

hammer in my hand, two policemen standing

the elderly lady who also lived in the same

Call Sign Online

The Mayor’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone suffers its first victim

NISSAN SUSPEND THEIR NV200 TAXI…

In a move that must have shocked

addition to the disappointing number of rapid

Boris Johnson, car makers Nissan

charging points available in London - which is

have suspended the launch of

said to be appalling compared to other countries

their NV200 petrol taxi which had

planning for the onset of electric vehicles.

been scheduled for a December

The statement continued: “Nissan is a strong

launch, because of doubts sur-

supporter of air quality and CO2 reduction

rounding the Mayor’s Ultra Low

measures and is encouraged to see the recent

Emission Zone.

consultation launched by the Mayor’s office.

In a statement, the company also

“However, if this were implemented then

claimed that they now had doubts

our planned petrol taxi, designed to meet the

over the feasibility of developing a

challenging London taxi standards, would be

zero-emission electric model, which

obsolete within a few years of its introduc-

Nissan had planned to introduce into

tion.”

London next year - a project that

Somewhat contradicting what Nissan say,

the Mayor had said was the way for-

Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport at

ward for the London taxi trade.

Transport for London, Garrett Emmerson,

However, Nissan now say that

said: “Nissan are one of a number of manu-

finalisation of their launch plans for

facturers we’ve been working closely with to

both the petrol and electric cabs was impossible until they knew what the con-

develop a zero emission capable taxi. We welcome their support for our

clusion of the consultation document would be. The consultation itself will close

proposals to introduce an Ultra-Low Emission Zone in central London

in January, but the finished product is not scheduled to be approved by Mayor

from 2020 and their continuing commitment to develop zero emission capa-

Johnson until April/May 2015.

ble electric vehicles. We look forward to continuing to work closely with

Although Nissan have already spent £multi-millions on the development of

them in the future.”

their NV200, which is certainly selling well in New York, the problem for the

According to page 12 of this issue of Call Sign and a leaked email, there are

car giant is that although the ULEZ doesn’t come in until 2020, rules regarding

in fact no less than five manufacturers including Nissan that are planning

new taxis are scheduled for 2018 and that would undoubtedly affect sales of

advanced green models of London taxis with TfL “…working closely with man-

their petrol model, which in theory at least would become obsolete within three

ufacturers to assist, wherever possible, in the launch of these vehicles into the

years. Certainly its second hand value would plummet drastically with possibili-

taxi market.”

ties of the fifteen year rule being reduced down to ten years.

Rather than assisting, the question must now be whether TfL are actually

The statement said that until they knew the requirements for new cabs under

hindering the introduction of e-cabs and if the five will continue with their

the ULEZ regulations, they would be suspending any further development of the

current plans, or follow Nissan and put everything on hold. That would

electric cab. There were also concerns over a lack of clarity on whether there

leave just the one question: Will the Mayor of London’s plans actually kill

would be a minimum requirement on what range the electric taxi would need, in

the London taxi trade???

Call Sign December 2014

Page 23

Consultation on London Ultra Low Emission Zone

A public consultation on proposals

Private Hire Vehicles: The proposal is that

from January 2018, all newly manufactured

for the “world’s first” ultra-low

vehicles under 18 months old presented for

emission zone (ULEZ) in the centre

licensing as PHVs must be zero emission capa-

of the UK capital from 2020 has

ble. Other vehicles presented for licensing as

been launched by London Mayor

PHVs must comply as a minimum with the

Boris Johnson and TfL. It continues

ULEZ standards and also continue to meet the

10 year age limit. The PHV requirement will

until 9 January 2015 and is available

apply London-wide as well as in the ULEZ.

to access on the TfL website at:

Every PHV driving in the ULEZ will be required

tfl.gov.uk/ultra-low-emission-zone.

to meet the ULEZ standards or a daily charge

According to TfL, the proposed ULEZ

(similar to other cars, vans etc) must be paid.

would halve emissions of nitrogen dioxide

(NO2) and particulate matter PM10 from vehi-

TfL and LTPH are proposing a specific fund

cle exhausts in central London. Cars, taxis, pri-

to assist taxi drivers to replace their vehicles.

cles travelling in central London to meet

vate hire vehicles, buses, motorcycles, vans,

They will work with representatives from the

the following emissions standards, or pay

minibuses, heavy goods vehicles and coaches

taxi and PHV trade in order to shape how this

a daily charge:

would all have to meet new emission stan-

funding will be apportioned. They have also

* Cars and small vans - Euro 6 for diesel

dards or pay a daily charge to drive in the

been in regular dialogue with the Office for

engines (registered from 1 September 2015 so

zone, which will have the same boundaries as

Low Emission Vehicles to ensure their new

5 years old or less in 2020) and Euro 4 for

the existing congestion charge zone. It is set to

£500m funding allocation specifically sup-

petrol engines

(registered from

1 January

come into force on September 7 2020 and

ports taxi and PHV drivers to purchase zero

2006 so 14 years old or less in 2020). Non-

operate for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

emission capable vehicles. This is in addition

compliant vehicles could still drive in the zone

TfL claims the zone will

“significantly

to a supporting fund for on-street rapid charg-

but they would be required to pay a daily

improve air quality and in turn the health of

ing infrastructure.

charge of £12.50;

Londoners” by reducing the number of people

* Large vans and minibuses - Euro 6 for

living in areas of where NO2 levels currently

diesel engines (registered from 1 September

exceed legal limits by 74% in central London,

Call Sign Comment

2016 so 4 years old or less in 2020) and Euro

51% in inner London and 43% in outer

No one could possible argue that if the figure of

4 for petrol engines (registered from 1 January

London.

