Call Sign May 2014

Call Sign May 2014

Page 3

from the editor’s desk

Awful April

meter. So that has to make one ask what it actu-

After Call Sign slipped in its April Fool gag

ally is then?

about a six-wheeled taxi that could park side-

My view is that if a smart phone can tell a taxi

ways and the phone calls from drivers enquiring

passenger the fare it has gained from a combi-

about this “amazing taxi” had slowed, I assumed

nation of time and distance, then it is a taxime-

that April would slide away along with the first

ter. Otherwise what is it and what other pur-

three months of 2014. But not in a million years

pose could it be used for?

did I expect April to herald the two most

When Uber first approached TfL, their

appalling pieces of news concerning the deaths

spokesperson claimed they couldn’t get over how

of two very long-standing Dial-a-Cab drivers -

easy and accommodating the licensing depart-

Call Sign’s poet David

“Kupkake” Kupler

ment was. If TfL is now saying that Uber’s meter

(Y74) and Ray Marks (K80).

isn’t a meter - and there are passengers who will

Ray had been working in his cab just days

assume Uber to be a reputable company purely

before he suddenly collapsed and died. David

on the strength of them having meter facilities -

had suffered since last November when a small

then perhaps they could explain what it actually

shadow appeared on his lung and within three

does, because there is an act - The Private Hire

months had quickly spread. Both drivers had

Vehicles

(London) Act 1998 (section 2) - that

Director Surface Transport: “As Londoners and

been with the Society since the 1970s, although

specifically forbids PH companies using meters.

visitors change the way they pay for goods and

David had left in the 80s to try life in California

Uber CEO and joint founder, Travis

services in the capital, I am proud that we are at

before eventually returning.

Kalanick, gained a reputation for doing what-

the forefront of that change. Customers will not

There was a huge turn-out of drivers at Ray’s

ever he thought would be best for his business

only benefit from a quicker, cheaper and more

funeral with many of his old friends from both

and not allowing red tape to stand in his way.

convenient method of paying their bus fare; it will

the Finsbury Square rank and the Gresham

That philosophy seems to have crossed the

also enable us to save millions of pounds each

Street Piccolo sandwich bar. Terry Bezant even

Atlantic along with the Uber name and meters

year

- which will be reinvested in further

drove down from Wales, while Brian Rice came

will be the first stop along the road if no one

improvements to the capital’s transport network.”

in from Hampshire to the Waltham Abbey ceme-

takes a stand now, because it seems that TfL

I know that Leon Daniels has been castigated

tery.

won’t be doing anything other than approving

by some taxi trade papers, but I have always

David had decided many years ago that when

whatever Uber wants. So I’m pleased to note

found him to be someone who, when asked a

the time came for his passing, he would ask for

that that the LTDA are contemplating a judicial

question by Call Sign, gave an honest answer. So

his body to be donated to medical science.

review and looking at a possible private investi-

I have just have two things to say to him. Firstly,

Having worked in a mortuary many years before

gation into Uber’s actions, which seems to drive

not every tourist is going to have an Oyster card,

starting his cabbing career, he always queried

a coach and horses - with a meter - through the

so thank you because that decision may well

how prospective consultants could ever learn

Private Hire Act.

make this trade busier. And secondly, please

with nothing to practice on. Then again, David

Even the Licensed Private Hire Car

PLEASE don’t invest the money you are saving in

always had a mind of his own and looked at life

Association (LPHCA) through Steve Wright

even more buses because we can’t move in

somewhat differently than most - something that

says it has lost confidence in TfL's ability to

London as it is for empty ones running around.

often showed in his poetry for Call Sign. He even

bring cab apps into line and - obviously refer-

So if you want to save even more money, cut the

dictated his own obituary from a hospital bed

ring to Uber - accusing them of masquerading as

numbers of buses running around - which will

and that is inside this issue, as well as two poems

private cabs without following the same rules.

get Boris closer to his emissions target - while

that he dictated to me just days before he died.

God knows what they will make of Lyft when

also helping to cut traffic jams. Yes, taxi emis-

Ray’s passing was very sudden compared to

they come over, as they undoubtedly will.

sions aren’t good, but ask any motorist and they

David’s, which involved the sad sight of his

The problem is that the taxi trade is regulated

will tell you that it is the unnecessary number of

physical condition gradually deteriorating

and if done in a correct manner, is beneficial

empty buses causing hold-ups everywhere that

although his brain kept its sharpness right till

because our passengers know what they are get-

exacerbates the problem.

the end. His passing could have been made so

ting. We put up with a lot of unnecessary stuff in

PS Mr Daniels: If you could get someone to

much easier had some pen pushing twerp in the

order to get the excellent name that we have.

teach bus drivers how to pull out safely, we’d

UK allowed his daughter, Ossie - who lives in

But if TfL through LTPH are going to let Uber do

appreciate it...

California - to get an emergency passport and

whatever they like, then there seems little point

help David to get all three daughters together to

in taxis remaining as they are. LTPH like to think

Signals

say his goodbyes. He had organised one last trip

of themselves as our teachers. So the question

This issue has O2 responding to an invitation

where Call Sign was going to take them to

must be: Who teaches the teachers???

explaining why signals aren’t as good as we

Southend to have a fish and chip lunch at a

expected from our new terminals. Whilst they

beach-side café, something they used to love

Hailo and PH

can be like lightening at times, at other times

doing in their younger days. But that was

Call Sign has often wondered aloud in print

they seem to be the opposite. I spoke to drivers

denied to them because someone insisted on

about what would happen if London’s Hailo

on both ComCab and Radio Taxis and both cir-

keeping strictly to protocol - something a fit

fleet failed to cover work during busy periods

cuits seem to be suffering from similar prob-

David Kupler would have created merry hell

because of the poor returns involving no run-

lems, with RTG also having problems with the

about. By the time it had been okayed, it was far

ins and free waiting time.

same job occasionally being duplicated and

too late.

The question was how long would it be

going out to two different drivers.

Both drivers have left their mark on this Society

before Hailo began using cars? Well, if New

The answer? I dunno, but I’m hoping that O2

and all we can but do is to wish both Jan Kupler

York’s Hailo fleet is anything to go by, then the

do and can sort it out because I think the ter-

and Frances Marks long lives with the sincere

answer could be fairly soon, especially as Hailo

minal itself is excellent, as is the mapping and

hope that these two losses should be their last...

say they are moving into the corporate field!

satnav. My thanks also to DaC IT Director John

We should add that it wouldn’t be the fault of

Bankes who not only got O2 to write, but who

Hailo, but of greedy taxi drivers who don’t want

Money? No thank you...

has also backed it up with a relevant article of

to go and pick up passengers for nothing!

In what must be considered to be a rather sur-

his own.

prising move for the number one tourist desti-

Hols!

nation in the world, Transport for London have

Who teaches the teachers?

As usual Call Sign closes in June for the annual

decided to make all bus travel cash free from

Call me silly - you can stop now thank you! -

hols, but we’ll be back in July. Wherever you go

July 6. TfL say that the move follows a consider-

but I can’t understand this situation where

and whatever you do, enjoy yourself...

able drop in the number of people paying their

Uber drivers seem able to use their smart

bus fare in cash.

phones as a form of meter, while TfL apparent-

Alan Fisher

According to Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing

ly consider that device to not actually be a

callsignmag@aol.com

Call Sign May 2014

Page 4

reflections of the chairman

ment you have in the cab, consequently, the

Selling DaC and Twitter

‘pre-auth’ facility will not be installed until we

You are all aware that there are three organi-

do a recall to install version eight onto your

sations interested in becoming involved with

in-cab terminals.

Dial-a-Cab. I later informed two of the organ-

isations that we had received a better indica-

Apps

tive offer than they had submitted. The first

I have never known so many changes in the

organisation came back with an increased

taxi industry within such a short space of time

revised offer; however, the second organisa-

as have occurred in the last few years. We’ve

tion responded in a rather different manner.

had the licensing of minicabs through to the

They decided to release their offer on

introduction of Apps, including Uber which in

Twitter, which so far as I was concerned was

my view is totally illegal as their minicabs are

entirely unethical and most certainly unpro-

equipped with a meter - albeit on the driver’s

fessional. In addition, they distributed the let-

mobile smart phone.

ter to any Member they saw and I am also

Some taxi Apps have introduced minimum

informed they were leaving copies of the let-

charges, even though it is illegal to charge

Credit Card

ter on any unattended Dial-a-Cab vehicles.

more than the metered fare. All this is going

The organisation in question is a ‘start up’

pre-authorisation

on in our industry and yet LTPH seem power-

company called CabApp. They were the only

The fleet is almost fitted with the new equip-

less to do anything, or indeed can’t be both-

organisation out of the three that did not have

ment, we have around three hundred mobiles

ered to do anything! I don’t believe this

a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place

to go and the task will then be completed.

would have been allowed to happen under

and they intimated that I should make their

You all now seem to be getting familiar

the regime of the old PCO.

name known at the AGM. I didn’t do that as I

with the chip and pin facility, but if any of

It appears that a new development,

felt all three organisations should be treated

you are still nervous regarding the Pin

although not illegal, has now been introduced

equally and the other two had NDAs in place.

Enabled Device (PED) then please come in

by one of the taxi Apps. They have recruited a

I also felt CabApp were endeavouring to

to see Daren Morley who will be happy to

nucleus of their drivers that do the highest

treat our AGM as a Public Relations exercise to

give you a refresher on the system.

amount of work to agree to work certain

get their name known in the trade for when

According to the Banks, the chip and pin

hours and accept and complete every trip that

their App is finally up and running in London

facility is far more secure than just having the

is offered to them. Consequently, the remain-

- or anywhere else come to that - other than to

swipe. However, although Members are

der of their drivers are being offered much

process credit cards, which is all they appear

becoming more familiar with chip and pin,

less work and I’m led to believe it has caused

to do now.

some have stated they miss the pre-authorisa-

some resentment.

Not only did they release their offer on

tion whereby funds can be reserved before

What that taxi App has actually achieved

Twitter, they also took to emailing an individ-

the trip has been completed. We took note of

is to turn itself into a Radio Circuit with

ual DaC Board Member with defamatory and

your concerns and the Bank has now finally

the driver working specified hours, every

derogatory remarks about me, which in turn

agreed to allow Dial-a-Cab the pre-authorisa-

trip As Directed as well as being non-

put that BM into an awkward position.

tion facility, even though we are equipped

rejectable and of course with no run-in

However, since then every Board Member -

with chip and pin. There is no doubt it will

and an amount of free waiting time for the

with the exception of myself - has received a

make some Members feel more secure when

customer - clever eh?

hand delivered letter from CabApp with a

they can reserve an amount of money before

chronological summary of events, even

completing the trip.

Brian Rice

though I have kept the Board fully informed

Unfortunately, to install this latest facility

Chairman

every step of the way!

will initiate us doing an upgrade to the equip-

Dial-a-Cab

It is obvious they are new to the trade, as I

have had to tolerate that type of character

assassination for the past twenty years and of

The Flower Mill

course you do tend to develop a thick skin

after such a long time. They gave a presenta-

Creating Beautiful Flowers For Weddings

tion to the BoM in January, after which every

single Board Member felt it had been very

amateurish and we all agreed they did not

understand the taxi industry - and certainly

Tel: 07854 738895

not in London at the very least. After they

released their letter, I learned subsequently

Web: www.theflowermillessex.co.uk

from both ComCab and RTG that they too

had been approached by CabApp in the past!

Email: theflowermill@yahoo.co.uk

I have looked at their abbreviated accounts

for the year ended 31/3/2013 and they show

Covering Essex & The Surrounding Counties

that CabApp is in the red to the tune of £96k.

In my, view it would have been irresponsible

for the BoM to have even considered putting

“It is at the edge of a petal that love waits”- William Carlos Williams

this offer to Members as there doesn’t appear

to be any substance to their organisation.

Call Sign May 2014

Page 5

APPS: TfL look at regulatory framework...

in recent years has led to a need for clarity

ransport for London has

about what is required in order for apps to

confirmed that it welcomes

comply with the regulatory framework in

the use of taxi and private

London. TfL is seeking to clarify that position

and has asked the two trades for their input to

hire apps to benefit passengers,

formalise the regulatory framework and ensure

subject to those apps meeting

there is a level playing field for all operators.

the high standards of public safe-

Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing Director of

ty TfL expects.

Surface Transport, said: “We welcome devel-

The licensing authority is inviting the taxi

opments that make life easier for passen-

(and private hire) trade to provide their views

gers. As in many other areas of transport

on how the regulatory framework should be

and retail services, apps can offer passen-

applied to this rapidly developing technology,

gers the potential of better and more con-

while ensuring that the current highest stan-

venient services. We are asking the trades

dards of public safety and customer service in

to embrace these advances in technology,

the trades are maintained.

which have the potential to further

However, the rapid pace at which smart

improve London’s taxi and private hire ser-

phone based technology has been developing

vices and have asked them to be part of the

Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers

DaC App via smart phone

PRINCE CHARLES

formal process to help shape the regulato-

ry framework in this rapidly developing

area.”

PRESENTS ROYAL

While it is perfectly legal for an app to put a

customer directly in touch with a licensed

hackney carriage driver, any app that puts a

CHARTER TO WCHCD

customer directly in touch with a private hire

driver without the booking being accepted by

an operator first is illegal. Even if the licensed

HRH the Prince of Wales,

driver is also a licensed operator, the booking

Prince Charles, could only

must be accepted at the licensed premises. A

arrive one way to commemo-

booking cannot be accepted by a private hire

rate the presentation of a

operator in a vehicle or through a mobile

Royal Charter to the

phone on the street.

Worshipful Company of

More controversially, TfL say that smart

Hackney Carriage Drivers a

phones used by private hire drivers - which

the church of St

act as GPS tracking devices to measure

Bartholomew the Great -

journey distances and relay information so

that fares can be calculated remotely from

and that was, of course, in a

the vehicle - do not constitute the equip-

London licensed taxi.

ping of a vehicle with a taxi meter. That is

It was John Sheen who

something Uber have been pushing for and

was selected to pick up HRH

apparently would have gone ahead with

from Clarence House to take

whether they had permission or not.

him to the West Smithfield

Further discussion with both trades are set

church. Among the livery-

to take place in the coming weeks to help clar-

men awaiting the Prince’s

ify the regulatory framework for this rapidly

arrival was Dial-a-Cab

developing technology to ensure that the cur-

Chairman, Brian Rice.

rent highest standards of public safety and cus-

tomer service in the trades are maintained.

“We were delighted

that the Prince of Wales

Call Sign

could fit this ceremony

into what is always a busy schedule. And

May 2014

Editor: Alan Fisher

as he apparently gave the driver a £10 tip, we must assume that like

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

his father, he is a fan of licensed taxis.”

Tel: 0207 251 0581 Fax: 0207 553 7293

Speaking to the congregation, Prince Charles called the drivers an institution

Email: callsignmag@aol.com

and said they were one of London’s great traditions. He also spoke of the

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

Printers: Premier Print Group

yearly children’s Magical Taxi Tour where around 100 taxis drive chronically

25 - 31 Violet Rd, London E3

sick youngsters to Disneyland Paris for a magical weekend.

Design: Aldan Publications

The WCHCD received a Grant of Livery in February 2004 and followed that

Tel: 07958 300 428

with a Royal Charter in 2013 and it was that charter that was presented on

Email: deborahfresco@gmail.com

Views and opinion expressed in Call Sign must

3 April...

not be assumed to represent those of the Editor or

Board.No part of Call Sign may be reproduced

either manually or electronically without the express

permission of the Editor.

Call Sign May 2014

Page 6

TFL LICENSING SERVICE APOLOGY

Been waiting for your renewed licence?

We would like to apol-

time of other ‘non-urgent’ applications.

