Mike Son: If you don’t mind before we start this interview, can I just take this opportunity to thank the many drivers, BOM and staff at DAC for the their kind wishes, cards and telephone calls during my recent 5 months off incapacity. I feel sure this helped aid my recovery. Thank you…
I have been happily married to Maxine for 33 years. She is not only my wife but also my friend and we love each other very much. A bit schmaltzy, but still true. We have 3 children; Darren, Samantha and Jeremy plus our dog Tootsie.
CS: How long have you been at Dial a Cab?
MS: I joined about 1968, first as a journeyman back in the Shirland Rd days. I then left to try some other circuits before returning to DAC in the 80’s as an Owner Driver and have been at DAC ever since.
CS: Your earliest memory of cab driving?
MS: My earliest memory was an hour after I received my cabdrivers license. I thought I may as well give it a try! I had my cab license and a cab plus I had the knowledge, what could possibly go wrong? I was wished the best of luck by Messrs Finlay and Miller - those who have been in the trade for some years would have known them well and I need say no more!
I left the PCO Office in Lambeth and approached Lambeth Bridge where I was hailed by my first fare. "City please" he said. I took what I thought was the shortest route being oh-so cautious and well mannered, letting all the traffic pass, stopping at pedestrian crossings and not over taking buses!. When we were behind the umpteenth bus the passenger got out of the cab, paid the fare and jumped on the bus in front. As he did so, he shouted: "If I wanted to follow a bus I would have got on one"! I shouted back in anguish that I was sorry and that it was my first day. He got back in the cab and laid down the rules of driving a cab in London. "Be more aggressive" he told me, "that is the only way you are going to survive!". When we reached his destination he said the magic words to boost my confidence: "I hope we don’t meet again" and then gave me five pounds ( that was a lot of money in 1965). I realised after he left that he was actually a Member of Parliament!
CS: Why did you stand for the BOM?
MS: It was 1992. At that time, as you will remember, we were in the midst of a deep recession, work was sparse and what there was, at least as far as account work was concerned, was not of great financial value to drivers or the company as a whole. But we had to
CS: How did it feel to be a driver one minute and suddenly a BM of a multi-million pound company the next? Should candidates have some sort of training?
MS: Well, of course it was a daunting experience driving my cab on Saturday and then on Monday morning helping to run a multi million pound company and representing 1,500 drivers and their families. I knew I would have to learn PDQ. When you go into any new venture, you have to prove yourself. Sometimes you can discover you have inherent skills that you didn’t know that you had. One thing that I found very difficult to comprehend was a reluctance to try new ideas. Invariably the response would be that it couldn’t be done. My response to negativity, in any projects I have undertaken whether it was for Dial-a Cab or my other activities is that we make it happen. Even if new ideas and innovations don’t work, you have to keep trying.
As for training candidates? I think not. Who will train the trainers. On-the-job training of course, is imperative. But I do believe that now is the time for the membership to elect a Candidates Selection Committee, perhaps comprising of drivers and say two or three professionals. This would undoubtedly give the membership the
I hope the days are long gone whereby members put themselves forward for election stating that: "A vote for me is a vote for you". In other words, drivers versus the Board is most certainly not a constructive stance for the company. My premise is that we are all on the same team.
CS: You were probably the first real PR person who actually went out and got us masses of publicity. Yet your name will forever be entwined with DAC Helicopters! Are your views on that form of transport still the same and have your views on DAC Limos changed?
MS: Thanks Al, I take that as a compliment! My name, as you put it, entwined with DAC Helicopters! If only that were true, at least I would have been remembered as a Board Member who tried to forward the good fortunes of DAC. Offering that type of corporate service would have been absolutely fantastic. As a PR exercise, what other taxi company could offer that facility. Drivers would have more taxi rides to and from airports, .helipads plus other destinations and extra administration charges could be made for that service. That means money in the bank.
As for Limos, let me make something quite clear. Our main core business is as suppliers of Licensed Taxis and drivers to our customers. That will not and must never change. But if our customers ask us whether we can supply other services to compliment what we already are extremely good at, then why not? Are we really in a position of such great wealth that we can afford to turn away lucrative