over 4000 people dying prematurely each year

2007 so 13 years old or less in 2020). Non-

is due to air pollution caused by vehicle emis-

There have been calls from some politicians

compliant vehicles would be required to pay a

and air quality and health campaigners for the

daily charge of £12.50;

sions, then something must be done. But the

ULEZ to be introduced sooner than 2020, but

* Heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches

question must then be asked: If 6000 old taxis

the Mayor stated his intention to give

- Euro VI (registered from 1 January 2014 so 6

have already been removed due to pollution,

why has that made no difference? Could it be

motorists “adequate time” to switch to green-

years old or less in 2020). Non-compliant

that they weren’t the problem and that many

er vehicles that will not incur a charge under

vehicles would be required to pay a daily

the proposals. Furthermore, according to TfL,

charge of £100;

older drivers such as Ray Sorene (ex-A83)

many vehicles would already meet the pro-

* Motorcycles and similar vehicles - Euro 3

(see this month’s Mailshot) have been forced to

posed standards in 2020, but it states that

(registered from 1 July 2007 so 13 years old or

retire far earlier than they needed to on the

introducing the Zone will accelerate the take

less in 2020). Non-compliant vehicles would

whim of a Mayor who seems to believe that he

up of low emission vehicles and stimulate the

be required to pay a daily charge of £12.50.

can try anything and damn the consequences?

low emission vehicle market. Criticism has also

Responding to the ULEZ proposals, Jenny

From 2020, the age limit for taxis will go

been levelled at the proposals for not encom-

Bates, Friends of the Earth London campaigner

down to 10 years losing the trade another 8000

passing a wider area but TfL says the ULEZ will

said: “An ultra-low emission zone is just the

vehicles. So who will buy a new but non-electric

sort of initiative we need to stop around 4,000

cab in 2017 for over£40k knowing that in four

not lead to a reduction in air quality or

Londoners dying prematurely every year due

years it would become worthless? Even more

increased congestion outside the zone.

to air pollution - but this weak version does

pertinent… who will build them knowing that

According to TfL:

“The majority of traffic

not go far enough. The Mayor should ban not

no one will buy them?

entering the ULEZ will be from outside the

just charge, the dirtiest vehicles and the zone

The answer isn’t difficult; just keep the 15

zone - so the benefits of cleaner, greener vehi-

should be introduced sooner and extended to

year rule and eventually taxis will all be Euro 6

cles in the form of reduced emissions will be

cover a bigger area. To protect Londoners’

and hybrid or electric anyway. Why ruin peo-

delivered right across London, so benefitting

health the Mayor should also bring in a

ple’s livelihoods when the difference is going to

Londoners’ health.”

London-wide congestion charge, invest more

be negligible when modern taxis will arrive on

Mayor Boris Johnson said: “Introducing the

to encourage walking and cycling and public

the scene anyway. Then the 15 year rule can be

world’s first ultra-low emission zone is an

transport use and scrap road-building plans for

done away with as all cabs will be zero emis-

essential measure to improve London’s air

East London that would worsen traffic and pol-

sion anyway…

quality and reduce NO2. Safeguarding

lution.”

Londoners’ health and well-being is a top pri-

The Mayoral election in 2016 - so far as

TfL, as the licensing authority for

ority for my administration. I understand that

this trade is concerned - will be the most

London’s taxi and private hire vehicles, will

people need adequate time to switch to green-

important ever. The current Mayor, hav-

decide whether to make changes to the

er vehicles and help is at hand for those who

ing taken this trade to the brink of

licensing requirements for these vehicles.

will be hardest hit, but let’s be clear; we need

destruction, is moving on. We have to for-

Licensed London Taxis: The proposal is

to make these important changes ASAP to con-

get normal voting tendencies and cast

that from January 2018, all vehicles presented

tinue to improve Londoners’ quality of life

our votes for the Mayor that shows he (or

for licensing as taxis must be zero emission

and give everyone who lives in or visits the city

she) cares for this trade, because the

capable. Since 2012, a 15 year age limit has

the cleanest possible air to breathe.”

occasional disruption via demonstrations

removed over 6,000 of the oldest and most

The final proposals will be confirmed in

isn’t working other than causing a brief

polluting taxis. TfL proposes to reduce the age

spring 2015, giving a five-year notice period

embarrassment for TfL. We need more

limit for all non-zero emission capable taxis

prior to the ULEZ coming into operation in

information from trade organisations. We

from 15 years to 10 years (irrespective of date

2020. Following the consultation, TfL will

need to find out candidates policies

of licensing), with effect from 2020.

analyse the results and make recommenda-

regarding taxis. Just so long as it isn’t the

The taxi requirement will apply London-

tions to the Mayor, who will then make a deci-

Friends of the Earth who would probably

wide as well as in the ULEZ. It is proposed that

sion on whether to confirm the plans, with or

want to replace us with “greener” pedi-

all taxis will be exempt from the ULEZ stan-

without modifications.

cabs…!

dards and charges.

The ULEZ proposals would require vehi-

Call Sign December 2014

Page 24

Every issue of Call Sign takes a look back at ODRTS history through the pages

of the magazines of the time with a Flashback. This month, News ‘n Views…

DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK

This month’s Flashback goes back to July 1978 and a court case involving an ODRTS driver…

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT: Peter Fennymore A79

On 7th July 1978, one of our drivers was found guilty of two offences arising out of the booking fee. One summons was for demanding

more than the proper fare, the other for taking more than the proper fare. He was fined a total of £5. The magistrate, Mr MacDermott,

reminded us that he could suspend the driver's licence, but would not do so this time.

After the case was dealt with and in the lobby of the courtroom, we held a conference between prosecuting counsel, our counsel and

two sergeants from the enforcement branch of Scotland Yard. We were told that as from that moment, it was considered illegal to have a

booking fee. We were also told that even if we lodged an appeal, prosecutions would still take place against drivers if they demanded a

booking fee. Furthermore, if the Boards of Management of all three circuits authorising the fee did not stop, the police would consider

seeking an injunction against us. Counsel, Mr Basil-Hillman, advised us to be very careful and to consider dropping the booking fee. Our

solicitor advised us most strongly to drop the booking fee immediately.

I called a meeting between the three major radio circuits, Mountview, London Wide and ODRTS. We considered all the implications

and both Mountview Chairman, Martin Souber, and I felt it was in the best interests of all concerned to stop the radio booking fee.