Additional Measures

ogise for the delays

While we introduced a number of measures

A number of measures have now been put in

people have recently

to help minimise the impact that these

place to help address the situation and return

been experiencing

changes would have, including issuing licence

the service to acceptable levels, including:

when using the TfL taxi

renewal packs four months before expiry, it

* The recruitment of additional staff that

(and private hire)

has still had a significant impact on our

are helping to deal with the backlog of appli-

licensing service and

licensing service.

cations.

are sorry for any incon-

We also introduced our new licensing IT

* Additional temporary staff have also

venience this has caused. This notice pro-

system in late September 2013. This had been

been hired to help answer phone calls and

vides an update on the steps we have taken

planned for several years to replace the paper-

reduce call waiting times. Training is currently

to address these delays...

based processes and systems that had been in

underway and we hope you will see an

place and which were no longer fit for pur-

improvement in our call answering times

Background

pose. We anticipated a short term fall in ser-

within the next few weeks.

The Disclosure and Barring Service

vice levels while we fixed any issues with the

* We are working closely with NSL, the

changes introduced by the Home Office last

new system and staff became familiar with it.

provider of the new IT system, to address any

summer led to a large increase in the number

However, the impact of the new system com-

problems with the system, including any

and type of phone calls we received from

bined with the DBS changes has had a much

issues with receiving and scanning applica-

September 2013 and affected the processing

more serious effect than we anticipated.

tions. We have changed the way we process

licences to prioritise those that are due to

expire in the near future. This will help to

ensure drivers will have their new licence

before their old licence expires.

Jery’s

World

Improvements to your service will start to

happen over the next few weeks. We are

grateful for your continued patience. Once

the backlog of applications has been

addressed and the service is back working

within acceptable levels, we will introduce

the previously promised on-line application

process. This will give you the ability to apply

and renew your licence on line and to track

the progress of your application.

Summary

Once again, please accept my sincere

apologies for any difficulties you may

have experienced in contacting us or

making licence applications in the last

few months. Please rest assured we are

doing everything we can to address

the problems you have been experienc-

ing, and once the new system is work-

ing to its full potential, l am confident

you will experience a much improved

level of service, including the ability to

apply on-line.

Helen Chapman

Interim General Manager

TAXI AIR

CONDITIONING

All makes and models

serviced and repaired

Mobile service - we

come to you!

Call Mick Wheeler on

020 8715 0079

Covering London

‘Ere Bert, I know this is supposed to be the start of their season, but which one?

and the Home Counties

The busy season or the silly season...!

Call Sign May 2014

Page 7

Following a consultation in which just 83

The 83 people who can...

people responded, a 12 month govern-

ment-backed pilot scheme involving a

road closure pushing traffic from

Fitzrovia’s Warren Street out into the

BRING LONDON TO

main Euston Road, Camden council have

now announced that the closure of that

street is to be made permanent.

A STANDSTILL

It had been described as a rat run - which

few taxi drivers or their passengers would deny

83 people took

- when being used to cut off part of Euston

part in a consul-

Road and leaving the alternative of joining the

tation - enough

traffic by sitting in the Euston underpass when

for Camden to

traveling west. The same council showed their

“neutrality” by allowing buses to avoid any traf-

make a closure

permanent!

fic by traveling westbound past the front

entrance to the University College Hospital,

According to

whereas taxis still use the congested under-

Camden Council’s

pass.

transport leader,

Camden council say the closure is welcomed

Phil Jones, traffic

by local residents and that it has stopped

data gathered dur-

around 300 vehicles an hour going down the

ing the experimen-

quarter-of-a-mile-long street at busy times and

tal closure con-

even though just those mysterious 83 people

firmed that a

cared enough to respond to the consultation,

majority of the

they are pressing ahead with the permanent

traffic was using

closure following the 12 month test period

Warren Street as a

when Warren Street was blocked half way

The report states residents raised concerns

cut-through, although he failed to say how

down by bollards and hardly surprisingly, the

that Warren Street was becoming unsafe

they worked that out.

traffic disappeared! However, when this maga-

because it was being used as a rat run and “a

Call Sign asked Camden Council how

zine carried out a survey in our May 2013 issue,

racecourse by taxis trying to avoid traffic on

many of the 83 members of the public that

amazingly most of the shop owners we spoke

Euston Road.” And Call Sign agrees with the

took the time to take part in the consultation

to were against the scheme and wanted taxis to

Council that we were trying to avoid the traffic

were in favour of the permanent closure. We

use the route - they all said the scheme was

along Euston Road, whilst at the same time try-

are still waiting for a response...

killing their businesses. They said they would

ing to keep down emissions of a road contain-

be taking part in the consultation and express-

ing some of the highest emission readings in

Alan Fisher

ing their anger at the scheme.

Europe.

Call Sign Online

Call Sign May 2014

Page 8

DAVID ‘KUPKAKE’ KUPLER

19 May 1947 - 1 April 2014

David Kupler (Y47) began

There is a strange story of how I began as a dispatcher at Shirland Road.

I was out working one day and trying to understand the dispatcher who

putting his thoughts into

was calling out work. He was awful and I understood very little of what

poetry mode for me in

he was saying, so the next time I was close by I went to the office to have

a moan. When I got there, the person I spoke to was not only the evening

October 1997 - just four

shift manager, but also the Chairman - Peter Fennymore! But I hadn’t a

months after I began edit-

clue who he was! I explained about the poor pronunciation of the dis-

ing Call Sign. He has

patcher and the Chairman asked if I thought I could do better? I told him

I KNEW I could. So he told me that I would have to go into the office sev-

missed just two issues since then.

eral days a week to learn how to use the phones - all at my own expense

He wasn’t always easy; a staunch Dial-a-Cab man but with views that often

put me into a difficult situation. But if he felt criticism was necessary, then it

- followed by a period of learning on how to use the back (details) chan-

went into his poem! There were no romantic flowery poems for Kupkake,

nel and that if I was any good, they might hire me as a dispatcher - and I

his poems were ballsy. But I knew nothing about balls yet...

would then get paid! I was given a trainer known by the nickname of

It was in November 2013 when he told me a small shadow had been dis-

Mumbles - Brian Gillette (ex-A71) - and he taught me all I needed to

covered on his lung. By February 2014 it had grown so quickly that there was

know and taught me well. We also became friends, as I also did with

no treatment available that could help. But I was stunned when he told me

Charlie Reuben and John Saunders, and I eventually became evening

that he had just weeks to live and that he wanted to put some “final” poems

supervisor.

in the mag and that he also wanted to write his own obituary.

In 1976, I left ODRTS and went to California, but missed my kids so

Visiting him in hospital, I found the diagnosis difficult to believe because

much that I came straight back and resumed my job on the evening shift.

whilst looking far from well, neither did he look that ill. Had it not been for

But a taste of America was then in my blood and I returned to that US

the oxygen pumping air into his nostrils, he looked nowhere close to the

state three years later in 1979 and worked for a former DaC driver who

ending that he kept reminding me was imminent. But he insisted on show-

had emigrated there several years earlier, Brian Myers. He ran a very suc-

ing me the doctor’s report that said his life span was now expected to be

cessful toy business in the San Fernando Valley and for some time we

measured in weeks.

worked closely together.

He explained that he was a Taoist - although not a strict one - and said

Then one day I saw an ad outside a cab company in Culver City -

that he didn’t believe in any supreme being. His belief was that you are born,

where I was staying at the time - asking for a driver and I got the job

you live and then you die. In David’s words, what you see is what you get!

as a Santa Monica licensed cabby! I said that I was also an experi-

But he believed strongly that while we are here, we should try our best to

enced dispatcher having done it at DaC in London, but the boss said

help each other and as such, he showed me the form he had signed that said

that the drivers wouldn’t understand my accent and they got some-

after death, his body should be donated to medical science.

one else! While there, they lost a dispatcher with appendicitis and I

“How else can future doctors learn,” he asked me. “How do we erad-

offered to do the job and as there was no on else, the boss agreed.

icate these types of illnesses if they have no bodies to look at? What

Problems? Naaah! The drivers loved my accent and I was given the

good does a grave and a headstone do for the world? Those who want

job permanently!

to remember me need just look into their hearts and I’ll be there, not

I went on to help start the LA Sky Cars company, which turned into a

to visit a cold cemetery to read nice words on a piece of stone.”

big success and then the LA Checker Car service. The idea was to cover

He was discharged from hospital and went home with Janet. There was

nothing more they could do and he wanted to spend what time he had left

all the local cab rides at LAX Airport that the regulars didn’t want to do.

with his beloved wife. Numerous texts flew between our phones over the

They only wanted to go into the City, so we covered those locals but gave

next two weeks - his always saying the same thing: “Still here!” Then on one

them all a card to call us whenever they wanted to regardless of the jour-

very poignant visit in March, I took with my tape recorder on a visit as he had

ney length. And they did! But where I was supposed to share in any suc-

requested and sat and listened while he went through his life. I had never

cess, somehow that financial promise never materialised and in 1986 I

before agreed for someone to write their obit while not only still alive, but

returned home to the UK with the first intention being to renew my Bill.

so sound of mind that they could remember every detail of their life.

But the PCO made me retake the Knowledge - which I did! My time in LA

There were many personal details that he asked me to leave out, but insist-

had ended, but my everlasting memory in the City of Angels was cruising

ed on telling me anyway. It was something David needed to do. I have

in my 1976 8.2litre Eldorado ‘open top’ Cadillac with its red leather

respected his wishes and what follows is a straightforward - although much

interior, thick carpets and more gadgets than most of today’s cars could

abbreviated - résumé of his life. It doesn’t tell everything because sadly David

even think of and driving it from LA to San Diego in cruise control along

ran out of time on 1st April - a date that would have amused his sense of

the Pacific Ocean’s Highway One. That was just priceless! Then I was back

humour. However, I will put two pieces of personal detail in. Firstly, besides

in London driving a taxi along the Embankment. Not quite the same!”

loving his three daughters, he also loved his wife Janet very much and his

I could see that David was weakening and made pretence that we

one regret was that he didn’t marry her much earlier when they met while

would continue at a later date, but at those later visits it was obvious that

she was a telephonist at Shirland Road. He said she would understand what

he was not in a fit enough state to continue but just wanted to listen to

he meant.

what was happening in the world of taxis. Had he been strong enough to

Secondly, to show how associated he was to ODRTS, he reminded me that

continue, he could have told about his time dispatching at the formative

his sister Samantha was married to a former DaC secretary, John

Metro radio circuit in Docklands in addition to much more. But to me,

Bernardout and that his daughter Rachel was a former telephonist at

he was just David Kupler, a really stubborn so-and-so who would do any-

Shirland Road - as indeed was Samantha!

thing to help others. He was also Call Sign’s poet and insisted on whis-

Knowing David, I realised he could have rattled on for hours, but I

pering two poems for publishing after his death. They are inside this

tried to keep it as brief as I could because I could see that breathing

issue.

was becoming a problem, his voice was losing strength and was now a

Two weeks later, David’s daily “still here” text changed to one from Jan

whisper. But not enough to stop him! So this is the obituary of David

saying that David had been taken back into hospital. The end was obvi-

Kupler... by David Kupler.

ously near. I went to see him and sat there with Jan and Rachel. I joked

“I was born to Mary - always known as Mickey - and Judd Kupler on 19

that he still owed me a poem and held his hand; he tried to grip my hand

May 1947. They were both born in the UK but my grandmother on my

but was very weak. I left and he died several hours later.

mother’s side came from Russia while my grandfather on my father’s side

was from Pesorabia, which is now Transylvania. They actually met in a

When Rachel, Ossie and Fiona - as well as Jan - read this, they will

Jewish café in Paris, where they had been domiciled while trying to get to

know how much he loved them all. And as David said...

New York where they had families.

“Those who want to remember me need just look into their hearts

I got my Bill on 12 January 1969 and joined Dial-a-Cab - or ODRTS as

and I’ll be there...”

it was back then - in 1972.

David Kupler and Alan Fisher

Call Sign May 2014

Page 9

We have been working very hard within

the Dial-a-Cab Sales department to per-

DAC SALES REPORT

suade clients who left us purely on cost,

to use us again and experience how our

With Keith Cain

service is far superior and how it can also

prove to be cost effective.

ing new businesses so difficult.

All the clients we have spoken with did say

We recently tendered for both Camden

that they felt by using a cheaper company,

Council and The Labour Party and despite

their service would not be affected. I’m

offering very low charges - and they were very

pleased to say that two clients have now start-

low - we were advised that our bids had been

ed to use us again - one in Basinghall Street

unsuccessful (on cost yet again).

and the other in Lincolns Inn Fields. For

One wanted fixed price work for all their

obvious reasons, I won’t name them, but you

trips 24/7 and even though our fixed prices

will I am sure get to know these accounts very

do not carry a gratuity, we still never got

well in the future. Early feedback has been

close. We priced many trips at the meter fare

very good, so please keep up the service.

as if the trip had been taken from the street

We are also spending a lot of time gath-

and yet we were still informed we were not

ering information on our competitors

the best priced. I am fairly sure that both

charging methods and it really is very

these clients selected private hire companies.

interesting the type of information you

There are two tenders submitted that we

can actually find out. I would like to be

are still waiting decisions on and I will advise

able to reveal all to you but it would not

vices to other taxi companies. Those compa-

members as soon as we are made aware of

be in our best interest - especially when

nies are actively building up to be radio cir-

the outcomes.

negotiating with a customer

- if we

cuits, servicing both the public and corporate

In the meantime, those of you going on

revealed all that we know.

sectors and dare I say it, that is with the help

holiday, have a great time...

All I will hint towards is that we think not

of some of our drivers!

everyone is as transparent in their charging as

Clients on a very regular basis are ques-

Keith Cain

we are at Dial-a- Cab. I would also like to say

tioning us and comparing our charges to

something to our drivers who offer their ser-

others, which makes retaining and acquir-

DaC Head of Sales

Bank Holiday work in Essex

If you work on Bank Holidays and perhaps find them not quite as busy as you might have

expected, this could be of use if you live in Essex and fancy some extra work out that way -

some of which could be really lucrative.

This year’s ‘We are FSTVL’ event takes place at its usual venue of Damyns Hall

Aerodrome, Aveley Road in Upminster - known as The Lanes by the locals. It will

take place over the Bank Holiday weekend of Saturday 24 May and Sunday 25 May

2014 and because the District line is having engineering work over those two days,

there is expected to be a high demand for taxis.

There will also be taxi marshals at Upminster Station in addition to the festival site and a

large space will be set aside in the dedicated transport hub for taxis - easily accessible from

Aveley Road. There will also be a one-way system in place to make it easier and quicker to

drive to and from the site and help reduce congestion on the surrounding roads.

The weekend is a complete sell-out so there should be lots of work. Among those

scheduled to appear on the eight stages are Timo Maas, Black Coffee, Apollonia (Dan

Ghenacia, Dyed Soundorom and Shonky), Clive Henry, Tania Vulcano, Matthias, Tanzmann,

Kerri Chandler, Davide Squillace and Fatboy Slim.

Damyns Hall Aerodrome’s postcode is RM14 2TN.

which provide spaces for taxi drivers to stop

and take a break, is available in the Taxi

Ranks Booklet which you can access at the

You taking the Pee!!!

website below the headline.

http://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/taxi-ranks.pdf

TfL have received a complaint about taxi drivers

Keith Reading

urinating against the wall that runs between

Professional Toastmaster

the entrance and exit to the forecourt at

Master of Ceremonies

Charing Cross Station and alongside part of the

Tele: 01279 465 938

taxi rank.

Mobile: 07774 860 374

Urinating in the street is unpleasant, unacceptable and also a

Email: kgr.2@virgin.net

criminal offence and TfL will advise the public to report all such

offences to the police, as well as to the licensing authority, so

10% discount for DaC drivers and staff

that drivers responsible can be charged and appropriate action

taken. Any licensed taxi driver who is charged and subsequently

Fellow of the Guild of

convicted will have their fitness to remain licensed reviewed.

Professional Toastmasters

Information about TfL-appointed rest and refreshment ranks,

Call Sign May 2014

Page 10

George Best

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

I had the misfortune - and good fortune - to

reject picking up George Best and then accept-

ing the great man! The rejection came about

because of silly principles to abide with unwrit-

It’s a cabby’s life

ten laws of taxi driving - accepting the first job

offered. There ought to be exceptions to the

by relentless drinking.

rule when dealing with your boyhood hero!

