Mailshot is your chance to tell the
subscribers of Dial-a-Cab exactly what you think. Complaints, compliments or just to write
about Call Sign. This is YOUR paper within your magazine....
You can also email your letters to: callsignmag@aol.comA WELCOME PROBLEM
Once again record surplus's and now the welcome problem of what to do with
it. ‘New communication equipment’ is the first answer one will usually hear if
drivers are asked - and they are possibly right. However, we have seen both our major
rivals suffer from the strain that this puts on the business. Proof of this is the queue
of drivers waited to join DaC.
The Board seem to be taking their time to consider the best way forward in
this matter and they are to be commended for this. After all, the system we have at
present does work and is paid for - however, it is preventing expansion and we do need to
expand if we are survive in the foreseeable future. But I believe that with a very good
chance of an economic downturn in the new year and new redundancies being announced every
day in the financial papers, it will not hurt to take a little more time before making
what will be a crucial decision.
I personally would like to see some of the surplus used to protect our
biggest account, the Westminster Taxicard. This account is unlikely to decline like the
city corporate work. On the whole, I feel that we give a blinding service to this account
and this is obviously recognised by Westminster having just renewed the contract. But
occasionally, particularly at extremely busy times such as Xmas, we see messages on the
screens such as "please help cover Taxicard job - x number of rejections". I
know that over the whole account this sort of thing happens on a very, very, minuscule
number of occasions, but to the passenger involved it could be a very serious problem and
could possibly lead to some very bad media coverage which could in turn have an adverse
effect on the Society. Would it not be possible for the system to highlight any of these
jobs after x number of rejections or x minutes and then for someone in the control room to
take some positive steps to get the job covered.
At the AGM, the Chairman decided to take a postal vote on one of the rule
changes due to the vote being very close. I trust that this postal vote will only go to
those drivers that were at the AGM as I feel that those that were not there forfeited
their right to vote.
I would also like to ask if this action (calling for a postal vote) is in the
rule book. A cynical person might say that the use of a postal vote in close votes was
giving the board a "second bite of the cherry" if from their advantage point
they saw that there was a small majority against their perceived view on the matter being
voted on.
Eddie Lambert (V27).
Keith Cain replies:
In answer to Mr Lambert’s forth paragraph, the despatching system is programmed to
bring to the attention of the controllers all trips that are two minutes old. They have
the authority to put a premium on to a trip to assist with coverage. The dilemma that
faces a dispatcher / controller is, once a premium has been placed on a trip, some
drivers, believe it or not, hang back and wait for additional premiums to be offered on
others before |
accepting. It then becomes a
game, who can out fox whom. It is fair to say that this is the art of despatching. An
individual who is able to get the response from drivers without the need for premiums
earns the coveted title of a good dispatcher / controller. I can fully understand Mr
Lambert’s view, but remember the controllers are constantly monitoring all the
unmatched trips in the system and many other situations as well. I think it also fair to
say that the reject button, on occasions, has a direct cost to the Society. MILLENIUM AND THE CAB TRADE
You've probably been asked this one before, but has anyone considered the
Millennium with regard to the licensed trade? You don't have to listen to the radio very
long before some bright spark comes on and brags about what he or she is charging to be on
call over that period - but where do we stand?
Has the Carriage Office made any kind of allowance that you know of - or have
we (Dial-a-Cab) given customers an increased account work charge?
If nothing is done, then I think I'll take my plates off for the evening and
work as a minicab!
Richard Rootes (W12)
HOLBORN VIADUCT RANK
May I ask the BoM to investigate the possibility of us using the LWK car
park at 65 Holborn Viaduct. Quite often it becomes impossible to use this rank when there
are cabs waiting for their passengers to come out of 65. If they could use the car park,
then the rank would be kept free. Should LWK say no, perhaps drivers could wait around the
corner in Snow Hill. When the rank is blocked, the only result must be that the service
deteriorates.
D.Connor (W37)
Keith Cain (who now has responsibility for the Call Centre) replies:
We think that is a good idea and we will be making this request to LWK. What they will
say, only time will tell.
AGM
May I through the medium of Call Sign, congratulate Michael Son on his
re-instatement to the Board. I have no hard feelings whatsoever and hope that his
imaginative imput will breathe fresh life into DaC. I have the consolation of knowing that
should two members snuff it this year, I stand a good chance of being co-opted!!! Not that
I wish anybody harm of course!
David Kupler (Y74)
…AND MORE
The right for every member of ODRTS to come to the AGM and hold to account
members of the Board has long been the corner-stone of our organisation and, I hope will
continue to be so. However, over the last couple of years and especially at this years
meeting, it has become more and more apparent that a handful of drivers are abusing that
right as they attempt to subvert our meetings to further their own personal agenda whilst
purporting to be acting in the interests of us all. Like many other members with families
and responsibilities, my Sundays are important and I resent having to give up my one day
off while this insignificant gang indulge in their petty and spiteful fantasies.
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To those
concerned, and we all know who they are, I say "Your conduct last Sunday was a
disgrace to this Society, the licensed trade and to yourselves. If you have nothing
constructive to offer next year, stay away. I’m sure the vast majority of members
would chip in a couple of bob to pay your fine. So far as I'm concerned, it will be money
well spent".
Paul Jenner (L19)
…AND MORE
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those drivers that
voted for me to represent them as a Board Member at this year’s AGM (1998). It was
heart-warming and very flattering that so many of you had faith enough in me to give me
your vote. My sincere thanks to you all and a very happy new year.
Paul Tully (Y40)
MIGHTY FINE SUGGESTION?
I would like to propose some ideas for the BoM to consider. Firstly, for
jobs that aren’t covered as quickly as we’d like through various reasons.
Premiums are OK as an incentive to get drivers to accept jobs but are:
Coming out of the Dial-a-Cab kitty
Only at the discretion of the controller
When the job is very late
I propose that every time a job is rejected in a back-up zone, a fine of 5p is levied.
Jobs rejected in the primary zone should carry a 10p fine. The person who accepts the job
would automatically be paid the total ‘fine’ money for the job. The current
value of fines carried should be displayed with the job offer.
My second suggestion is in regard to ‘bidding’ for jobs. When a job
is in the ‘bid zone’, it is being offered to all and sundry - quite often to
cabs that are nowhere near the job. Whilst this is occurring, genuine bidders get the
message " no bid trip in this zone". I suggest that the action of bidding for a
job puts that cab in a queue for the job offer.
Alan Nash (A95)
Keith Cain replies:
Technically we are not set up for "fining". I believe the work and cost involved
to alter our system far outweighs what is trying to be achieved. Who pays the fine? Are we
to believe that the driver who rejects the trip has the fine deducted from his credits?
Unfortunately, it would become an administration nightmare.
I also have trouble understanding who is a genuine bidder. If it is somebody
who is already in the zone or a back up zone to the trip, I have to ask why the trip was
not accepted before it got to the bids. Being placed in a queue for bid trips is no
different to the method we operate? Book in to a zone, obtain a queue position and be
offered a trip. Bid trips were designed for the driver who was not close by and who was
prepared to run for the journey.
As a comment to drivers who look for ideas to improve the way we operate, I
would recommend they look for the lowest common denominator. Try and work out the worst
case scenario and always see if it can be abused. I don't wish to sound negative, but to
improve any system you must always add up the pro's and the con's. |