London Wide was undecided.

I then called a special Board meeting at which it was agreed that the booking fee would no longer be authorised and an announcement

to this effect was put out over the air to all our drivers.

Before the case was heard, we were lead to believe that if we lodged an appeal, no cases would be proceeded with pending the out-

come of that appeal; we now know that this is not so. As I said earlier, we were informed that cases would be proceeded with and whilst

there was a very slight possibility that another magistrate may find the next driver not guilty, there was a greater possibility that another

driver could appear before Mr MacDermott and he would almost certainly find that driver guilty and not deal with him so leniently. In all

probability, he would also take away his licence. The Public Carriage Office would then take an interest in the next driver found guilty

of this offence, for the PCO also now say it is illegal to charge a booking fee, whereas before this case was heard, they were not sure.

However, in this instance they would not be taking any action against the driver.

We also had to consider the reaction from the public if any publicity followed the result of this case, with the likelihood of more and

more people reporting drivers for demanding a booking fee. All in all, we felt it was wrong to jeopardise the livelihood of you, the dri-

vers, remembering that there is a vast difference in defying the law as opposed to testing the law. Up to now we were testing the law, if

we continued it would have been in defiance of the law.

The Joint Radio Committee will now be seeing leading counsel on Thursday 20th July to get his opinion on the question of an appeal.

The Joint Radio Committee will also approach the Home Secretary with a view to having a legal surcharge for radio hirings.

Call Sign tests new leather driver seat

Call Sign was recently invited by Sheldon Posner of

The backrest also offers comfortable lateral support, without the high profile lumbar sidebars seen on some

Cricklewood Carriers to exclusively ‘road test’ an

other independent manufacturers’ products that require a certain acrobatic technique to ‘drop’ into the driving

all-leather driver’s seat he has developed for the

position.

London Taxi Company’s TX2 and TX4 models.

Our long-term testing period proved the seat to be durable, comfortable and relaxing, even after several hours

“The original driver’s seat is stripped down to the bare

of non-stop motoring.

metal frame in our trimming shop and any necessary

Each seat is built to customers’ personal choice from the wide range of colours available in the leather swatch

repairs such as welding broken sections of the frame, are

on display with a demo seat at Cricklewood Carriers NW2 base. The panels are stitched in industrial grade thread,

then carried out before completely rebuilding the seat

also to personal preference. Naturally our test model thread was in Dial-a-Cab yellow, of course!

with new - not recycled - materials and then recovered

All further details from Cricklewood Carriers on 0208 452 5461.

in top grade leather,” Sheldon explained.

The first thing Call Sign noticed when sitting on

the seat was the unmistakable scent of the high qual-

ity leather that pervades through the driver’s com-

partment.

The seat squab is firm, without being too hard and

offers good thigh support. The leading edge of the

seat has double curves for additional comfort.

The new leather seat

Call Sign December 2014

Page 25

“Yes, the £60 non-payment of a

£60 BILK CAPTURED BY

fare is a hard bilk to swallow,”

Dave Stewart (M13) dejectedly

told Call Sign, “but I have my

DAC DRIVER’S CABCAM!

‘artificial eye’ right there keeping

a vigilant watch and hopefully it

will help catch those thieves.”

Dave pointed to the windshield of his cab

where an insurance camera peered out

through the glass.

“I took two young ladies out to Ruislip and

as they got out, I was expecting them to come

to the front and pay me, but instead they just

walked away. Clearly they did not realise my

CabCam had recorded their images. I went

to the police and showed the officer the

images and to my amazement he told me he

thought he recognised the women con-

cerned; so while I cannot say any more just

now, just watch this space!”

This wasn’t the first time that Dave’s

CabCam has helped to give him some peace

of mind.

“It just quietly sits there, ever watchful,”

Dave continued. “I was in Leadenhall Street a

while back when a Private Hire car cut me up

and promptly reversed into the cab, causing

some damage. Again I took the images to my

insurers, showing clearly what had happened

and to my astonishment, the third party insur-

ers paid out the next day! Can you believe that?

“On yet another occasion, some security

personnel tried to stop me going into a road

where an event was going on, even though I

knew I had the right of way and posed no

danger to the public. When I informed them

that they were on camera, they suddenly

stepped aside and I continued on my way!”

But Dave isn’t the only Dial-a-Cab driver to

have this type of technology fitted to his cab.

Jackie Kott (Y88) is one of our female drivers

who regularly works late into the night and is

delighted with her Taxi Witness camera system.

“It’s a fairly basic model,” Jackie told this

magazine, “but it does what it says on the tin!

Dave Stewart, (bottom) Jackie Kott and Alan Green all have CCTV CabCam protection

I got it for my own peace of mind really and

thankfully I have not had any real incidents,

but it’s there just in case. It looks forward and

backwards so I feel comfortable and secure.

“I recently had a rather chatty young man

who was also a bit flirty, so I told him that my

husband wouldn’t talk to me like that while

also pointing out that he was on camera. He

PEDICAB???

immediately quietened down! And of course,

if someone did try to walk off without paying,

all Sign

then I’ve got their image.”

would never,

Call Sign’s photographer, Alan Green

EVER, dream

(E52), has a Novus system in his cab and has

of accusing

captured several incidents - some of which

any of our readers of

have been published in Call Sign. Readers

being economical with

may remember the minicab travelling the

the truth, however, to

wrong way up East Road or the Finchley Road

the Dial-a-Cab driver

bilker.

Insurance companies are increasingly rec-

who sent us the pic-

ommending the fitting of these devices as a

ture on this page

means of defending bogus insurance claims

which he claimed was

and thereby reducing insurance premiums.

to be the replacement

Whichever make of CabCam you go for, be it

for taxis in Dartford,

a basic or top of the range model, you can at

we have this official

least defend yourself from spurious or fraud-

statement to make…

ulent claims. And, of course, you have a fight-

ing chance of catching up with bilkers…

You $%£)& ^”^ %*>?@

liar!!!