I found him an engaging, generous and unassum-

During a busy Christmas evening some ten

ing man who let his football abilities do the talking.

or so years ago, I stopped to set down a cus-

tomer. Five eager punters anxiously in need of

Enfield to Holland...

a cab were patiently waiting. A slippery guy

The GLA has awarded £30 million to my home

with sharp elbows pushed his way to the front

borough of Enfield to turn it into a ‘mini-

saying that he had George Best - who lived in

Holland.’ The main High Street, Church Street,

Oakley Street, Chelsea at the time - there wait-

is to be closed to traffic with the exception of

ing for a cab. It was dark but through squinted

buses, with segregated cycling lanes in place.

eyes I could see a diminutive bearded man,

The foolhardy scheme will continue down

slightly overweight - but obviously George.

Green Lanes (A105) creating a cycle super high-

Nevertheless I took the five punters because

way with the removal of street parking. There

they were first. I heard the passengers talking

seems to be muddled thinking in Boris Johnsons

amongst themselves, one wondering why I

plan with the potential loss of hundreds of jobs

didn’t take George Best. Somebody else

from the businesses that will be affected.

nightclub in Jermyn Street. On the journey, I

replied that I must have been a Liverpool sup-

Cycling is a fair-weather solitary activity,

said to George that the only footballer in

porter or something. I was gutted!

whereas cars enable families and groups to

recent times with his ability must have been

A few years went by, then one late afternoon

travel together more easily and in less danger,

Paul Gascoigne. He agreed and at Tramp’s he

I trapped a slim, distinguished chap in a green

considering what our inclement weather does

parted with a fiver tip.

tracksuit. It was George Best.

to the conditions of the roads...

Shortly after that meeting, George Best died

“Beaufort Street please,” he said in the love-

in the Cromwell Hospital aged just 59 and suf-

Stephen Berndes

ly Irish lilt that he had. This time he looked

fering from multiple organ failure brought on

Call Sign Online

much fitter and without the hirsute look. I

asked him if he ever got fed up with people

New Clapham Common taxi rank

noticing him all the time. He went on to tell

me that he had just given an autograph to a

A new taxi rank in Clapham High Street close to the Infernos nightclub has been appointed.

lady and that she said it had made her day.

The rank, which is in a loading bay, is operational between 19:00 and 07:00 and is for nine

Whilst travelling to his home, he made an ad-

taxis. This rank is not in a suburban area and has not been designated as an island rank.

hock decision to change directions to Tramp

Please take a look if nearby..

Phil ‘cycles round the world’!

Phil Stern spent many years on Dial-a-Cab and together

with Bob Woodford, John Dixon and Paul Bishop raised

large amounts of cash for the baby life support system

(BLISS) - where they raised enough to purchase an incuba-

tor for Greenwich hospital. Following the tragic death of

Paul from Motor Neurone Disease, they also ran for MND.

Now following his wife’s recovery from cancer, Phil Stern was

part of a huge charity attempt to cycle around the world in 80

days on state-of-the-art static bikes. Fortunately for Phil, he wasn’t

doing all 24,902 miles on his own! The Around the World in 80

Days: Static cycle challenge has been taking place around the

Southend area since February and ended in April with riders

cycling 60 miles each.

Phil’s cause was to assist Southend General Hospital pur-

chase a Sky Ceiling for their radiotherapy department.

Sky ceilings are photographic illusions of real sky views that trig-

ger beneficial relaxation responses for mind and body and trans-

form enclosed interiors into more spacious feeling and memo-

rable environments. Research has shown that the sky ceiling

instantly interacts with the pineal gland in the hypothalamus,

which in turn starts the release of the hormone Melatonin into

Phil, Bob and John bring the Green Badge Hailers out of

the blood stream. That promotes a calming process for the

patient; a very beneficial effect during radiotherapy treatment.

retirement to help Southend General Hospital’s Sky Ceiling

Evidence has shown that access to nature or nature imagery sup-

appeal

ports healing, reduces stress and anxiety and also the use of pain

medications.

Southend General have several treatment rooms within the radiotherapy unit that have no access to natural light and they are hoping to

raise enough funds to install the Sky Ceilings in those areas. However, they cost from £1000 up to £10,000 depending on size.

Phil, together with Bob, John and Paul used to run in a group known as the Green Badge Hailers but used those legs for running and

not cycling! Now Call Sign has persuaded John Dixon and Bob Woodford to come out of retirement to help Phil. Also there was DaC’s

Mark Raynor (V57).

Anyone wishing to help Phil and co raise money for the hospital Sky Ceilings can do so on: www.justgiving.com/phil-stern

Call Sign May 2014

Page 12

MDT REFRESHER

For drivers just get-

NET: statuses...

frequently and display the status on the

screen, e.g. MTR: Hired.

ting their new ter-

None: You should only see a status of

If there is no meter status next to MTR:

None when the terminal has been

minal or those that

i.e. it is blank or keeps flashing, the

turned on or re-booted and is yet to

aren’t sure exactly

meter is not responding to the meter

connect.

interface properly.

how it works, Dial-

Connected: Indicates all is well, we

You should do the following. Firstly

a-Cab IT Director,

have a connection and are waiting for

check that the cables that go into the

new messages.

bottom of your MDT and those going

John Bankes, provides a Mobile

into the silver box (PU) are pushed in

Data Terminal refresher...

Sending: This will appear when a mes-

properly. If the problem is not rectified,

sage has been sent to the outgoing

you should go to Roman Way.

queue. It will remain in this status until

What the spinner means:

Other indicators of meter issues are:

the message has been sent and an

Frequently received error message

acknowledgment received. If an

If the spinner is green

ERROR - IN-SERVICE STREET JOB

acknowledgment is not received in 30

and is spinning, the

whilst on a cash hail and ride. This will

seconds, the status changes to Re-send-

MDT is sending a

be accompanied by the success sound.

ing.

message to the host and

Frequently received queue position

is awaiting a response.

Re-sending: This appears after 30 sec-

whilst Soon To Clear on a cash hail and

onds when an acknowledgment has not

ride. This will be accompanied by the

been received. It remains in this status

success sound.

When the message is

until a response has been received. If an

Inability to POB although your meter

acknowledged by the

acknowledgment is not received in 30

is on.

host, the spinner will

seconds, the status changes to Failed.

Remain booked into a zone although

stop, the success sound

you have turned your meter on. (This

Failed: This is displayed briefly when a

will be heard and the

can also happen due to signal problems

message has not been successfully sent.

status will change back

causing a delay getting the meter on

to the connected white

Down: This will occur when the radio

message to the host).

tick in a green background.

signal has been dropped. The MDT

When this problem occurs, it is often

If you see the icon spinning green,

should recover from this status as soon

due to a meter replacement which does

this is as it should be and does not

as a signal becomes available again.

not have the up to date firmware.

mean that there is a signal problem.

However Roman Way can check this for

Additional points to consider

you and will advise you if you need to

return to your meter agent.

It is not normal to regularly go from

If the message is not

Connected to Down throughout the

acknowledged by the

Modem Mode

day, regardless of location. It is normal

host after 30 seconds,

to experience this occasionally, but

It is recommended that the terminal be

the message will be

should it happen every 15-30 minutes it

left in ‘3G Only’ mode. This is the

resent and the spinner

would be best to contact Roman Way.

default mode when the terminal is start-

will turn amber. Messages

They can take your logs and IT will

ed. The mode you are currently in is

that are not sent successfully

investigate the problem.

shown in Settings > Options. If you

in the green will go to amber and

It is normal for you to see Sending

change it to ‘2G and 3G’ mode, you will

countdown a further 30 seconds.

and Re-sending during busy periods on

almost certainly have a worse experi-

the network. This can be caused by high

ence in London. That button is there

levels of network activity.

only for the rare occasion, perhaps out-

If after a further 30

The terminal should not remain in a

side your house, where only 2G is avail-

seconds no

Down status in the London area for

able.

acknowledgement is

more than a few minutes. If it does, it is

received from the host,

possible that the modem needs to be

How do I report a problem?

the icon will change to

reset.

Techproblems@dialacab.co.uk is

ed to indicate that the

available for contacting IT if you feel

message has failed to be sent.

You can do this by selecting Settings >

there is a problem with your MDT. You

Options > Modem Reset.

can also report any tech problems by

leaving a voicemail on 020 7553 7266.

If you are reporting an isolated inci-

What the bars and NET:

dent, we will log the report and loca-

tion but we may not return your call. If

indicators mean:

you are experiencing ongoing issues,

we will contact you and ask you to

Bars:

come in either to DaC House or Roman

The signal strength is indicated by how

Resetting the modem will remove any

Way and we will take the logs off your

many bars (top left) you have just like

queued messages and will take at least

MDT. Only by going through your MDT

on your mobile phone. The more bars

40 seconds.

logs will we be able to identify a specific

you have the better the signal strength.

problem that can be addressed.

It is possible however to have a strong

Meter Connection MTR:

signal but still experience slow

The meter communicates with the ter-

response due to high levels of traffic on

minal via the meter interface. The termi-

John Bankes

the cell.

nal will query the status of the meter

DaC Director of IT

Call Sign May 2014

Page 13

With just a few hundred drivers

DaC’s new terminals...

yet to be fitted with our new

terminal, DaC Director of IT John

Bankes describes some of the

THE CHALLENGES AND

challenges of the project and

addresses some of your con-

CONCERNS...

cerns about the 3G MDT...

always be areas and times where the service is

The development and implementation of the

slow. Of course if you are in one of these

3G MDT has been one of the most challeng-

areas or times when you want to accept a

ing projects my team and I have worked on.

trip, or process a credit card, it is obviously

By necessity, a number of outside suppliers

very frustrating. We totally understand that.

and their products had to be brought togeth-

However, the reality of the situation is that

er to deliver one cohesive integrated system.

disconnected radio linked terminals will

Of all the third party products that we had

never experience the level of connection reli-

the challenge of integrating, the one that we

ability that you experience with your PC at

expected to be the most straightforward

home wired into the internet. Having said

turned out to be the most problematic. Of all

that, the overall experience from O2 - partic-

of the cellular networks available, only two

ularly in London - is at a reasonable level.

delivered the levels of service that we

lems we had experienced, our account man-

Our logs show that 98% of all messages sent

required. That was O2 and Vodafone. Both

ager attended DaC House along with the

from the host to the cab succeed on the first

companies presented detailed proposals to

Head of Business Services at O2. Dial-a-Cab

attempt. When we look through MDT logs,

Dial-a-Cab and due diligence was performed

Chairman, Brian Rice, and 2 other Board

we see that the vast majority of messages

on both companies. We visited the support

members were in attendance at this meeting

from the cab to the host go first time. If there-

and control centre facilities of both compa-

in which a professional, yet frank discussion

fore, you are experiencing prolonged periods

nies, interviewed existing corporate cus-

ensued.

of the dreaded red exclamation symbol, there

tomers and analysed future network develop-

It is my belief that O2 are doing everything

is probably something wrong with your

ment. Of the two, O2 offered the Society the

they can to improve the service they provide

setup. Also, if the majority of your messages

most flexible, technically sound cost effective

to us and I think that after you read their arti-

go into the amber spinner and then the red,

solution and so they were commissioned.

cle in this issue of Call Sign, you will also

there may also be something wrong with

The fact that so many drivers feel that the

agree. Once the initial disruption of the

your individual setup.

radio service they have received from O2 is of

rebuilding of both the 3G and 4G network

Please see the Technical Refresher pages for an

a lower standard than that they received from

subsides, I believe we will have a network

understanding of what the MDT is telling you.

our private radio network in London is dis-

capable of meeting the future needs of the

appointing, surprising and concerning. When

Society. Also, as more heavy bandwidth users

Moving Forward

the new system was being heavily tested by

(such as those streaming videos, movies and

We are currently testing a new version of the

my department, the results were excellent.

music) migrate from the 3G network to the

MDT software. This version brings improve-

We drove our test cab all over London at all

4G network, we anticipate a gradual improve-

ments in zone management and improvements

different times of the day and night. Our

ment in the performance of our 3G service.

in the way the Pin Entry Device (PED) performs

experience was that it was a significant

when confronted with an intermittent signal.

improvement over our private network. In

So what is the problem?

We are also hoping to integrate a newly negoti-

addition to that, the service offered a nation-

All of our research and testing on the O2 net-

ated credit card pre-authorisation service we

wide service rather than an inside M25 ser-

work issues leads us to the conclusion that

have just received approval on from

vice only. We were sure you would love it.

the problems we experience are problems of

Barclaycard. We will also explore the possibil-

Unfortunately for us all, the rollout of

capacity rather than coverage. The vast major-

ity of adding a gratuity function to the PED as

the new Dial-a-Cab MDT coincided,

ity of areas in London and beyond receive

Steve Albasini (V02) requests in Mailshot.

almost to the day, with the rollout of the

good cellular coverage. Like any network,

We are also working on developing a

new O2 (and Vodafone) 4G cellular ser-

including a road network, the more traffic

complete replacement for our ‘Elected

vice. This has undoubtedly had a negative

that flows down it, the slower it becomes.

Zone’ based dispatch system. The new

effect on the 3G service provided to us

This explains why a location can give good

system will be GPS Position based and

over the past several months.

performance at some times of the day and

should provide the customer, the driver

Some drivers have suggested that we

not others. It also explains why some build-

and the Society with a much improved

‘dump’ O2 and move to Vodafone. Such a

ings, such as hospitals and sports stadia dur-

way of working.

drastic and costly move would have to be

ing a game can impact on the performance of

motivated by real evidence of improvement

the network in those areas.

Conclusion

by moving to the other supplier and I’m

Therefore the solution to this problem

I would like all of our members who have

afraid that this evidence simply does not

is to increase capacity and that is exactly

experienced teething problems with the new

exist. In fact all of the evidence points to the

what O2 are committed to doing.

equipment to know that we feel your pain. I

fact that we are already with the best cellular

Having tested both the software and hard-

think that this is obvious to any driver that my

provider in the UK. Also, as O2 state in their

ware with O2 in their state-of-the-art facility, I

staff or I have spoken to personally. There is a

article, many of the aerial sites are now

am now convinced that the new terminal

huge amount of effort going on at DaC House,

shared between O2 and Vodafone.

squeezes every bit of performance available

Roman Way and O2 to improve the service that

I can personally testify that the technical

out of the O2 network and recovers in the

you receive. I also want you to know that the

and commercial relationship with O2 has

best possible way to network problems.

majority of drivers have enjoyed a good expe-

been very good. They have always responded

rience with the new kit. My team and I, along

to our requests efficiently and effectively. For

Reality Check

with the Board of Management, remain com-

example, when we raised a complaint about

As I wrote in Call Sign in 2008, when we

mitted to providing our members with the

the coverage on the Appold Street rank the

were experiencing capacity problems on our

best equipment in London. Nothing less is

situation was remedied. When we requested

PMR network, no radio system will ever be

good enough for the best circuit in London!

that our hardware and software be tested by

perfect. The private DaC network wasn’t, the

O2, they made their £100,000 Faraday Cage

current O2 network isn’t and neither will it

facility and an engineer available to us. When

ever be. There will always be areas in any net-

John Bankes

we requested a meeting to discuss the prob-

work where the reception is bad. There will

DaC Director of IT

Call Sign May 2014

Page 14

DaC’s IT department asked O2 for an update...

2 has over 23million

customers in the UK

using our 2G, 3G, and

O2 Network Update

4G services for their

mobile devices. On average, our

mobile network carries 120 mil-

lion voice calls and 170 million

text messages every single day.

And, with the increasing

reliance on mobile communica-

tions combined with the

improvements in smartphone

capability, the demand for data

on our mobile network is rising.

We’ve seen an increase of 70%

for 3G data traffic overall com-

pared to the same time last year

and this is generated across a

number of different applications

such as social media websites

and video access on the move.

The sustained growth in data usage, along

with the need to ensure we deliver the best

The 24x7 O2 Network Monitoring Centre

possible network experience to our cus-

tomers, resulted in an agreement being

reached in 2012 with Vodafone which was to

as businesses like Dial-a- Cab rely on the

We’re proud of our network and

share the build and operation of both net-

service we deliver.

throughout this change we remain com-

works. In terms of scale, there is no other

The O2 coverage checker gives you the lat-

mitted to working closely with Dial-a-Cab

est information on mobile coverage and O2

to ensure you receive optimum perfor-

comparable agreement in existence.

status checker provides information relating

mance for your terminals and give specif-

This involves much more than simply

to any planned or unplanned issues on the

ic focus on problem areas and capacity so

running the existing network as it allows

network.

that we can make changes and adjust-

us to deliver our 4G network quickly. But

We’re the least complained about network

ments where we can to benefit drivers.

it doesn’t stop there. As well as building a

new 4G data network, we are also com-

operator for the last 3 years according to

*Ofcom’s telecoms complaints figures -

Ofcom’s quarterly reports*.

26 March 2014

pletely re-building our 2G and 3G net-

works to improve service and the experi-

ence for our customers.

We are constantly benchmarking our net-

work performance against our competitors

THE SALIERI RESTAURANT

through our Customer Experience Testing

Team. This helps us to identify where we

376 Strand, WC2

need to make future investments to improve

the quality of our service.

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

We have exciting plans in place across

restaurant where you can partake of the finest food and wine

London and the entire country that will

see the delivery of new masts as well as

And as a thank-you for helping our clients come

upgrading existing masts. We’ve spent

over £1 billion in the past several years

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

and continue to invest over £1 million

offer you a genuine 25% discount on your bill

every single day in our network. London

has already benefited from the delivery of

a 4G network and this rollout will contin-

We are certain that you will be delighted

ue to gather pace throughout 2014.

Our 4G network now reaches over 19 mil-

lion people in the UK. That’s 185 cities and

towns up and down the country. We’ve

reached 32.7% indoor population coverage

and there’s even more to come. We’ll contin-

ue rolling out to reach an additional one mil-

lion customers every month until we reach

Please bring along your badge or Bill as ID

our target of 98% of the population covered

(indoors) before our 2017 regulatory require-

Salieri Restaurant

ment.

The work we are carrying out to build a

376 Strand, WC2

better network may cause some disrup-

Reservations: 020 7836 1318

tion to normal service; however, every

effort is made to keep this to a minimum

Call Sign May 2014

Page 15

CUP WINNERS!

DaC’s Lee wins silverware as

the Yellows take the Middlesex

Premier Cup

A hard fought match that threatened goals

but that never happened and the second half

ended with just the one scored by B&F’s

was a reversal of the first. Perhaps the Yellows

Sebastian Philogene after 67 minutes to

of Bedfont began to realise that however bad

beat off the challenge of Staines Lammas.

they had been, they were still in the match

But that was enough to take the prestigious

and they gradually took control. By midway

Middlesex Premier Cup.

through the second half, Bedfont and

Although the first minutes were even, it

Feltham were on top - but it still needed that

was Staines that threatened first, but Dial-a-

Sebastian Philogene goal when he beat

Cab’s Lee Pearce refused to allow anything

Lammas keeper Liam Stone to decide the

Lee holds the Middlesex Premier Cup

to pass him and rob him of his first silverware

game and as it turned out - to retain the cup

since winning the championship with

that they won last season.

Congratulations to Lee Pearce

Bedfont Green in 2009! Staines were begin-

After the match, a delighted Lee Pearce told

(J71) and the Bedfont and

ning to dominate the play and found it far too

Call Sign: “It’s always nice to win a cup

Feltham team for their victory

easy to penetrate the Yellows defence. But

and I’m pleased that I managed to keep

Lee was there every time playing one of his

out some good shots. Staines are

over Staines Lammas in the final

games of the season.

undoubtedly a top quality side, but we

of the Middlesex Premier Cup

With a scoreless first half, you would have

held our nerve and I think that we

played at Uxbridge.

expected Staines to continue their offence

deserved the win.”

Samuel and Harry...

Education and Football Development Centres.

In his first three starts for Spurs, Harry scored each time - once against

Sunderland and then at West Bromwich Albion followed by another against

Fulham. Harry also plays for England Under-21s.

He also recently met Editor Al’s grandson and Spurs supporter Samuel,

who gave Harry the benefit of his football knowledge - always score more

goals than the opposition and you can’t lose! He seems to have listened!!!

Editor's grandson Samuel with Spurs

hotshot striker Harry Kane

Tottenham Hotspur young sensa-

tion, Harry Kane, is someone who

puts himself out to help the young

and is always ready to have a chat

with supporters. For example, he

recently visited White Hart Lane’s

Community Sports Centre to speak

and encourage players from the

Tottenham Hotspur Foundation’s

Call Sign May 2014

Page 16

Remembering David Kupler…

GOOD THIS RADIO, AIN’T IT!

America where he drove a cab and worked as

Driver and Marshall Chris Grote (C66)…

a dispatcher for a company in California, I

“You’re right,” he said, “David always had

believe.

time for you. A true gentleman.”

I first met David in around 1987, when as a

Before I joined DaC, I would see David from

butterboy of about 6 months I joined Metro

time to time at Stable Taxis; he would be

Radio Taxis - a fairly new radio taxi outfit

standing in Ronnie Mitchell’s smoke filled

based in Docklands. David was a dispatcher

office waiting for his taxi to be serviced. It was

there and gave me my training on radio pro-

there that he convinced me to join DaC and

cedure - no Data Dispatch there! For you

not Mountview following the closure of Metro

younger drivers, the dispatcher had to quickly

Radio Taxis.

Kupkake’s Korner was a favourite of my

decide which call sign was the nearest to the

Mum’s monthly read of Call Sign; she has

pick-up and give the pick-up details to the

closest driver. Often, if it was a good job, dri-

been reading Call Sign ever since my 2007

article about taking my Dad to Holland to visit

vers would want to disagree with the dis-

his friend’s World War 2 war grave, who by

This afternoon, Tuesday 1st April, my ter-

patcher. David’s quick reply would be: “You

coincidence also died on April 1st - just like

minal made its familiar bell-like noise to let me

can’t argue with me ‘cause I’ve done the

Kupkake.

know of another message; this one came from

Knowledge twice!” And he had!

“I will miss his poems,” she told me after I

Dial-a-Cab Chairman, Brian Rice, and its con-

There were a few short school trips needing

mentioned that he had died.

tents made me more than a little sad.

a wheelchair cab, a facility that only Metrocabs

I also remember David at DaC AGMs where

It informed us of another member who had

had as it hadn’t yet been made compulsory. So

he would clash with former Board member

passed away. I often think about the member

those trips could be very difficult to cover but

Allen Togwell, who would often be on the

and try to put a face to the name but I’m hope-

David would promise the driver that they

sharp end of David’s quick tongue.

less with names - some you know, some you

wouldn’t lose out, often guiding them on to

David gave me my first radio trip to the fly-

don’t. But this time it was someone I knew

an Airport trip as their reward. David later

ers and after giving me the pick-up details, he

well. David Kupler - Kupkake to many.

returned as a driver to DaC.

simply said to me: “Good this radio ain’t it…!”

David had a long association with DaC,

What I liked about David was that he always

stretching back to the mid-70s at Shirland

had time to hear what you had to say and treat-

Road where he dispatched before going to

ed you as an equal. I mentioned this to DaC

Jon Robinson (E88)

HAILO MOVES INTO NY PHV MARKET

out a new Licensed Car option. This test offers you even more ways to

get a ride. The latest version of the Hailo app includes a new feature

that lets you select a Licensed Car. You’ll find the cars (usually town cars

and sedans) to be comfortable and spacious and the drivers to be pro-

fessional and friendly.

“Hailo can now help you get to and from the airport with Licensed

Cars. Next time you land at LGA or JFK, you’re only two taps away from

a ride home.

“What’s fare is fair. During the beta, you’ll only pay about 15% more

than a regular taxi ride with us. Make sure you’re opted in to receive

Licensed Cars. Once your driver accepts, you’ll see a license plate num-

ber on the screen. That’s how you’ll identify your driver.”

The question now is whether that will spread over to London because it isn’t

something we perceive that drivers will welcome...

Will London follow NYC and use

minicabs on Hailo?

ailo have started test-

ing out a new service

in New York City -

‘Appers can now call a

car rather than the usual cabs!

According to the Twit Longer

blog, Hailo have said in a

statement:

“Over the past few weeks,

many of our passengers have

noticed that we’ve been testing

Call Sign May 2014

Page 17

Times have changed along Old Street EC1.

Dial-a-Cab’s office is in the centre of an area famed for its hi-tech

Dial-a-Cab’s building currently shows an

expertise - often referred to as the equivalent of San Francisco’s

increase in value of over £3million since

its purchase as Marten House in 2007.

Silicon Valley. But before that, the area was home to...

The City itself is said to be ‘on the up’ and

once again is becoming flushed with loot!

But Call Sign has discovered that the area

was not just one of London’s poorest, it was

St Luke’s Hospital

also home to a notorious medical institution

that bore little of a medical nature about it.

There was no disguising its nature with the

name of St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics.

It had originally been situated close to

for Lunatics!

where London Wall and Finsbury Circus

are now - then called Windmill Street,

Upper Moorfields - and was called Bedlam

or Bethlem. In around 1700, it had 130

patients whose treatment included ice cold

plunges that were said to “shake lunatics out

of their insanity.” It had originally been built

to house 25 patients, so overcrowding was a

huge problem. But little was done.

However, in 1786 it moved to Old Street

between Bath Street and where today’s Old

Street roundabout is situated. The new

‘Mad House’, as it was referred to, was under

the very strict care of the Master and Matron,

Mr and Mrs Thomas Dunston, who imme-

diately separated males and females, but had

room for 300 patients with their own rooms -

said to be more akin to prison cells. The

rooms were cold with loose straw on wood-

en bedsteads.

By 1815, the 300 limit had been reached.

But the area was changing and the poor had

been pushed further east and the middle

The spire of St Luke's Church (still there) can be seen in the background...

classes were taking over. St Luke’s began

catering for a more up-market clientele and

“lunatic asylum for the poor!”

and later became their banknote printing

by 1865 it had a population of around 160

The beginning of the end came with the

works before moving to Tower Hill.

middle class patients. With the wealthier of

1913 Mental Deficiency Act which categorised

Now the area is the UK’s centre for tech-

society using the more spacious facilities, the

three grades of sufferers into idiots, imbeciles

nology. Is there a moral there somewhere

proportion of cures increased to 70 per cent

or feeble minded people. Five years later, the

because we have heard it said that you

compared to just 15 per cent when it was a

hospital was sold to the Bank of England

have to be a bit mad to make money!

Just Push the Button!

“I’m new to MB Vito ownership,” Terry Hill (K94) admitted to Call Sign, “in fact, in the four days I’ve

had the cab I’m only still slowly finding my way around its switches and things! But I’ve already ‘broken

down’ in it - so to speak - because I had great difficulty with the gear lever selection.

“I stopped to set down passengers,” he continued “and you have to follow a set procedure to allow

the doors to open. Anyway, the passengers paid up and went, so after a bit of fumbling I managed to get

the gear lever back into drive and moved away from the kerbside. The lever continued to be a bit of a

problem, which I thought was wrong on a brand new cab, so I decided to try it out while I was alone in

the taxi. While sitting at a red light in Sloane Street, without the added pressure of picking up or setting

down passengers, it seemed a good idea to try and sort it all out as to whether it was me being silly with

an unfamiliar vehicle, or if in fact, there was indeed a problem with the gear selection lever.” Continuing

in a sombre voice, Terry continued with his tale...

“Sure enough, I had very great difficulty moving the lever into drive. It just simply would not

budge, which meant that the cab didn’t budge when the lights went to green, leaving me well and

truly stuck and causing all sorts of chaos behind me!”

Then the first sign of a smile spread slowly along Terry’s face.

“So by then I knew it really wasn’t me and I decided my only recourse was to phone the dealer-

ship and see what they had to say, because at that moment I wasn’t best pleased as you can imag-

ine! Vitos don’t come cheap!

“Anyway, I was told to prise open the base of the leather gaiter that surrounds the gear lever

and push firmly on that little white button just there.” The Dial-a-Cab driver pointed to the rele-

vant nodule protruding from the gear selection gate on his taxi.

“Apparently that button frees off the gear lever. I did have a struggle with it at first, but succeeded to get mobile eventually. But clearly

it will need attention sooner rather than later, but I guess it’s one of the teething troubles that comes with a new motor, but I think it is

worth mentioning to other DaC Vito owners in case they too get stuck.”

And we now have done just that...

Call Sign May 2014

Page 18

The trade’s first look at the new

battery operated Metrocab

NEW FRASER NASH

came at the Mayor’s Tower

Bridge HQ some time ago and at

a time when questions were dif-

‘E’ METROCAB

ficult to put forward - unless

The New

you had blond hair and were

Metrocab at

named Boris! So it was appreci-

the test track

ated when Fraser Nash invited

taxi trade editors to their

Camberley test track to evaluate

the vehicle.

It was nice to hear straightforward

clear answers and not just a marketing

pitch. The design team are also keen to

hear opinions from the taxi trade and to

make improvements to the vehicle for

the driver before it hits the road.

During this visit, minor adjustments

were suggested. As the taxi is about to

The driver's

begin real life trials in London, no doubt

cabin

there will be more suggestions from dri-

vers. We can but hope that the Metrocab

team will be responsive to any sugges-

soon to start

tions the trade makes. They were cer-

and

once

tainly keen to point out that the vehicle

these

have

has been built with the driver in mind, as

been complet-

well as providing a good ride and com-

ed, Metrocab

fort for passengers. Everyone who drove

will know if

the taxi on the day was duly impressed

any further

with its responsive handling and the

changes are

smoothness of the powertrain. The pas-

needed. It is

senger compartment was extremely

anticipated

comfortable, light and airy.

that produc-

The Fraser Nash company is at the

recharged

overnight

save

tion will commence in 2015-16, subject

forefront of electric powertrain develop-

money but can recharge itself in 8 to

to the completion of the trials and at that

ment. So what does this mean for the

12 minutes via the petrol engine. The

time the appropriate dealer and service

driver? The technology means using bat-

drive motors are brushless sealed

network will be appointed.

teries as efficiently as possible; this has

units and the life expectancy is

around 30 years. The Metrocab will

been seen most recently in vehicles such

Bob Fisher

as Bristol cars as well as a range extend-

need a normal mechanical service,

but there will be minimal wear on

Call Sign Online

ed electric monorail known as Metrail.

The Fraser Nash group also owns

brake pads so these will need less

attention.

Whitfield Solar Panels, an innovative

No service intervals have been set. The

solar system which is also being put to

good use charging the cabs at the test

vehicle will ‘say’ whenever it needs any

track. Fraser Nash bought the Metrocab

attention. It has predictive maintenance,

back in 2004 with the intention of keep-

based on engine hours. The new

ing the brand alive. To date, the new

Metrocab is an extremely clever vehicle;

Metrocab is the vehicle most ready to

it knows all about itself thanks to the

come to market to meet the Mayor’s new

core technology and so it will always be

2018 deadline for new cabs to meet the

able to warn the driver of any problems.

requirement of being zero emission

The warranty is yet to be defined, but

capable.

Fraser Nash is so confident in their prod-

The taxi has two motors on the rear

uct that they assured us it would be a

which are linked by computer soft-

lengthy warranty. They would also like to

ware. Regenerative braking means

make the life of the Metrocab unlimited.

free energy recovery and the software

At a time when there has been mention

displays on the dashboard display

of the current 15 year life of diesel cabs

how much energy the taxi has left.

possibly going down to ten, that could

But even if this gets low, it doesn’t

be worth hanging on to.

mean having to stop and recharge;

Miles per gallon is said to be over 70

there is also a small petrol engine to

while emissions of 50g/KM Co2 is a huge

back up the batteries. Although

improvement on anything else available.