Michael Toomey

Call Sign December 2014

Page 26

aul Charters (J08) is heading

It was close to Remembrance Sunday when Paul Charters picked

into his fifth year on Dial-a-Cab

him up…

and has made the pages of Call

Sign several times, the most

recent coming in our series commemo-

rating the100th anniversary of the begin-

THE LONGEST SHORT

ning of WW1 and about the exploits of

DaC driver’s families. Paul told us of the

exploits of his grandfather, Private

Edward Charters, who was posted to

JOURNEY OF THE DAY!

France to join his unit on The Somme

where thousands were injured and killed.

His unit was later involved in holding the

literally some twenty yards from where I

picked them up!

Flesquieres Salient and in the Battles of

Amiens before eventually taking part in

So back across Tavistock Square and

Howland Street, turning right into

the liberation of Lille. He was later award-

ed the British War and Victory medals. His

Tottenham Court Road and stopping just

before the spot where I had picked them

grandfather must have been on his mind

when Paul told Call Sign his story…

both up an hour earlier! Although neither

he nor his wife recognised it and I was

“It was just after 6am and still dark. I

was at the top of Tottenham Court Road

definitely showing signs of panic as we

were running short of Radissons, he went

just turning right into Euston Road when

an Army guy with a red tunic decorated

in and returned with a smile - it was their

hotel!

with medals suddenly put his hand out.

He came to the cab with his wife and

When I saw his smile and a ‘thumbs up’

to his wife, I got out and helped her out.

asked for the Radisson Hotel. They both

looked to be in their early forties and had

She gave me a big hug while he gave my

hand a real Royal Marines squeeze! He

obviously been to a celebration of some

kind. While not paralytic, he had obvious-

took his wallet out but I said that I wasn’t

going to take money for what should have

ly sunk quite a few glasses of something!

I explained that there were a number of

been a twenty second walk from some-

one who had spent the last 25 years in the

Radissons in London and did he know

which one he wanted? He then said the

service of his country. He insisted on

pushing £10 into my hands and I told him

Radisson Blu, which my terminal told

me was in Portman Square. He asked if

that I would put it into a trade charity

Paul Charters

box, which I did the next day.

that was around ten minutes away and

when I said yes, he said that must be it

As I drove away, they gave me a final

be no charge. He was adamant that he

wave and I thought to myself that it didn’t

and off we went.

Very little traffic in town still and a few

wanted to pay his fare.

matter what else happened during the

In the meantime, I was now trying to

rest of the day, I felt really good that I had

minutes later I pulled up outside the

hotel. He still wasn’t sure, so he told his

work out where there was a Radisson

done something nice!”

Hotel within minutes of the top of

It wouldn’t surprise Call Sign if a certain

wife to wait while he went in to check. By

now the drink was sinking in and he was

Tottenham Court Road and Euston Road

Private Edward Charters was looking

and suddenly it hit me - it had to be the

down at his grandson, winking and

wobbling a bit! Two minutes later and he

came back out accompanied by the night

one at the top of Tottenham Court Road -

proudly saying: “That’s my boy…!”

porter who told me that they weren’t reg-

istered there and perhaps I should try the

Radisson at Granville Place, Marble

Arch.

We got there but it wasn’t that one

either. I tried to explain that there were a

number of Radissons, the next two near-

est probably being in Great Russell

Street and Bloomsbury Street - I don’t

know where I’d have been without the

EARLY TREATMENT MEANS SPEEDY RECOVERY

terminal’s Points of Information! But the

Treatment for pain & discomfort doesn’t have to be expensive

result at both those two was the same.

Neither were his hotel and by now there

was around £25 on the meter!

The Centre offers fully qualified therapists in Physiotherapy,

He wasn’t mentioning the money, but it

Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Remedial

was starting to get light and they just

Massage, Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherm, Massage

wanted to get back to their hotel. I’d been

Therapy, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

chatting as much as you can to someone

who’d obviously had a ‘skinful’ and dis-

Call us on 020 8507 8169

covered that he wasn’t in the army but in

the Royal Marines, that he had been

or mobile 07973 639 473 for an early appointment

there for the past 25 years and had recent-

Email: andy@bptconline.co.uk or fax: 020 8507 9650

ly been on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Out of hours enquiries welcome

While tracing my grandfather’s his-

tory, I had been on many battlefield

Barking Physical Therapy Centre

tours and I decided that I couldn’t

90 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8SF

charge this guy, so I told him that I

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9am till 8pm and Saturday 9am till 2pm

was turning the meter off and that

www.bptconline.co.uk

when we found his hotel, there would

Call Sign December 2014

Page 27

Michael Cunningham (D67)

looked decidedly forlorn as he

sat waiting for his Dial-a-Cab

Goodbye old friend!

MDT equipment to be stripped

out from his TX1.

“We’ve been together since the cab was just

eight months old and now we have to say

goodbye because of the fifteen year rule. I

don’t mind admitting that it really is quite a

wrench, especially coming towards

Christmas,” Michael explained, his voice dis-

playing some emotion.

“I’ve covered 330,000 trouble-free miles

and apart from the usual wear and tear items

like tyres, brakes, batteries and light bulbs,

the only expense in all that time has been £80

on an injector seal. I have certainly never

pampered it, other than the occasional ser-

vice schedule when I’ve remembered!”

The smile on his face told Call Sign he had

been joking and that he had really looked

after his faithful cab.

“I work nights, so reliability is important to

me and this cab has delivered that in bundles;

so you can understand why I’m loathe to say

Michael's taxi is yet another casualty of the Mayor's 15 year rule

farewell. I can only hope that my new cab

proves to be the workhorse that this one has

counselling passengers who have needed a

on his face suggested that he wasn’t too sure

been.

shoulder to cry on!”

that it would be…

“We’ve seen off drunks, nutters, cyclists

Michael pointed towards the driver’s seat

Michael Toomey

and plenty of traffic in our fifteen years

and reiterated his hope that any new taxi

together, and of course I’ve done my share of

would be as good as his old friend. The look

Call Sign Online

Uber in press smear controversy

deleted it entirely from their smartphones after it was reported that a senior executive suggested

spending $1 million to smear the reputations of journalists who were critical of the company.