Fraser Nash have not yet said which

engine might be under the bonnet, it

That leaves just one more question - how

will be extremely efficient. In real

much will it cost? Well, Fraser Nash say

life, looking after the batteries cor-

the price will be targeted between the

rectly will be the key to saving money

TX4 and the Mercedes Vito.

when driving. The cab can be

Real life road trials with taxi drivers are

Call Sign May 2014

Page 19

RAY MARKS

On the 4th April 2014, my close friend Ray Marks (K80) passed

away. To say it was unexpected, was the understatement of the year.

I had known Ray for 25 years and spent at least a part of every work-

ing day in his company and in all those years, I've never heard a bad

word said about him by anyone.

The terraces of Chelsea FC will certainly miss his colourful commentary!

His two sons - Simon and wife Laura and their children Chloe and

Jacob, together with Michael and his fiancée Katie - will miss him terribly.

His lovely wife Frances will miss him enormously.

Everyone that knew him will miss him.

And those of you that never met Ray, sadly you missed out!

Rest in peace Ray, I'm gonna miss you too!

Dave Creber (C46)

LOOKING AT (TAXI) LIFE

With Tom Quigley (Y33)

industry, we must all have had some pass

Quiz rage!

through our hands unintentionally or oth-

I have taken part in many competitions and

erwise without even realising it.

sports at all levels - boxing at school district

The cynic in me seems to believe it is a

bouts, lucky enough to have played at

backdoor way to induce the economy - if

Wembley Stadium representing London

you then think of all the vending machines,

Minors Gaelic football team, played foot-

supermarket trolleys et al that will have to

ball in many a park or open space and even

be changed, it will result in an awful lot of

graced the hallowed Brisbane Road -

engineering work - no bad thing to boost

home to Leyton Orient. I have also played

jobs.

darts at

17 years of age in competition

But I reckon it will be the working class-

against an upcoming future World

es who will really kick start this strategy

Champion in Eric Bristow (yes, he won)!

into fruition. We are not the ones with

I later went on to referee and coach foot-

stocks and shares hoarded up in our safety

ball teams, experiencing the whole spec-

boxes, we are the ones with the £1 coins in

trum of enjoyment, passion and rage - espe-

our piggy banks and oversized plastic soft

cially what I considered to be the worst

drink replica bottle bought by a relative in

sight I’ve seen in sport, where parents, fam-

a gadget shop or trip to the seaside, having

ilies and friends vent their anger and abuse

night we had saw me set a question and

a dig at how mean we are with our money.

at myself and other referees in what was

later give the answer out, which resulted in

As I said in a previous article about euro

after all a local weekend children’s game!

a lady in her 70s (well maybe not a lady at

coins lying around in our homes not being

All these examples - as bad and good

that moment), rushing up to our table with

spent, imagine the number of £1 coins that

as they were - could not have prepared

her internet phone waving in the air, shout-

will flood back into economy once the gov-

me to what I and a Dial-a-Cab friend, Ian

ing at the top of her voice that her answer

ernment put an end date to the existing

Worth (A74), were to experience when

had been correct. I looked around for sup-

ones. I mean who is going to bag them up

asked to run a local quiz.

port from Ian, who somehow took the

and take them to a bank to get them weighed

It’s only been a few times so far and the

stance of either a chameleon disappearing

in case the machine detects they’re forged.

emphasis has been on making it fun. There

into the background or not least, a fifth offi-

So we will spend them at a very quick rate.

were a whole spectrum of questions cover-

cial in a Champion’s League game; he just

What bugs me is if and when the trolley

ing the usual subjects ie music, beat the

smirked as if to say you’re on your own

slots change, will I to have buy a whole new

intro and general knowledge

- the full

there ref!

range of charity token ones to replace the

range of topics. I should add that we don’t

I took the stance, like all good quizmas-

ones I will have to throw away as they will

do Greek Gods or questions with an H in

ters and referees, and stood by the correct

become useless! Unless of course they

them as we can’t pronounce them!

decision and answer. Mine...

resurface as priceless like the Matchbox

With teams ranging from 17 to 80 years

cars I threw away.

of age, you would think that nothing could

New Pound coins

Or it could be a sly way to let us older

go wrong. Well so far the abuse from

So the government have announced that

ones know what we already think - that a

youngsters of age inappropriate has been

we are going to get a new 13 side pound

Pound coin is really only thruppence (3d)

to the effect of too easy or too hard or the

coin based on the old threepenny bit,

anyway

groans from all when Ian throws in his

apparently because of the high number of

Tom Quigley

favourite subject of cycling or the odd one

forgeries of the original coins. Well in our

from me on Irish history! But the last quiz

Call Sign Online

Call Sign May 2014

Page 20

London Taxi Company Executive Vice President, UK Operations, Peter Johansen...

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE TRADE

It has been just over a year since Geely acquired

years continuing to improve the existing TX4 and

The London Taxi Company and I wrote my first

on developing the next generation iconic London

letter to the taxi trade. What an exciting and pos-

Taxi.

itive year it turned out to be!

In 2015, the TX4 will be upgraded with a new

Twelve months ago I set out our priority of

Euro 6 engine, offering not only lower emissions

putting customers first with a focus on quality in

but better fuel economy as well. This represents

everything we did. At the start of this journey, my

an investment of more than £11 million in new

first step was to listen and learn from the trade. I

engine technology and other improvements to

visited cab ranks, chatted with you over cups of

keep the existing TX4 up to date.

tea in your favourite cafes, received and respond-

The Mayor of London has announced that

ed to more than 400 emails and read numerous

with effect from 1 January 2018, all new taxis

tweets. You certainly were not shy in coming for-

registered in London will have to be zero-

ward with your views on how we could improve

emissions capable. We will meet this chal-

and I would like to thank everyone for their con-

lenge by offering a brand new, no compro-

tributions. We have taken your ideas on board

mise, purpose built, fully-accessible, plug-in

and this has helped us to focus on what is impor-

booked in as a simple service may identify other

range extended electric hybrid taxi. The new

tant to you.

jobs that need to be addressed. It is important in

vehicle will continue to reflect the iconic

Given our previous standing and reputa-

these situations that we communicate clearly with

design of the London Taxi with everything

tion, 2013 was a golden opportunity for us to

you what we have found and provide you with a

you would expect to see and much more.

reasonable estimate of the time and cost required

demonstrate through actions and not just

This project also gives us an opportunity to

words, the trust and respect that we have for

to rectify the problem. In recent months I have

address some of the more difficult challenges that

our customers and the industry as a whole.

been pleased to hear that you have noticed the

we have had to live with for far too long with a

We shared with you our vision for The London

improvements that we have made to our Service

particular focus on driver comfort and fuel effi-

Taxi Company to be recognised as the leading

Department and that you appreciate the care and

ciency. However, this will not mark the end of the

attention that we are showing to you in this area.

global provider of purpose-built taxis, on a

TX4 on the streets of London because we under-

sustainable, profitable business model and we

We have also improved our After Sales services,

stand from TfL that new vehicles registered before

have grasped this opportunity with both

investing in better training and technical support

31 December 2017 will still be able to operate up

hands. Our efforts were not in vain; in the

to the Approved Service Dealer network, to make

to the 15 year age limit.

seven months of 2013 that we were fully oper-

sure that you receive the best service possible. We

Our 2013 strategy required us to focus our

promised that we would prioritise improvements

ational, we sold more than 1,200 taxis.

attention on the London trade in order to ensure

2014 has started well for us and we are already

in vehicle quality. Our product enhancement ini-

that we could create a sustainable commercial

ahead of budget; in March 2014 we delivered

tiatives, coupled with changes made at our

platform. This year, whilst we will continue to

more than 200 new cabs in London alone and we

Coventry production facility, have all increased

build on our achievements in London, we will

have a healthy order book with in excess of 150

the product quality significantly. In Coventry we

also look to apply the lessons that we have learnt

have an army of engineers and production staff

drivers waiting to take delivery of a new TX4. In

to our regional markets in order to further

order to meet this demand, we have worked an

working tirelessly to continually upgrade and

strengthen our position across the entire UK.

extra day each week throughout February and

improve the London Taxi. Our rigorous internal

The London Taxi is recognised the world over

March to build more TX4s. I would like to thank

processes and regular quality audits ensure that

and we are beginning to harvest the opportunity

all of our customers who contributed to this suc-

issues are flagged, prioritised and resolved quick-

that this brings us by exporting TX4s throughout

ly and effectively.

cess for their loyalty and support.

the world. We may have lost the Ashes, but there

I’m delighted that so many of you have now

Drivers have commented that the current

are now 100 white TX4 London Taxis in operation

recognised the improvements we have made both

TX4 is the best taxi that we have ever built,

on the streets of Perth, Australia and we are hop-

to the TX4 and the other services that we provide.

and it is! The latest TX4 rides smoother, han-

ing to expand this success into other major cities

We started by giving our Brewery Road dealership

dles better, and is quieter than any other taxi

throughout the world.

we have ever made. If you don’t believe me,

a much needed makeover to brighten it up and

I hope you agree that we have achieved a

ask your fellow drivers or better still, arrange

we are proud of the improvements to the waiting

great deal. I can tell you that we want to

lounge in the customer service area where you

a test drive and try one of our new cabs your-

achieve a great deal more.

can catch up on the latest news or football results

self. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you all once again for your continued

on the TV and help yourself to tea and coffee.

All of this would not have been possible with-

loyalty and support.

out the unswerving support of Geely, both opera-

However, this expenditure would have been wast-

tionally and financially. Geely have committed to

Peter Johansen

ed if we did not also focus on the human ele-

ments of improving our customer service. When

we began to rebuild our sales team, we chose to

focus on recruiting people who had experience in

customer service from a range of industries. I am

delighted with the talented pool of individuals

who work for us, as they are dedicated to making

asaptrades

sure that we meet your every need. It really has

made a difference to our business and I am grate-

ful to all of you who have commented positively

ELECTRICAL

on these changes. If you haven’t visited Brewery

Road in the last twelve months to buy a cab or

have your existing cab serviced, I strongly recom-

Electrical Installations - Fault Finding & Repairs

mend that you do so; I know that you will be wel-

comed and well looked after.

We recognise that your taxi is not just a vehicle

www.asaptrades.com

but also your livelihood. When your taxi needs to

be serviced or repaired, it is vital that we get you

back on the road as quickly as possible. We have

an obligation to check every taxi thoroughly when

0203 130 6798

it comes in for repair and sometimes what was

Call Sign May 2014

Page 21

This series commemorates the soon to come 100th anniversary of the beginning of WW1 hostilities

and features past and present DaC drivers or their families. This issue tells of the great grandfather

of Carol Macdonald, wife of Ian (C64)...

DAC WAR HEROES

It was during a period of intense and

He won the Military

particularly fierce fighting in an area

Medal - twice!

known as Delville Wood around

“That series of WW1 hero stories you’re

Courcelles, where land was bitterly

running in the magazine,” Ian Macdonald

fought over and frequently taken and

(C64) stated nonchalantly to Call Sign,

re-taken, that between July 28 and 31

“you may want to speak to my wife

1916 and his later actions again at

because her great grandfather won the

Guillemont on August 8 - 9 the same

Military Medal twice!”

year, that Frederick Albert James was

So we went to see Carol, who was

awarded his Military Medal for

delighted to impart what information she

‘Conspicuous Gallantry in the Field’ for

had but warned that some documentation

tunnelling operations.

had been damaged and other aspects of

He then won a ‘Bar’ to his MM (denot-

her great grandfather’s exploits had been

ing a second win) during the Battalion’s

lost to history and time.

capture of the village of Oppy on 28th

“But I do have a photo of him in uni-

April 1917. There is no record of just what

form and he is mentioned in a book too,”

he did to achieve such distinction, but it is

she said display-

known that by that time he had been pro-

ing a real se

moted to Lance Corporal.

of pride as s

Frederick was later wounded in

told us what s

France and discharged from active duty

knew...

were letting them-

due to his injuries and later re-enlisted

“My gre

selves in for.”

as a Corporal in the Labour Corp.

grandfather w

Records show that

“Like so many of that generation, my great

Frederic

he Battalion moved

grandfather kept his military service and

Albert Jame

o France in late 1915

those honour awards so secret that it was

He was bor

nd would have been

only as recently as 2011 that the family dis-

about 1885 t

mud and water up

covered the bravery of our WW1 veteran.”

Frederick and

their knees in the

With that, Carol Macdonald smiled - the

Rose James

enches. Their first

sense of pride in her great granddad, Fred

and married

al taste of war often

James, shining through

Elizabeth Nix

w them just a few

Phillips Church in Clerkenwell on

19th

hundred yards away

Alan Green

January 1913.

from the opposing forces.

Call Sign Online

“He enlisted as a volunteer in the army

at Shoreditch in the

13th

(Service)

Battalion

(West Ham), the Essex

Regiment on 11th February 1915. We

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

know that from his cap badge. Such was

Ever needed money quickly but were anxious about

the fervour to fight for King and Country

that young men would eagerly sign up in

variable bank interest rates?

groups based on the fact that they were

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

usually neighbours from nearby streets

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

and knowing each other, hoped to serve

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

together as well,” Carol continued, almost

at your address also qualifies for membership!

whisking us back in time as we listened

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

intently.

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

“And of course there was that famous

up to 3 times your total savings…

recruitment poster with the finger of Lord

The cost?

Kitchener pointing at you. That was a real

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

puller at the time.

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

“They trained on Wanstead Flats, accli-

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

matising to the rigours of army life, but I

Call us on 020 7729 8171 or 020 7749 0585

doubt they had the faintest clue as to what

was to come as the country entered into a

Members of the Financial Ombudsman Service

state of war. We know today of those terri-

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

ble times,” Carol added sombrely, “but

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

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

those people signing up couldn’t have

Registration number 213263

known in their wildest dreams what they

Call Sign May 2014

Page 22

It was just another night travelling from the city

to the West End and then over to Kensington,

picking up workers on their way home or pas-

sengers on their way to enjoy themselves on a

well-earned night out. As I made my way back

Tom’s Tales

from Kensington, I was hailed by a well-known

Shakespearian actor who asked me to take him

to the Albery - now the Noel Coward - Theatre.

like that, I could do with some company so I

As I stopped outside the theatre, the passen-

shot home and told my wife she would not see

ger got out and passed me a pouch which he

me until the next day and then took one of my

said was in the back of the cab. I said it must

Labradors - the yellow one - leaving her the

have belonged to a previous passenger so we

black one as protection.

opened it and inside was a passport, US$300,

As I trundled up the M1 it started to rain,

airline tickets and some other personal items. I

making it a boring journey. But the thought

recognised the photograph in the passport as

of how much the job was going to make

one of a group of girls I had dropped off at a

gave me the incentive to push on.

hotel in Victoria some 3 jobs back. I thanked

When I got to Hale, I did not have a clue

my passenger for being so honest, as some pas-

where the address might be located and with

sengers may have been tempted to pocket it

no one about, I looked to be in trouble. But

while ruining someone’s day further than they

then I saw a man standing at a bus stop obvi-

could imagine.

ously waiting for the early morning bus, so I

I decided to run down to the hotel from

pulled alongside to ask him the way. As he

my location in St Martin’s Lane; on arrival I

approached the taxi, a yellow flash appeared

went in and asked for the young lady by

from the back seat and hit the window snarling

name and waited. Eventually she appeared

asked if I was for hire to take him to work.

and growling. Cindy, my Labrador, was just

so I gave her the pouch and asked her to

My reply was always the same - it was my

protecting her space and my possible helper

check the contents. She opened it, glanced

day off and I was just doing a family trip.

dashed away!

inside and said it looked to be all there. She

This went on for months and one evening

A few minutes later I saw a railway signal box

said she never expected to see it again

curiosity got the better of me as I wanted to

with a light on, so I climbed the steps and

before walking off towards the stairs!

know where he went every Sunday night.

knocked on the door. At this early hour on a

That allowed me to see the other side of

He wanted to go to the back of the BBC in

pitch black moonless night, my banging on his

doing a good turn where a rude young lady

Langham Place; his persistence had paid off

door must have relieved the signalman of any

could not even bother to say thank you. I was-

with me. I dropped him off at the destination

constipation he might have had. After he got

n’t looking for a reward; I was just trying to

and decided to drop down Great Portland

over the shock, he was able to direct me to the

save her a lot of hassle.

Street and shoot along Oxford Street towards

mansion I needed.

From that moment on I decided that if I ever

Hackney. I had my Dial-a-Cab (voice) radio on

I drove through the gates with the loose

found anything else in the back of the taxi, I

just for company listening to the other drivers

gravel crackling under my Michelin tyres.

would hand it into the police station and see

trying to earn their money before they made

The front door was large and all glass. I

the expression on a police officer’s face as he

their way home.

found the bell and pressed it. After some

filled out the paperwork - in triplicate! The

As I got to the junction of Oxford Street, the

minutes I saw a man in his pyjamas and

exception would only be if I knew the item

despatcher called Queen Anne Street going as

dressing gown appear at the top of a flight

belonged to an old person, who would not

directed. I thought I’d take a chance that it

of stairs, he very slowly came down

know what to do or be able to afford the 10

went east around so I took the job. It was one

towards me. I pointed to the letter I was

percent reward to the cab driver.

of our top clients and I had to collect 3 letters

holding, to which he called out for me to

Over the years I’ve found many items in the

back of my cab, from the most needed objects

and deliver them before 9am in the morning. I

put it on the step and walk back 6 paces. He

assumed he was joking so I drove around to

opened the door about 6 inches, put his

to the most embarrassing. I even found a large

sheath knife tucked down the back of the seat

Queen Anne Street and rang the bell. A man

hand out and grabbed the envelope with

and a bradle with a very sharp point, these sent

came out and deposited 3 letters in my hand

the speed of my wife taking her house-

ice cold shivers down my back as in those days

saying I must give them to the person named

keeping money!

of the FX4, the window slid open right behind

on the envelope. said the dispatcher asked that

Then I was off to Manchester and onto

the driver so you could easily be stabbed in the

I delivered them by 9am - some 11 hours away.

Leeds, successfully finding the correct recipi-

back.

He said that was correct and closed the door!

ents. I was later to find out that those docu-

I was also particular about food in the back

On getting back in the taxi, I turned the light

ments were contracts and the moment they

of my taxi, especially fish and chips and doner

on to look at the addresses and felt stunned.

were signed, they would make the recipients

kebabs. The amount of grease that gets on the

The first drop was Hale (Cheshire), the second

£millions. But I was happy with my few quid...

passengers hands and then they put them all

was Manchester and it ended at an address in

as was the wife!

over the seats, handles and windows. My taxi

Leeds! And of course there was no satnav back

Tom Whitbread

was always immaculate and I had many pas-

then. I decided that if I was going on a journey

DaC Board Member

sengers ask if it was new. But I have always

prided myself on my cab and tried to instil the

value of attitude and cleanliness.

POLICE APPEAL

Going east?

The police are investigating an allegation of assault made by a male who claims that follow-

My routine on a Sunday was to have a day of

ing a night in the Funky Buddha nightclub, Berkeley Street, he and another male got in a cab

relaxation, so at about mid-day I’d go and pick

and were taken to Gower Street. They want to locate the driver of the cab who took these

my mother up in Dalmeny Avenue, where she

males as he could hold vital information. It was on 2nd February 2014 at around 0230 - 0300

had a flat overlooking the exercise yard of the

hours from Berkeley Square area going to Gower Street area. The male states they were

woman’s prison at Holloway. I would bring her

dropped off just past the British Museum.

to our flat in Dalston, where she could have

The passengers were both male. One is American and thin in appearance, the other was

Sunday dinner with her three grandchildren

dark haired with a Southern Europe appearance. He paid the fare.

and spend time playing with them afterwards.

If you can help, please contact DC Jo Dell of Sapphire Command at Holborn Police, Lambs

At about 10pm I’d take her home and on

Conduit Street or call 020 8733 6625. Email Jo at: Jo.dell@met.pnn.police.uk

a regular basis I would be accosted as I

came out of her flats by an Irish gent who

Call Sign May 2014

Page 23

David Kupler (Y74) died on 1 April but requested these two final

Help LTFUC

poems be published after his death...

and the kids

THE LAST

Fancy a

KUPKAKE’S

run to

KORNER

GOODBYE WORLD

Southend?

In the quiet of confinement

of this sterile plastic space,

I hear the nurses distant

as they prepare another day.

I’ve showered and I’m waiting

for breakfast to appear,

sitting contemplating

GONE BUT NOT

as the inevitable draws near.

FORGOTTEN...

There’s still so much to organise

Now Kupkake’s gone

though I know there’s help at hand,

never again will there be the like,

who else gets a chance like this -

definitely a unique one

who else could understand?

behind wheel and mic.

A sense of fun

n Thursday 10th July

For most there is ‘spaced time’

seen through bifocals,

between discovery and demise,

2014, The London

a fast retort

when resignation to the fatal

Taxidrivers’ Fund for

and fluid vocals!

is seen within their eyes.

Underprivileged

An honest man

Children will once again be going

not known to flinch,

And others like myself

swift to help

on their legendary outing to

turn towards the foe,

and assist.

Southend-on-Sea, giving 300 ‘spe-

and challenge ‘it’ to stop them

from reaching any goal.

So long Kupkake

cial needs’ and underprivileged

you have left a space,

children a fun-packed day out at

In the quiet of confinement

wherever you may be

the seaside.

in whatever place...

of this sterile plastic space,

They are currently looking for volun-

I hear the nurse’s attendant

Remember me for what I am

teers and would welcome any Dial-a-

as they check my pulse and face.

Never think I didn’t give a damn...

Cab drivers to join them.

David Kupler

As well as giving a great deal of

Always Kupkake...

pleasure to so many children, you will

also have a brilliant day with prizes

given for the best decorated taxis and

THE CALL SIGN INTERNET LIBRARY

also to the driver wearing the best

fancy dress!

Want to look up something in

Without volunteers there are no

an old issue of Call Sign?

outings, so if you would like to

Don’t want to spend hours looking through old issues?

help with the children’s trip to

There is a simple answer - the Call Sign Internet Library!

Southend on 10 July, contact the

Log on to www.dac-callsign.co.uk or on to www.dac-callsi

Then either browse through every issue of Call Sign since

LTFUC Driver’s Liaison, Steve Bell

1998 by using the Search facility or type in a clue and let

on 07811 508772.

our search engine do the rest…

You can also enter your details at

If you want to read each complete issue with ads et al, you can now do that as

www.ltfuc.org.uk on the volunteer

well. Since May 2006, Call Sign has also gone online in a PDF version. Just click

page of the LTFUC website

the PDF logo. No search facility for that though!

Remember the Fund’s motto:

There are also issues from 1967, 1977 and 1987 as a reminder of the old days!

None walks so tall as he who

Happy searching!

stoops to help a child..

THE CALL SIGN INTERNET LIBRARY

Call Sign May 2014

Page 24

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

Brethren of the Whip

40s (£2) fine, and faced imprisonment if the

returned - and to take her kid with her!

“There’s

money could not be found.

When Chatterton did return to 67 Roman

To save his friend from being incarcerated,

Road (now Roman Way) it was not Lydia that

been a

Chatterton pawned his wife’s boots as well as

he saw, but a policeman who informed him

murder,

the boots of their two children; he even

that there had been a murder.

pawned his whip and great coat. Such dedi-

After receiving what she had apparently

Mister...”

cation to help a friend was admirable.

believed was an ultimatum that would appar-

Neither Chatterton nor Steven’s returned to

ently mean her and her three year old daugh-

Tragedy seemed to

Alfred

work that week, instead the pair of them -

ter would end up on the streets, Lydia took a

with their respective wives - went on a drink-

knife and cut her daughter’s throat, killing

Chatterton. His first

wife had run off with

ing spree. Where their money came from was

her instantly. A neighbour heard screams

never mentioned or even if Lydia was in pos-

from Chatterton’s own daughter who was not

the lodger leaving him to look after his two

harmed. Lydia did not put up any resistance.

small daughters on his own. Unable to cope,

session of a second pair of boots!

By the weekend, Chatterton was getting

At the inquest, Chatterton broke down

he had them placed in a home in Kensington,

in tears as he told the court how Lydia

where soon after they both contracted Scarlet

angry that his drinking partner of the week,

had cared for him and was a loving moth-

Fever. He took them out of the home but one

Stevens, had not repaid him and having spent

er to his own child, but that she liked to

of the girls died shortly afterwards from the

all his money on beer, he, Lydia and the two

drink. The landlady of the local pub, in

disease.

children could afford just a couple of slices of

which according to Chatterton Lydia had

He later met and moved in with Lydia

bread over the weekend.

been drinking all day, testified that Lydia

Venables - an unmarried woman with a child.

With nothing more than a crust of bread in

had been at the pub but was there to wash

They seemed a happy couple and it was Lydia

his pocket, Chatterton went to work on the

her underwear as she wanted to go to the

who cared for him when he was laid up for

following Monday. He later returned with 10s

hospital to have her bruises looked at. It

four months with Rheumatic Fever.

(50p) which he gave to Lydia and told her to

seemed that Chatterton had treated Lydia

In the early hours of 6th August 1872,

get his whip and coat out of hock. Lydia did

far worse than he let everyone believe.

Chatterton was stopped by the police for

this, but according to Chatterton she also

Despite this evidence, no further action

driving his hansom cab at a furious rate.

went to the pub. Chatterton went back to

was taken against Chatterton. As for Lydia,

Later that day he was fined 20s (£1) in a

work and returned home an hour later. Lydia

just eight days after committing the murder,

police court. Fortunately, he was able to pay

had still not appeared. This time he waited in

she was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey.

the fine thus escaping the default of several

for her and she came through the door just

The plea of manslaughter was not accepted

weeks in jail.

before 9pm. Chatterton later admitted slap-

but the jury’s recommendation to mercy was,

The following day a friend of Chatterton,

ping her and telling her she should be spend-

and the death penalty was later rescinded to

known only as Stevens, was also arrested.

ing money on food instead of gin and beer.

life imprisonment.

Some newspapers said it was for dangerous

Just before going out to work for a fourth

time that day, Chatterton shouted at Lydia

Sean Farrell

driving, others said it was for assaulting a

policeman. He however could not pay the

that she better not be there when he

Call Sign Online

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

of the magazines of the time with a Flashback…

DIAL-A-CAB FLASHBACK

This issue harks back to a 1999 issue of Call Sign and the historic result of a membership

ballot vote to decide whether drivers could in future vote by post at AGMs...

From Call Sign December 1999

FROM THE SECRETARY’S OFFICE

Following the circular to all members regarding a possible change to the Society's Rules allowing postal voting to be includ-

ed at Annual General Meetings, I would advise all members that by 3 pm on Friday 29th October 1999, the following num-

ber of envelopes had been returned:

1210 envelopes returned; 25 were disqualified and 1185 accepted as being in order

After ensuring that each was a bone-fide vote, the envelopes were destroyed and the votes counted with the following

result:

993 in favour (83.8%) with 192 against (16.2%)

Therefore, as the required 75% of members returning their envelopes had voted in favour, the ballot has been carried and will take effect

from the forth-coming Annual General Meeting to be held at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, Edgware Road, W2 on February 20th

2000. As a result, you will now be able to attend and vote in person or to cast your vote by post not less than 48 hours before the meet-

ing in the envelope that will be provided by the agency that will be used to deal with these matters.

Failure to attend the meeting or to vote in advance will leave you open to the fine of £50 which will be applied in accordance with the

Rules of the Society.

Trevor Clarke

Secretary to the Society

Call Sign May 2014

Page 25

Towards the end of 2013, Dial-a-Cab driver

Steve Albasini (V02) got in touch with Call

Sign after reading an Editorial from Alan

Steve beats Lambeth PCN!

Fisher about a PCN the Editor had success-

fully appealed against after picking up a pas-

Thanks to 2010 Call Sign article...

senger along Waterloo Road outside the sta-

tion - an area filled with bus stops and zigzag

had responded with

lines.

and sent it explain-

Alan had pointed out in his Appeal that

ing why he felt the

there was nowhere to stop to pick up anyone

PCN should be can-

exiting from the station. He asked Lambeth

celled.

Council how many PCNs had been issued to

Steve has now told

buses when too many had stopped at a bus

us that the adjudica-

stop at the same time - ie doing their job as

tion went in his

best they could - and the back ones were

favour! He shared the

forced to become stationery on the zigzags.

PATAS response with

Steve had been spotted by CCTV with pas-

Call Sign...

sengers leaving his cab whilst on a zigzag - an

“This PCN was

appeal the trade has long believed to be

issued for the

almost impossible to win! However, his pas-

alleged contraven-

sengers began to exit the cab while Steve was

tion

being

waiting for the lights to change; he hadn’t

stopped on a cross-

pulled into the side. As the whole of that sec-

ing area marked by

tion of road is closely watched by CCTV, a PCN

zigzags. The CCTV

The whole stretch of road by Waterloo Station is closely

dropped through Steve’s letter box soon after.

footage shows that

monitored by CCTV

Unsurprisingly, Steve’s Appeal to Lambeth

Mr Albasini’s taxi

Council failed, so he appealed his PCN again,

was stopped on a zigzag area. I am how-

pleted, even though the lights had by that

this time to PATAS

(Parking and Traffic

ever, allowing the appeal.

time changed. I am satisfied from Mr

Appeals Service) and again used a Call Sign

I accept the evidence of Mr Albasini that

Albasini's evidence that the alleged con-

article - this one from the December 2010

he stopped his taxi because of the red

travention didn't occur.”

issue where Sid Nathan (K88) had asked

traffic light. The CCTV footage shows pas-

Well done Steve. It shows that even though

about stopping on zigzags outside St Pauls

sengers alighting from the taxi, but Mr

councils rarely allow appeals, it pays to go to

because his passengers began getting out

Albasini has explained that they opened

adjudication even with appeals that are appar-

while Sid was stuck in traffic. Sid later won

the door to get out after he had stopped

ently impossible to win - ie stopping on zigzags!

his appeal.

at the red light. In those circumstances,

Steve used information that Call Sign’s

he had no option but to wait while the

Dennis Latchett

parking expert at the time, Barrie Segal,

process of alighting the vehicle was com-

Call Sign Online

Bob Woodford’s London walks are some of the most fascinating anywhere. You can see what’s on his menu

at the website at the bottom of the page. Meanwhile, just a small taster...

THE HANDSOME HOAXER OF HARLEY STREET

Let me take you on a trip back in time to the first half of the 19th century, when one man took a large portion

of polite society for a ride with his pointless and pernicious cures for consumption (tuberculosis).

Allow me to introduce the King of The Quacks, The Handsome Hoaxer of Harley Street - Mr John St John

Long.

It is October 1830; London society is gripped by a dramatic manslaughter trial at the Old Bailey. The accused is one

John St John Long, who has long been touted as the most successful quack practitioner in the London of his day. He is

one of the first to set up on Harley Street, the area still synonymous with high class private clinics of both reputable and

less orthodox natures.

The manslaughter case is brought by a Mrs Cashin, a wealthy society lady who comes to Lond

in August 1830 seeking a cure for her daughter’s consumption. Having heard much about Mr St John Long’s wonderful cure,

she brings her daughter to him and he commences his treatment - by applying a mixture of egg yolk, vinegar and turpentine

on the back shoulders and front!

The intention is to create a wound to bring the lung infection to the surface, with the resulting blister to be

soothed with cabbage leaves - but Miss Cashin’s wound, unsurprisingly perhaps, gets only worse and spreads. Sh

becomes extremely ill and after several days, dies.

What the Cashins didn’t know is that St John Long has no medical training whatsoever. In fact he is a downright charlatan!