Emil Michael, Uber’s senior vice president of business, told guests at a dinner which Kalanick host-

ed on November 14 about a plan to hire opposition researchers and reporters to dig up dirt on jour-

nalists and their families when they wrote bad things about the $17 billion startup.

The startling remarks, first reported by BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith, were made at a meeting that includ-

ed blogging mogul Arianna Huffington and actor Edward Norton. Most attendees were told the

comments would be off the record. Smith was not invited directly by Uber and wasn’t told of the

protocol.

Kalanick, Michael and an Uber spokeswoman quickly apologized and said the suggestion - which

was never acted upon - did not reflect Michael’s views or the company’s approach to business.

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hailing app either boycotted the service or

Call Sign December 2014

Page 28

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at

I’m sure a few don’t. The reason for that in

Dial-a-Cab House

some cases is because of the way he dresses.

or email us at

Many members didn’t like me and have a

thing about cab drivers wearing suits and

callsignmag@aol.com

“getting above themselves,” which quite

frankly is daft because as a Board member,

of our you-know-what and big ourselves up

Election comment

and particularly as Chairman, you have to

a bit. Some of the blame should go to the

My name is Allen Togwell and I would like

wear two hats - one for the Members and the

trade associations for failing to educate

to take this opportunity to say hello to all

other for when representing the Society. But

their members and those members that feel

those who remember me and who sup-

they elected me because I did my job. And

they are experts in other folk’s jobs.

ported me during my 27 years on your

that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what Brian

We are at the next stage of the evolution

Board. I’m no longer associated with DaC

Rice does well - his job.

of the working man and women, common-

in any way, but like those who have been

There is no substitute for experience and

ly known as industrial revolution of our

actively involved with a company for many

from what I’ve heard of the Society in recent

time. The question is whether we have the

years, the interest is still there and I like to

times with lost accounts and the threats from

character and ability to be led into the fur-

keep abreast with what’s going on ‘back at

the likes of Hailo, Uber and all the PH Apps

nace of progress and if we have the leader-

mill.’ Fortunately I am able to do that

as well as competition from within such as

ship with enough energy to truly splice the

because your Editor has included me on

CC and RTG, your Society needs all the expe-

main sail into what some would call

his list of those that get a copy of Call Sign

rience it can get.

uncharted waters. However, anyone with a

Online.

The other thing I feel needs mentioning is

modicum of intelligence would know that

It’s because of what I read in last month’s

that there is no transition period when a

the ship we sail on the seas with is built on

Call Sign, that Brian Rice is being

Board member is replaced. The moment they

years of modifications.

opposed for the position as Chairman, that

lose their place at the AGM they pass their

Perhaps just as Grant Davis cast aside

has prompted me to contact Mr Fisher and

keys, ID and all DaC effects to the Secretary

the LTDA with whom he had profound dis-

ask if he would kindly allow me a little

and from that moment on they don't set foot

space in Call Sign so that I could have my

again on DaC’s premises unless as a driver.

agreements, we should leave on the har-

two pennyworth on the subject.

That means that whichever way the

bour wall those who do not have the stom-

Chairman leaves his office on the Friday

ach for the seas anymore. Maybe we should

I have known Brian Rice both as a sub-

before the AGM, all the meetings he’s

all look towards ourselves and think true

scriber on Dial-a-Cab before he joined the

arranged in his diary or contracts he might be

and hard - what are my weaknesses and

Board and as a Board member and subse-

in the process of completing, and where all

whom should I employ to make me a boun-

quently Chairman; he is the fourth

his files are kept, etc would be left for his

ty? The locker door is swinging open,

Chairman I’ve served under and by a mile

replacement to sort out.

because one of the hinges is broken. Do I

the best. And when I say the best, it’s easy

That leaves the Society very vulnerable and

close it; do I get advice or do I let the cold

to make the comparison without under-

I personally feel that when a Chairman, who-

in?

mining his predecessors because of how he

ever he/she is, leaves office, they should be in

Commonsense dictates that you make a

has applied himself to the role as

a position to hand over the reins to a succes-

judgement call and hope that at the time of

Chairman.

sor who has been groomed so that there is a

decision, you look to your right and find

18 years ago when Brian first made his

seamless transition.

trusted friends with a proven track record

intentions known that he was going to

May I also take this opportunity to thank

holding a sexton in one hand and a paddle

stand for the Chair, I asked him in private a

all those members that supported me over

in the other. Then on your left, someone pre-

few questions before I was confident of giv-

many years on the BoM and to wish you all a

pared to be ready to relight your lamp in a

ing him my vote, bearing in mind it is the

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year…

storm.

Board that propose the Chairman and also,

Allen Togwell

(ex-W45/ex-Q08/ former

DaC Board Member)

Some would cast an eye in my direction

I have to confess, I was seriously thinking

London SE10

and see Fletcher Christian. Sailors don't

of standing for the Chair myself.

have civil wars, they have shipwrecks if they

One question was if he would break with

tradition and adopt a hands-on role like

Election Comment

do not sail a true path.

Hi Alan

Gary Cox (O46)

that of a CEO rather than just a figurehead

Re the BoM election, personally I do not

I’m not often speechless Gary, but I’m

that chairs meetings. He said if the Board

think that this is the time to change

now definitely going to cancel that row

agreed, then he would do that. And I’m

Chairman, but a new Board member or two

boat trip on the Serpentine! …Ed

delighted to say he has adopted that role

could be good. As a 30 years plus driver, I am

with distinction.

not really happy with the new pay method,

There is not one department within DaC

Merger et al

but as always and like most drivers, I support

Dear Al

- be it IT, Accounts, DP, Control Centre or

the BoM.