A good looking charmer, he had come from Cork, Ireland to London in 1822 to work as a painter, but subsequently in 1827

and not earning enough from his art, he turns his anatomical skills learnt, we assume, from life classes to medical use and

sets himself up in practice.

It is at this point that St John Long claims to have found a miraculous cure for tuberculosis, known at the time as con-

sumption. He soon develops a prestigious clientele of aristocratic young ladies, like Miss Cashin, treating them in the same

way as that unfortunate young woman. In fact you would have struggled to weave your Hackney Carriage through Harley

Street with so many posh women in their carriages queuing up for Dr John!

Within a few years, however, Mr St John Long’s methods are exposed in the expert medical journals, provoking a campaign by The Lancet, which

publishes an article on him entitled ‘The King of Humbugs’. Then in 1830, in the midst of scandal, two of his patients - including Miss Cashin - die.

Despite testimony from tens of Mr St John Long’s high class patients in his defence, he is found guilty of manslaughter on the 30th of October

1830 - only to be fined £250!

Though this was not an insubstantial sum back then, the evidently wealthy Mr St John Long flamboyantly paid the debt on the spot. He gave up his

practice in 1831 and his life in 1834 (from consumption), being buried in a grandiose tomb in Kensal Green Cemetery.

John St John Long, the ‘King of the Quacks’ is just one of the infamous characters featuring on my walk’. Check out our website for

Walk schedules and details. I look forward to seeing you... www.discovermedicallondon.com.

Bob Woodford

Call Sign Online

Call Sign May 2014

Page 26

Another true story from Geoff Levene

I remember you!

I'm cursed with a memory for faces.

I'll pass someone in the street and

think that I know that guy from

somewhere - and then at 3 o'clock

in the morning I'll remember that

he served me in a shop a few

months earlier. Totally pointless!

But my biggest problem is that I

also remember people I'd rather

forget...

There was the cab driver I was

unlucky enough to have a con-

versation with years ago and decided I’d rather not repeat

the experience. So when I see him from time to time, I make

sure to avoid making eye contact. But I needn’t worry

because he never recognises me! Either that or he feels the

same as I do!

He then stomped back to the cab and slammed the door so hard

But sometimes there's a nice result. Twenty odd years ago, a cab

that the windows shook!

passed me and I caught a glimpse of the driver. My God, I thought,

“Careful,” I said, “you'll damage the cab.”

that's a face I remember from my childhood. Someone who lived

“Don't worry,” he replied, “I'll buy you another!”

in my area but who I was sure I'd never even spoken to. I men-

Back in the present and when I had finished relating my story,

tioned it to the good lady wife and told her that I was sure she’d

he looked stunned.

know him. Then by chance, a short while later there was a little

“Did I really say all that,” he enquired, “I must have been drunk!

item on the TV about cab trade charities and there he was taking

Trouble was that I was drunk a lot of the time back then. But that

part in an outing.

boy is a fine young man now,” he said before adding rather wist-

“That's the fellow,” I said and she did indeed know him.

fully that he was no longer with his mother.

Admittedly he had one of those memorable faces - but in a nice

Why didn't that surprise me?

way! Hope you're reading this Ronnie!

Geoff Levene (W32)

Just the other day a man stopped me in Hamilton Terrace and

Call Sign Online

I instantly remembered the time I'd picked up him and his wife

sometime in the early 1990s and was to take them to the old

Eurostar Terminal at Waterloo for a weekend in Paris. As she

came down the path, the au pair called out that she had forgotten

her coat. She half-turned to go back and but stopped and contin-

ued getting into my cab while calling back to the au pair not to

worry and that she would buy another one in Paris! Now that's

style!

Black Cab

And then there was the Dial-a-Cab account job from the Cundy

Street flats. Down came my passenger; about 50ish but still with

a floppy public school hairstyle. Over his pin-striped suit he wore

Heritage Tours

a British warm coat - that's the fawn coloured one with epaulettes

and brown buttons. Like the other type with the velvet collar, they

Black Cab Heritage Tours have some pre-

can only be worn by paid-up members of the Tory Party!

booked corporate work in 2014 and we

He chatted as we drove along and I looked briefly at his face in

the mirror. Finally I asked him if he had ever lived off Battersea

need to increase our list of associates to

Park Road. He looked surprised and asked how I knew? I

help cover that work.

explained that around 25 years earlier I had picked him up in

We only use owner drivers - but our client has

Soudan Road at about 8am. He had looked a little glassy-eyed

requested black (in colour) taxis only. However, your

and slightly unsteady on his feet. We went to South Lambeth Road.

Dial-a-Cab logos are fine provided the taxi is black and

“I'm a very happy man today,” he had said, “my son was born last

has no other ads of any kind.

night and I’m off to register the birth.”

I congratulated him and some 25 minutes later we arrived

If you would like to join our contact list please

at the Registry Office. He got out of my cab and had asked

email me (Bob Woodford) at:

me to wait for him saying that he shouldn’t be long.

rob@blackcabheritagetours.co.uk

“Are you sure it's open,” I asked? He just said that they’d open

No guiding skills are required and I should add that

up for him and with that he went to the basement entrance and I

this client is a Kensington based events Management

sat there and waited. After about 5 minutes I heard shouting and

Company and fellow member (together with BCHT) of

a door slamming. He appeared at the top of the stairs and glow-

ered at the building. It had a frontage of some 40 feet and iron

UK Inbound, so the trips are totally different from

spiked railings. Suspended by plastic hoops from the spikes was a

normal taxi work. Therefore there is not any direct

huge banner declaring: ‘Save the GLC. Tell Maggie No!’ This was

competition whatsoever with Dial-a-Cab work.

the period when Margaret Thatcher was at loggerheads with our

old pal Ken Livingstone. My passenger had begun removing the

banner by snapping the hoops...boing, boing, boing they went.

Bob Woodford

When he'd got the banner off, he folded it into four, jumped on it

rob@blackcabheritagetours.co.uk

to make it flatter still and then hurled it down into the basement.

Call Sign May 2014

Page 27

Dial-a-Cab Credit Union

To borrow or not to borrow?

are bills to be paid and the mortgage - or even

Sainsbury’s - has to be paid. As with the Credit

That is the question...

Union, something is better than nowt - north-

Hello all you lovely Dial-a-Cab drivers, young

ern again, too much Corrie I think! So if you

and old. I hope you’re not all cutting one

are struggling, at least try and cover the interest

another up to get that job, because unfortu-

on your loan, it will keep you away from our

nately that's what I'm hearing from the drivers

new debt collecting agency that we have

that come to the Credit Union office. The

brought in, so before we put anyone over to

last time I remember it being this bad was way

them, please CALL US. I hope you all under-

back in 1989 when I sold my 18 month old

stand what we are trying to do for you...

pride and joy FX4 and also downsized my

house! I can hear you thinking to yourselves;

New blood

what the hell is he going on about and why

In the last issue of all Call Sign, DACCU

would I get a loan in these times? Well let me

President Terry Dodd was calling for younger

tell you. Sometimes you need a little help with

members than ourselves to help out in the

a long term debt, just to give you that little bit

look at each case as to whether or not we need

office and learn how the Credit Union works.

of time to get yourselves straight, because

to do that, but we have to be seen as responsi-

Unfortunately, this is unpaid for at least 24

believe me, in all the years I have been driving

ble lenders and after all, we are only the custo-

months or until we feel it safe to allow you

dians of the money held by the Credit

loose onto our computers! We only need

a taxi, it all comes good again - maybe not as

Union and that is your money as members.

someone every other week for a few hours to

good as it was 10 years ago because the trade

check loans - or make the tea! We’ve had a

has changed so much - too many people trying

small response, but the volunteers have been

to do the same type of work!

Debt management

of the older variety and the idea is to get

I'm not trying to tell you how to suck

After what I have just written, I have to also

younger people who will be available for more

eggs, just to reassure you that it will

mention that there are a few occasions when

than a few months. But our sincere thanks to

improve, so back to the crux of the mat-

we lend out money to members and some then

those that offered.

ter. If you need a little help with credit card

seem to feel that once they have the loan, they

That’s all for now, so don't forget if you get

payments or any kind of debt, just give us a

can then forget to repay it! Over the years, we

any money problems, don't hesitate to give the

call on 0207 729 8171 or come down to the

have been pretty lenient and always give peo-

Credit Union a ring - after all, this is YOUR

office in Hackney Road and maybe - just

ple the benefit of the doubt. We do understand

Credit Union, so use it.

maybe - we can give you that little bit of

that times have been tough and we know you

I'll sign off for now and hope to see or

help you need.

can have a sudden tragedy in the family that

hear from you, so be safe and above all, be

In my last article I mentioned about taking a

makes you just want to sit and gaze out of the

very careful out there.

charge against your house, but this is generally

window. I think northerners have a word for it.

John Riley

for amounts exceeding £10,000. We tend to

They call it maudling. But life does go on, there

DACCU Vice President

Win £100 with

a caption...

Looking to pick up some dosh for the upcoming

hols? Well Call Sign won’t be paying for your holi-

day, but we’ll give £100 to the winner of the best

caption to the photo of David Lessman (D19) and

the two young lady cats, which could go towards

your spending money.

Entries to callsignmag@aol.com or post to Call Sign

at the office address. The editor’s decision is final..

Call Sign May 2014

Page 28

As we approach the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in

June 1944, DaC’s John Connor (Y11) tells Call Sign about his dad’s

wartime exploits in the Royal Navy...

THE WORST JOURNEY

IN THE WORLD...

John James Connor

The 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in

June 1944 seems an appropriate time to high-

light the efforts of the Royal Navy crews, the crit-

ical part they played in the operation to liberate

Europe from the grip of Nazism and the

supreme effort of the convoys to maintain the

supply of goods of every kind for the welfare of

this island.

John James Connor, father of Dial-a-Cab

Churchill described it as the worst journey in the world!

driver and Call Centre dispatcher John

“When you consider how cold a domestic

through it all, more or less in one piece, going

Connor (Y11), enlisted in the ‘senior ser-

freezer can feel at typically -18/20°, you get an idea

on to do the Knowledge and driving a taxi after

vice’ in 1942 as an eager young 20 year old,

of what my dad and his fellow matelots suffered,”

a stint at running a pub,” John Jnr continued.

keen to serve his country. Little did he know

John Jnr explained. “Prime Minister Winston

“In all, my father served for seven years in the

what was to follow...

Churchill called it ‘the worst journey in the

Royal Navy, being discharged in 1947. Along

Signing-on to battleship HMS Duke of York

world’ and I think he may have been right!

with his medal cluster, I have only recently col-

in early March 1942, he immediately saw escort

“I know dad also served on another capital

lected his hard-earned Arctic Star as previously

service to Convoy PQ12. However, as the

battleship, the aforementioned King George V,”

the MoD considered the award of the Atlantic

German battleship Tirpitz put to sea on March

John continued to Call Sign, “and experienced

Star sufficient recognition for RN personnel,

6th there were serious concerns at the

plenty of action on that craft before transferring

but strenuous lobbying by veterans and their

Admiralty that the convoy might be intercepted,

to HMS Scylla in time for the D-Day Landings

families finally proved successful! I just wish my

as a British submarine had reportedly sighted

on June 6th 1944. The constant action of the

dad could have been around to receive it him-

the German ship on the high seas. Further con-

guns as they pounded the Normandy Coast

self, but sadly he passed away in 1990.”

voy escort duties took John James Connor on

caused him to suffer a perforated eardrum. The

As he recounted the tales of his dad, you

several more ice-bound journeys between

ship was badly damaged when it hit mines off

could see the pride in John’s eyes. We should all

Iceland and Norway, protecting the vital mer-

the Normandy Coast on June 23rd during the

feel that sense of pride in those that put their

chant ships that took munitions and other criti-

ongoing operation.

lives in mortal danger to protect these islands

cal supplies to Russia.

“The damage must have been very consider-

from tyranny...

When her sister ship King George V sus-

able because she was declared a total write off

Alan Green

tained extensive damage after being involved in

an accident with the destroyer Punjabi, it was

and was scrapped. Thankfully, my dad came

Call Sign Online

the Duke of York that was sent to relieve her

enabling KG5 to withdraw from front line oper-

ations and effect repairs. The Duke of York con-

tinued her various convoy escorting duties over

several more months.

September 1942 saw John James escorting

Arctic Convoy PQ18 from Britain to Russia.

During the journey they came under repeated

attack from a considerable German force of air

and sea-borne craft, losing some ships to enemy

action but eventually arriving in Archangel in

late September.

In October 1942, while supporting the

allied landings in North Africa, Duke of York

came under attack from Italian aircraft on

numerous occasions.

A return to further Arctic Convoy duty fol-

lowed. With ice formations building up on the

ships’ superstructures, railings and decking,

sailors had to hack away the snow and ice with

axes or any other implement that could be found

to prevent the ship from becoming top-heavy and

capsizing. Regular journeys to Murmansk and

Archangel often saw temperatures plummet to -

40°. In a heavy, rolling sea, this was no easy task.

Call Sign May 2014

Page 29

Mailshot

Either write to Call Sign at Dial-

a-Cab House

not be surprised if our income is down on

or email us at

revenue from credit cards, due to the com-

callsignmag@aol.com

plexity.

Why is it necessary for the Board to know

where a card customer is picked up and

New terminals 1

dropped - information that Verifone manage

Dear Alan

without. And how does Verifone manage to

The new terminal has had many problems,

make the customer do all the inputting

but none of these are the fault of DaC IT

ments over to Lee and he told me that the

work and we don't - yet more examples of

Director John Bankes or DaC itself; .it seems

needless button pushing by the drivers.

attitude he displays is because after many

to be totally due to the inability of O2 to give

years between the sticks and for many

And as for having to repeat 'Yes that's what

an adequate signal. When I pass a major hos-

I meant' when refusing a trip or booking off,

different teams, he still loves the game.

pital or any organisation that has a high sig-

Inside this issue, you can read about

it’s like having your mum in the cab!

nal usage such as an embassy or Scotland

Jon Tremlett (Y32)

some silverware his team, Bedfont and

Yard, the signal disappears. Can someone

Feltham, recently won ...Ed

Read the update inside this issue Jon.

please ask O2 why that is? O2 may have

Hopefully you will find it interesting ...Ed

promised us a perfect platform but they have

Radio Caroline

fallen well short. I am sure 02 are being paid

Help to save Debbie

Dear Alan

as per terms of the contract, so are they not

I often read Call Sign Online thanks to years

in breach of that contract?

Hi Alan

My other concern is that John Bankes

I am writing this to see if Dial-a-Cab mem-

of hearing about your magazine from my late

uncle Pat McGuire who was always talking

may be too much of a gentleman when

bers and their families could possibly help

speaking to O2 and could have the wool

out a fellow cab driver whose wife needs

about Dial-a-Cab. However, in your April

issue I was more than just interested in the

pulled over his eyes. A Board member

urgent treatment. My brother-in-law, Tony

should go with John and tell these people

Weeden, has been a green badge taxi driver

article on the fiftieth anniversary of Radio

to get their act together.

for over twenty years. For much of that time

Caroline’s birth because I worked in the

Incidentally, I recently took my Vito to

he worked the airport and has done a lot of

Chesterfield Gardens offices from early 1965

Manchester to visit the grandchildren and

charity work. Tony also has three sons, one of

and well remember your ODRTS taxis com-

had a signal all the way. The satnav is just

whom is disabled and who takes a lot of time

ing to pick up our ‘guests’ - who were usual-

brilliant.

ly trying to get their clients records played on

and care for both he and his wife Debbie. But

Stephen Field (F68)

Debbie has an inoperable tumour in her

the ship! As you point out, it was fifty years

Hi Stephen, an update on signals etc is in

ago and in reality much of my time there has

brain. There is one glimmer of hope though,

this issue. But take it from me, John

in that there is a procedure called Proton

faded from memory, but two things are still

Bankes is nobody’s pushover! ...Ed

there - first is the Caroline House phone

Therapy which has quite a high success rate

but only takes place in three countries - all of

number of Hyde Park 9721 and secondly

speaking to your lovely drivers who were

them abroad. They have opted for Prague in

New terminals 2

the Czech Republic. However, the treatment

always so friendly and helpful.