Sales where he does not have his finger on

I voted against exploring the merger, but I

Just a few words about the November Call

fully understand and respect why the

the pulse with what is happening daily.

Sign; first the bike superhighways together

That’s one hell of a lot of knowledge and

majority voted to explore the offer further.

with all the changes to traffic turns etc are

But to merge with a proven loss-making

experience

- and experience being the

going to make our job so much harder. It cer-

operative word. I also said I would like to

firm in my book makes no sense. Yes,

tainly is not the same as when I started in

potentially twice the fleet size and twice the

see him getting some extra mileage out of

1967. I feel my generation had the best years,

his dinner jacket in the evenings network-

but I wish the trade well being attacked from

account base, but does that equate to more

ing and to get DaC on the map, because at

so many sides.

work per mobile? The Board have to put

that time DaC were forever in the shadow

Martin Freeborn (C67)

offers to the members, but how about an

No further comments re the DaC elec-

offer from the Board?

of ComCab.

And he did that brilliantly; when dressed

tions were received. Questions to candi-

Also I agree with Richard Potter (T51)

dates are on page 16 of this issue …Ed

re the number of drivers actually driving

up he strikes an imposing figure, people

remember him and it wasn’t long before

taxis. It must be shy of 20,000. As I see it,

the trade size has stayed the same for years

DaC were getting calls from the media

Whose fault?

when they wanted comments on a particu-

Mr F

whilst the little people’s numbers have

grown. The only notable decline in their

lar issue concerning the cab trade.

We will all be in danger of becoming ex-cab

You don’t have to like Brian Rice - and

drivers soon if we don't pull our fingers out

ranks was when they had to be licensed!

Call Sign December 2014

Page 29

Mailshot

continued from page 28

Over the years there have only ever been a

this winter with some companies being paid

certain amount of die-hard radio men. TfL

to close at peak electricity times in order to

stated that there are more drivers over the

save energy! During the severe winter of

age of 6o than under the age of 30.Young

2010, four coal-fired power stations had to

drivers no longer come into this trade.

be bought back into use, yet those four are

Unless you’re a leather arse, in real terms

no longer working. How can London power

wages now at best are average. In my opin-

a fleet of electric taxis within a few years?

ion, you could advertise on Facebook,

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online

Some of us will have to pay £12.50 a day to

Twitter, Gumtree, Lost and Found and the

or phone 03700 100 222 …Ed

drive our taxis into work and what's going to

lonely ads etc, drivers new or old just don’t

happen when you try to hire a yellow badge

want to subscribe to radio circuits as we

taxi in an outer suburb? Will you have to pay

Citi Group

know them.

Hi Alan

the driver an extra £12.50 to get into town?

Finally, credit cards being offered blind

Will we even be able to buy an electric taxi by

You said in Call Sign that Citi are using us

whilst account work being offered with a

2018? Then I hear that Nissan have had to go

again? How much so? I mean are we talking

destination ain’t for me. I can go into any

back to the drawing board with their NV200

enough to include the Wharf in my nightly

retail outlet, insert my card, press 4 digits

because of lack of floor space to turn a

regime again?

and job done. Our procedure is painful. I

wheelchair backwards?

John Stowers (K40)

read the literature and almost watched the

I sometimes wonder whether the hokey

John, I mentioned it because a number

whole DVD; sadly I fell asleep two minutes

cokey really is what it’s all about!!!

of drivers had said that we should have

in! So in conclusion, I find the (r) button a

Jon Robinson (E88)

offered ultra-low terms to Citi in our

most useful feature.

I can’t bend my knees nor do an arm

submitted tender, which would have

Colin Jenkins (Y22)

stretch any more Jon, so you’re asking

included no run-ins and no gratuities.

You’re entitled to your view Colin, but I

the wrong man! …Ed

Since then it has become busier and

do a lot of street credit card trips and

Call Sign has had to publish begging

find they take seconds. When you go

articles from Board members asking

into a shop, you do indeed just press

Taxis or minicabs…

drivers to please cover the work. The

four buttons; however, the person

Hi Alan

two obviously don’t go together and we

accepting the card has to do the work.

After reading Taxi Leaks regarding the BBC

have to assume that had we kept the

They don’t moan at how long it takes

referring to minicab drivers as taxi drivers, do

Citi account with its no run-in terms,

because it really doesn’t take that long.

you think it would be possible to gather a

then we would have struggled to cover

And of course, street card trips are free

like-minded group of individual cabbies to

any work from the Wharf. Those drivers

to drivers! …Ed

constantly complain to the BBC about their

that were there anyway would have had

reporting errors? If the Beeb get a lot of inde-

no problem, but demand outstrips

pendent viewers complaining, they might

Questions, questions

availability there when the trips begin

consider reporting more accurately. What do

pouring out and with no run-ins and

and more ques-

you think? Also, would the threat of legal

outstretched hands along the route,

action bring them to book? Maybe the LTDA

how many would have switched their

tions…

could be brought into a joint action and per-

‘for hire’ signs off to run to the Wharf

Hello Alan

haps even the LCDC. Is it worth considering?

empty? Judging by the number current-

Hope you don't mind me picking your

Roy ‘The Boy’ Manix (now retired ex-

ly running to help cover account work,

brains, but in a recent article Brian Rice

K98)

the answer has to be very few. My point

mentioned the name of Mike Galvin work-

Hi Roy, sadly you'd have more chance

was that although Citi have begun using

ing for Addison Lee. Is this the same guy

of winning the 100 metres at the next

us again, they are doing so under our

that used to be in the LTDA and worked on

Olympics than getting anything out of

previous terms because otherwise their

ComCab? Also is Victoria Borwick related

this! The BBC, Evening Standard,

service would go down the tubes. I

to Jamie Borwick, late of M&O? You miss

Sun, Mirror and co sometimes apolo-

hope they realise that you can squeeze

out a lot in retirement!

gise, but do it again anyway or say - as the

to the pips from taxi fares when it’s

Terry Farmer (ex-T55J)

BBC did on this occasion - that most peo-

quiet, but if you want an excellent ser-

Hi Terry, nice to hear from you and I

ple refer to minicabs as taxis. What's even

vice all year round - and DaC always

hope you are enjoying retirement. The

worse is that there is some truth in that.

provided them with the best service

answer to your questions is yep (yep

On the other hand, the London Cab Act

possible - then that comes at a cost. If

and yep)! Mike Galvin, now of Addison

makes it illegal for a minicab driver to

they realise that then perhaps they

Lee, used to be the head honcho on

describe themselves as a Taxi driver, just

could be welcomed back whenever they

ComCab. Victoria Borwick - aka Lady

as PH operators cannot use the word Taxi

decide to put service first.