Hi Alan

I did also work “round the corner” in

comes at a huge cost - £50,000. We are cur-

I know that the facility is on our screens, but

rently in the process of organising events to

Curzon Street for Radio London - better

I wonder if it would be possible to put a gra-

known as Big L. But Caroline will always be

raise money for this procedure so that Tony

tuity facility onto our PEDs. The problem I've

and Debbie will not have to sell their home.

in my heart and I thank you for bringing back

been encountering is that as I'm sorting out a

so many happy memories...

So can I please refer DaC members to a link

credit or debit card at the end of the journey,

which is called the Save Debbie campaign.

Doris Berger

the punter suddenly asks if they can add on a

London SW20

It can be accessed by going to:

tip. But more often than not the transaction

http://gogetfunding.com/project/saving-

Pleased you enjoyed it Doris. I also

is already being processed. My feeling is that

worked at Caroline House - albeit for just

if there was a prompt on the PED, then any

debbie-campaign

We would urge people please to donate as

two months - and I know what you mean

potential gratuity wouldn't be lost.

about it being such a great place to work

Steve Albasini (V02)

little or as much as you can and I would like

to thank you in advance for your much need-

...Ed

Read John Bankes article in this issue,

Steve ...Ed

ed help.

Ricki Rands (M81)

Lost phone

New terminals 3

Hi Call-Sign Magazine

Lee Pearce

I am writing to ask if you could publish the

Dear Editor

It is obvious by now that some remedial work

Dear Alan,

following in the next edition of your maga-

Through Call Sign can I wish Lee Pearce

zine...

is needed to make the new terminal more

21st Century user friendly for the drivers. I

(J71) well in his new team Bedfont and

Hello to the taxi driver who took me from

Feltham FC. I saw Lee play for North

Brixton to Battersea Bridge / Parkgate Road

assume that enough feedback has now been

received by the Board and I wonder if some-

Greenford United a couple of times when

on Saturday 22nd March at about midnight.

he came up against my local team, Rugby

My card wasn't working and so I gave you my

one could update us about the proposed

solution to these problems. In the very

Town. He is remembered well by my friends

phone as 'insurance' that I would pay you.

unlikely event that not enough feedback has

and I as he showed both times he was quite

But it turned out that my account had been

been received, and since this forum is not the

a character who took a lot of stick from the

defrauded! Please get in touch as I am still

proper place to discuss them, can you pro-

crowd good naturedly - and he gave it out

trying to transfer you the money - and to get

vide me and other interested parties with an

too! He played well earning his struggling

my phone back!

email address of someone to whom we can

team a creditable draw in his last visit. I hope

Thanks and please email me at:

send our concerns.

he carries on enjoying his football for some

cf.roberts@live.co.uk.

I have obviously always accepted the need

time to come.

Cordelia Roberts

to push the meter button twice to stop and

Nigel Walters

If you were the driver, don’t have email

clear, but another three actions to clear the

The London Taxi Company

but have info on the phone, get the office

screen; hardly 21st Century computing. Also,

Coventry

to contact me and I’ll be happy to contact

from talking to many other drivers, I would

Thanks for that Nigel. I passed your com-

Cordelia for you ...Ed

Call Sign May 2014

Page 30

Mailshot

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

Furthermore, bearing in mind the dearth of

work at present and the erosion of the value

of the run-in, what about reducing the lead-

Dial-a-Cab Credit

in to 10 minutes for the inner zones?

Can I also ask why, with my new terminal

Union

and the O2 technology, are there so many

occasions when I lose precious minutes wait-

Remember

Dear Editor

ing for a connection? My mobile (also on O2)

In the March edition of Call Sign - such an

Cunningham’s of

doesn't suffer from loss of signal.

informative read about what is going on in

Just to add to the debate over Hailo and

the taxi trade - I read with great interest the

Curzon Street?

the 10% charges to the driver, my credit

remarks of Stephen Berndes (R14) on the

Dear Sir

DaC AGM concerning the positive benefits

work for the last three years has been

My name is James Cunningham, son of the

between £17K and £20K, with subs to DaC

of a Friendly Industrial and Provident

late Captain Owen Cunningham. I recently

£1800+ per annum. Not being an

Society such as DaC and by inference, the

read an article in Call Sign Online from

accountant, or even a paedophile, I make

Credit Union.

March 2012 and written by Michael Son

Although separate both by law and regula-

that about 10percent!

where he stated that a restaurant nowadays

tion from ODRTS, the Credit Union is a

David S. Lessman (D19)

was considered a success if it lasted more

Friendly Industrial and Provident Society,

Hi David, I get many drivers pointing out

than two years and not as in the old days with

mutually owned (one owner member, one

the 10% as you have, but they rarely point

the likes of Cunningham's, which had been

vote) co-operatively and professionally run

out how much they lose through no run-

around for over twenty.

(through duly elected Committees) savings

ins or the 5 minutes free waiting. That

I was eleven when my father passed away

and loans ‘Firm’ (a legal regulatory descrip-

could cost up to £4 per trip depending on

in 1974. I remember little of my father since

tion given to all fund holding bodies).

the time of day. Hopefully Allan Evans

he was always at the restaurant, but I have

You will have read in the April Call Sign

will put together a guide of lead-in times

started a book to record his past and path of

how successful that credit union is. The

for the next issue ...Ed

success as he built up Cunningham's.

Credit Union is a complete answer to

I would very much like the opportunity to

Stephen's dream; also by law it can't be taken

learn of any stories your readers may recall

over or bought.

David Kupler

about Cunningham's of Curzon Street

This is from an individual owner-member

I would like to pass my sincere condolences

James Cunningham

of the CU and not a statement from a Credit

to the family of David ‘Kupkake’ Kupler (Y74)

If you remember Cunningham’s, which

Union BM.

following his sudden passing. A very sad

was just east of the old Playboy club, and

Yours in credit union and co-operation

day...

have any stories, let Call Sign have them

Barry Epstein

Bruno Manfredi (F23)

and we’ll pass them over to the Captain’s

Volunteer GM, DaC Credit Union

David Kupler appears on several pages in

son. The restaurant provided much work

Thanks Barry. As one of - if not the -

this issue and in all honesty, I could have

for the licensed taxi trade during its years

longest standing members of DACCU, you

filled the magazine with tributes. His fam-

in Mayfair ...Ed

don’t have to convince me as to how good

ily, from Essex to California to Colorado,

it is. When I joined, you would have strug-

thank everyone ...Ed

Wake up the sleeping

gled to borrow £500. Now you can get

£40,000! ...Ed

monster!

Clearing credit cards

Hi Alan

Dear Alan

Tea for two from the

Re selling Dial-a-Cab. I believe we can wake up

Would someone please explain to drivers

the sleeping monster and keep the dinosaur.

Board!

that when they do a credit card job they are

My suggestion is to convert the business to a

Hi guv’nor

supposed to clear it at the end of the journey.

partnership/cooperative where every member

Having read in the April Call Sign that Brian

But what happens when they put the card

feels personally committed to building and

and the Board are not taking any increase

straight through is that they are told it is

maintaining a professional and reliable ser-

this year, the question must be to ask if they

denied.

vice and let all members enjoy a profit share.

can spend those savings on an updated tea

Who is responsible for the fare if, let’s say

It's time for change... we must change our atti-

machine in Drivers Reception - one that

they got off to Gatwick and the card is

tude and charging system or become extinct.

pokes out choccies! I await your reply with

denied. Who pays the driver?

We are waiting 30 mins to 60 mins for a

great anticipation guvnor...

Ivor Belkin (C97 and Saturday dispatch-

£4.20 run in and gratuity job, whereas if we

Gary Cox (O46)

er)

work to winning the accounts back we could

Hi Gazza, I thought your Vito came with

Hi Ivor, I've had no credit card probs

easily have plenty of work. We have become

some so that you don’t go hungry while

since first having the terminal - a long

negative, almost excepting defeat at the hands

your rear steering was being repaired!!!

time including testing. What I have seen

of the minicabs and new taxi app firms.

...Ed

is drivers telling me that the card has

Also, Call Sign is being used to play down

been denied and the reason has always

the rise of Hailo and the personal slating of

been exactly as you say - because they

non-DaC gentlemen- which is non-productive

Lead-in times

Hi Alan

forget that you have to clear the trip in

and pointless.

the normal way first and then follow

Let's get DaC - the gentleman's circuit - back

Allan Evans'

response to Brian

Marcantonio's query regarding lead-in times

instructions re putting the card into the

where it belongs as the first port of call for a

PED. They think that you just put the

cab. Even if our earnings only increase by 3

prompts me to ask if it would be possible to

print a complete list of said times, or at least

card straight into the PED. But it will

jobs a night /day, that equates to approx £30-

those zones that are not the customary 12

always be rejected if they do that. Also,

£40 a day - that's £200 a week x 48 weeks and

minutes. Even after 20 years on the circuit, it

cards from the US have to be swiped

that is virtually your five figure sell off figure in

always amazes me how there are suddenly

and the last four numbers on the card

the first year. If we sold the Society, we would

numerous taxis booked into a previously

put in as they don’t seem to have pin

probably be tied to the new firm for a year

before the pay-out or given shares that you

unoccupied zone as soon as a job appears.

numbers

Call Sign May 2014

Page 31

Mailshot

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

would all kill time swapping anecdotes or he

can't sell for a year.

would be defending his beloved football team

Let's cut out all the slating of the opposition

and fending off criticism with non-Chelsea

and get real about what we need to change.

supporters. Great banter!

It's time for a dedicated sales team with a

I never heard Ray speak about anyone in a

proven track record who are up for the chal-

bad manner, which is a great virtue. I am sorry

lenge to turn things around. Let's not lose

that I never had the opportunity to be closer

what has always been a professional and suc-

to Ray and had got to know his family, to

forwarded the copies to Hammersmith and

cessful cab service. We have lost the goodwill

whom I send my sincere condolences and

Fulham council. The result was cancellation of

and confidence of the customers - which is

wish them all a very long life.

the PCN. Thank you...

mainly due to cost, but also because of the

Rest in Peace...

Karen Menpes (E01)

attitude of some drivers. Citigroup staff don't

Steve Shaller (ex F34)

Karen is just one of several drivers who

want to hear “effing West Ferry Road again.”

I spoke to Ray’s wife Frances at the funer-

received PCNs at Hammersmith taxi rank

We all know that on occasion, that hap-

al and she was very appreciative that so

and appealed following the Steve Thomas

pens. Let's get the 'gentleman's circuit' back on

many DaC drivers had come to pay their

article in Call Sign where the rank mea-

top where it belongs. Wake up the sleeping

respects ...Ed

surements were shown to be incorrect for

monster and keep the Dinosaur. It's time for

the number of cabs allowed ...Ed

Dear Alan

a change. I’m proud of our past and poised for

I have had the privilege of knowing Ray for 25

the future...

years, for more than 20 of those years we used

Credit Card charge

Terry Vale (J29)

to meet for dinner along with Mick Daly, Dave

Dear Al

Thanks for a very interesting letter Terry

Creber and various others over the years. Ray

At last the Cab Trade is united! And it's all

and hopefully it will bring in responses

was always good company and very happy to

down to the so-called tariff increase. Those

from drivers whether they agree or dis-

talk of family and of course his beloved

that wanted it got it and those that didn't must

agree. My own view is that you have tried

Chelsea.

be happy as well. Because if you compare the

to simplify the situation surrounding cost.

One story that he told was when as a

old and new fare charts, you will see that they

Compared to the opposition, we are

teenager on Saturdays he would go with his

are exactly the same-apart from a 2-mile jour-

expensive and it’s no good pretending that

father to the synagogue; his father, who was a

ney on Tariff 2.

a polite driver who charges £40 or so more

widower, liked to spend the day there. After a

But there is one thing on the new chart that

to LAP from Docklands than a minicab, is

couple of hours Ray would make his excuses

is puzzling me. It states that the minimum

going to win work back by just being nice.

and leave. He would then run to Chelsea to

handling charge on a Credit Card job should

If it gets busy and service is once more

watch the match, Ray swore he was the only

be £1 and no more than the driver (or in our

paramount, then we’ll get back our right-

fan cheering on his team wearing his

case DaC) is being charged. If a Hailo driver

ful place at the top of the pile. Perhaps

Barmitzvah suit! He would then run home

gets a Credit Card job off the street, he or she

other drivers disagree, that’s what Call

and his father never asked where he had been,

must pay the handling charge which is only

Sign is here for.

although he was sure he knew where he was.

4%.Our minimum now seems at least £1 and

As for the mag, let me say once again

My deepest condolences to Frances, Simon,

maybe 6% too much.

that it is totally uncensored so anything

Laura, Michael and Katie and all the family.

Geoff Levene (W32)

you don't like is down to me. I try to put

Ray, taken too soon and sadly missed.

Brian Rice replies: I knew this topic would

Val and Alan Lipscombe (Ex-T50)

together an interesting read. I certainly

raise a query on some occasion; I am just

don’t think I underestimate the rise of

Dear Alan

surprised it has taken so long! All the

Hailo and have said many times that they

I was shocked and saddened to hear the awful

Radio Circuits charge a £2 minimum and

are causing more harm to this trade -

news of Ray Marks passing. I've known him

we have never deviated from that. It was

especially street work - than good with

through work for close to 30 years and have

either 2010 or 11 that LTPH made a mis-

their no run-ins and free waiting time.

many happy memories of our banter re foot-

take with the fare chart and showed the £2

Now Uber are undercutting Hailo. Where

ball and anything else. I loved his dry sense of

on the chart as £1. All three circuits point-

will it end and where does it leave licensed

humour and friendly nature. I'm sure his fam-

ed the error out to LTPH at the time and

taxis?

ily are all going through a terrible time, but I

we have also advised them accordingly

Do I slate other taxi companies?

hope that their memories of happier times

every year since. It is their mistake, which

Certainly not deliberately unless I believe

will help them through. Wishing them all a

we can prove and none of the three cir-

they have done something to the detri-

long and healthy life free from any more grief.

cuits intend to alter their minimum charge

ment of the trade. I am currently being

Howard Taylor

of £2.

inundated with drivers phoning me con-

Howard is the son of late former Chairman

We are quite entitled to charge 10% as

Jack Taylor and a former DaC driver ...Ed

cerning them seeing Yellow Badges pick-

we have the Merchant fee to pay out of

ing up at our former Docklands account.

that and also recoup the cost of equip-

Even worse, several drivers are now saying

ment, air time and administration. I'm not

Hammersmith rank -

that some of these have no identifiers.

sure if I understand your point correctly,

Should I say nothing? Sadly, being a driver

Another victory!

but I can assure you that member/drivers

of 43 years on May 21st, I find that difficult

Following my recent letter to Call Sign con-

are not doing anything they shouldn't as

to do because I care about the business

cerning an appeal against a PCN when my taxi

DaC is making the additional charge and

and about this Society that I have been on

was allegedly “fouling” the Hammersmith taxi

not the driver. So everyone should carry

since 1974. Any drivers who would like to

rank even though all four wheels of my cab

on as they are now.

write on the subject, please feel free ...Ed

were actually within the rank markings, just to

Regarding the 4 percent, that will just

let you know that the PCN was cancelled by

about cover their processing cost as unlike

Hammersmith and Fulham council just days

Ray Marks

the circuits they don't have any other over-

before my scheduled meeting with the park-

Dear Alan

heads. If we were to charge only 4 percent,

ing adjudicator.

I had known Ray Marks for many years, not as

then all your account customers would

I had sent the Parking and Traffic Appeals

a friend in the sense that we socialised outside

want to switch to credit card usage as it

Service copies of Steve Thomas

(N10)

of the trade, but as a friend within the trade.

would be cheaper; we would then have to

Hammersmith Rank parking appeal decision

Most of the time spent together would have

start charging the driver as the Apps do

papers as published in Call Sign, who then

been at the Finsbury Square venue where we

and not the customer.