Borwick - is indeed the wife of Jamie

even in an advert. However, in my view it

The answer to your question John is

Borwick, the former Chairman of LTI

would be unfair to ask a trade organisa-

possibly not, but they are currently

and who is now Lord Borwick of

tion to spend thousands on an

using a significant number of up to thir-

Hawkshead (coincidentally Jamie was

unwinnable court case. It made a good

ty cabs a day. What I can tell you is what

in the letters page of the October issue).

story for Taxi Leaks, but Thomas the Taxi

one of our drivers recently told me. He

Both Victoria and Jamie are passionate

knows as well as I do that nothing we do

was given a trip from Citi at the Island

supporters of the London taxi trade…Ed

will ever stop it because

‘taxi rapist’

and welcomed by a smiling Brunel

makes a better headline grabber than

Marshal who thanked him for coming!

Ultra-low emission

Gritting his teeth, our driver just gave a

‘minicab rapist’.

That’s not to say that we shouldn’t com-

polite nod and continued waiting in his

zone and the hokey

cab. Within minutes, the back door was

plain, because if every taxi driver who

sees a BBC programme where the word

opened by the Marshal for the Citi pas-

cokey!

Taxi was used when referring to a mini-

senger. But instead he walked to the

Hi Al

cab, were to then go online and fill in the

luggage window and in full earshot of

Re the ULEZ; Boris wants us all to drive

BBC complaint form every time it hap-

both the Brunel rep and the DaC driver

electric taxis, meanwhile recent news head-

pened, they might start to realise when

said how nice it was to have a proper

lines suggest possible possible power cuts

their systems ground to a halt! Go to:

taxi again! Our driver again nodded but

Call Sign December 2014

Page 30

Mailshot

continued from page 29

ed two-way cycle track on Tower Hill'. It looks

very pleasant with people strolling around

this time added a broad grin, whilst the

and just a few vehicles. But we all know that

Marshal’s smile seemed to wane some-

the reality will be somewhat different, a

what! That passenger doesn’t control

seething mass of frustrated traffic with the

the account, otherwise we’d still be

Embankment and surrounding roads grid-

there. But I’m sure he wasn’t alone in

locked. The cab trade gets very worked up

his view and so long as we make sure

about the vehicles we drive and the threat

James Griffin (T97)

our service is top notch there, then you

from private hire, but I believe that the con-

See Allan Evans report on page 13 …Ed

never know. It wasn’t an answer to your

stant eroding of the road system threatens

question John, but it’s the best one I

our very existence. I have driven a London

have …Ed

Taxi driver medicals

Taxi for 28 years and have experienced the

I recently had a rather snotty letter from

difficulties and frustrations caused as the

TfL asking me if I would like to hand in my

Cycling

road system gets constantly chipped away by

Badge and Bill as I hadn’t returned my

various 'improvement schemes.' If the cycling

Superhighway

completed medical form. The only reason I

superhighways go ahead with all the planned

hadn’t sent it was because I hadn’t actually

closures, and if you add in the proposed clo-

consultation 1

received the form in the first place.

sure of Tottenham Court Road, then central

Hi Al

Following a phone call, I got the form, had

London will grind to a halt.

Re the November Call Sign and the latest

the medical etc and sent it in via Recorded

Early in October, Woburn Place was

idiotic ideas from TfL. These will be very

Delivery. Having read reports in both Call

closed northbound and this resulted in mas-

damaging to our trade and if we bury our

Sign and the general trade press regarding

sive delays giving us a just a taste of things to

heads in the sand, we will get what we

drivers being out of work for up to a few

come! I have always endeavoured to take my

deserve… nothing! I have put my tup-

months due to delays in getting their

passengers from A to B with quiet efficiency

pence-worth in for the first time in 26 years

renewed licenses, I had been concerned

in a reasonable time and for a reasonable

and urge all cab drivers do the same. It may

but fortunately I now seem to be ok.

price, but it is simply becoming impossible.

do no good, but at least we've tried. This is

Can I suggest to drivers waiting for a

We will lose passengers as they give up on us

my answer to their Consultation.

medical form - I believe they are due at 50,

as a means of getting from A to B. London

Why are you creating LEZ? TfL are creat-

55, 62, 65 and then yearly - that if they

should be a place where people can work

ing more pollution than vehicles? I have

haven’t heard at least two months before

and do business. £Billions are going to spent

read about your idiotic idea on the

the medical is due, that they contact TfL to

on HS2 knocking a few minutes off the jour-

Blackfriars Underpass and beyond and for

ney from Birmingham to Euston - only for

ask for the form.

the other Superhighways! Already in place,

the passengers to arrive at a gridlocked city.

Larry Miller (S35)

Temple to Tower and reverse are already too

Mick Kennedy (M30)

Thanks Larry, you are the second driver

congested with two lanes each way! How the

to tell me that they hadn’t received the

hell is anyone supposed to navigate this area

medical form, so giving TfL a call isn’t a

with one lane each way? This would also

Hypocrisy in high

bad idea - provided you can get hold of

affect the surrounding areas creating a

them! Incidentally, I have been told that

mushroom effect (I don't know why I'm writ-

places???

if there has been a delay in getting a

ing this, because if whoever is promoting this

Is there hypocrisy in high places with

normal 3-year renewed licence and

can't see that then they shouldn't be in this

London’s vanity projects? TfL have

there are no reasons why it might have

job). As a taxi driver, this would be disas-

announced that from 2018, vehicles not zero

been stopped, then there would be no

trous for our business as people would not

tolerance on emissions will be charged for

problem driving on your old taxi

bother to just sit in a taxi going nowhere

entering the congestion zone. Oxford Street

licence …Ed

fast. And not just taxis but also every other

is undoubtedly the worst polluted area of

business would be affected and prices would

London, mainly frequented by buses, yet

have to go up. And this is all to do with

Boris has now said that his beloved new

New identifiers

cyclists!

Routemasters will be exempt and allowed

Alan

Cars and lorries are necessary in London

current dispensation! I rest my case.

I’m not having a very enjoyable retirement

for delivering people and services. In Dial-a-

David Heath (Ex-W27)

having spent nearly two weeks in hospital

Cab’s in-house magazine, the Chairman,

The Mayor has stated that allowed vehi-

with pneumonia and I definitely needed

Brian Rice, has put my comments into print.

cles must be Euro 6. Routemasters are

cheering up. That came in the form of a let-

This could be a start in making the roads

only Euro 5 but that Mayor says they are

ter from TfL. When I left DaC, it was

safer for cyclists AND for everybody else.

“almost Euro 6! But I understand what

because my TX1 was sixteen years old and

And last but by no means least, it's very

the Mayor means; I almost bought JPM

not able to be re-licenced again. In July this

easy for you to penalise everybody who does-

last year, I was only a few billion quid

year, I returned my licence and copy to TfL

n't comply to your LEZ rules, but at the same

short!” …Ed

telling them that due to poor health I was

time subsidise your buses!

not intending to drive a cab again, even

I wonder if I have wasted my time writing

Pre-booked morning

though the licence did not expire until next

this.

April (2015). So imagine my good fortune

Dave Humphryes (A69)

trips

when a letter from TfL arrived a few days

Re morning coverage problems, has any

ago with two brand new licences and two

thought been given to a facility to accept a

new identifiers for a cab which came off the

Cycling

booked job a few hours before the booking

road in February this year! It’s plainly clear

time ie if I know I've got a job from near

that TfL don’t know what they’re doing and

Superhighway

home at 7.45am, I will adjust my start time to

whoever runs it is unfit to do the job.

consultation 2

then rather than drive in empty only to see a

Then on 29th October I got a letter from

Hi Alan

‘please cover SW19’ job or ‘account in dan-

TfL thanking me for my letter dated 14th

If you want proof that the traffic planners

ger’ message once I'm in town.

July telling them I was enclosing my licence

live on another planet, take a look at

All the best to one and all in the elec-

and retiring from taxi driving. They

TfL's 'visualisation of the proposed segregat-

tions…

thanked me very much for my service to the

Call Sign December 2014

Page 31

Mailshot

continued from page 30

have now seen my subs double within the

public etc and informed me that I was enti-

last few months, I think it's only fair that I

tled to a refund of the remaining period of

receive something back for taking credit card

my licence (April 2015). It came to the

jobs off the street. So without being greedy, I

grand sum of £50. It’s nice to get some-

think we should receive

50/50 and the

thing back for a change!

money I receive could be then offset against

Ray Sorene (ex-A83)

my subs, bringing them down even further. I

TfL may have left your licence in

wouldn't mind, but on both jobs the cus-

work. Consequently, I think you will

abeyance because your reason for leav-

tomers wanted to give me a gratuity but I had

agree your Society was generous to

ing the trade was not a medical one. As

already cleared the job, meaning I lost even

Members when times were better. But

such, the two identifiers meant that

more money and those 2 jobs don't even

circumstances have changed.

should you have wished to, you could in

count to my 15 jobs total a week! Where's the

If a Member does a Credit Card trans-

fact have still hired a cab, put the iden-

fairness in that?

action off the street, we do not charge

tifiers in the front and back screens and

I understand that you can't please every-

the Member but charge the customer

gone to work. You may not have wanted

one, but by implementing the above idea at

10%, out of which we have to pay a

to, but it may have been a useful imple-

least you would be making the 15% of drivers

Merchant Fee to the Bank. Incidentally

ment to keep in your toolbox until next

you made unhappy… happy again! This

your Society paid in excess of £450k to

April. But I suspect that retirement is

would be a nice Christmas bonus, as I do

purchase the ‘chip and pin’ machines;

even nicer! So I hope you are feeling

remember the days when we used to get jack-

that expenditure has to be recouped.

better Ray and starting to enjoy that

ets, torches, new cars and someone even told

There is no doubt about it that looking

retirement. …Ed

me that Dial-a-Cab gave away a taxi once!

at your figures, you are an excellent

Happy Christmas to you, the Board and to

radio man and the new Payback scheme

Subscriptions

everyone at Dial-a-Cab…

will go some way to making your subs

Dear Mr Rice

Richard Barford (R39)

more bearable. Obviously, the reason

I know this question was asked by Mark

Brian Rice replies: Dial-a-Cab giving away

your subs have increased is because you

Tiller a few months back, but since then

a new taxi? Yes, I remember it well,

do a great deal of account work, which

circumstances have changed, whether we

Richard; it was a brand new TX2 Gold and

helps your Society and of course is also

liked it or not. So how about giving back an

you were the lucky person that won it! I

advantageous to you.

extra bonus to the loyal drivers who are

hope it served you well. You are also cor-

Richard, I believe your Society repre-

prepared to cover the account work! Over

rect once again when you say we gave

sents excellent value, it was just so inex-

the last 2 days I have taken 2 credit card

away cars - it was three Rover 25s - and in

pensive to an excellent radio man such

jobs from Heathrow to the West End, gen-

Christmas

2007 we paid to Members

as yourself in the past, but even today it

erating a further £14.58 for the Society. As I

£521k in bonuses to cover the

represents very good value to you.

JACQUELINE HART

COUNSELLOR

BA (Hons), Dipl in Transactional Analysis

MBACP, EATA

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