Allen Togwell looks at a worrying trend

"....The driver began yelling at me stating that his was the most direct route and that if I had wanted to go a special route, I should have said so. He was becoming very heated and to be honest, I felt a bit frightened that if I continued to contest him in any way, he may have ordered me out of his cab or worse..."

For some unknown reason, the above paragraph is typical of what we appear to be getting in some letters of late from clients - complaints about the rudeness of drivers, their conduct and even the occasional 'threatening behaviour'. Exactly why it is suddenly happening, I don't know. It isn't a kipper season, there is not a heat-wave and traffic is no worse than it always is.
Of course, when we talk of an increase, we are referring to an increase in a very small number to begin with - but nevertheless, it is one increase that we find very unwelcome and I'm sure that the majority of you will understand when I say that it cannot be tolerated.
We have for many years enjoyed the reputation of having the most courteous drivers in the trade. We are proud of this reputation and we do not want to see it tarnished. As I said earlier, I believe that this is not just the view of myself or the Board, but

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the views of the majority of our members. And it is those members, the members who have built this reputation, that we have to protect.

Stressful Occupation?
Driving a cab in London is without doubt, amongst the highest of all stressful occupations (Editor's note: In the USA, it is officially recognised as number 1). In fact, only this very morning I was approached by the BBC asking if one of our drivers would appear on a programme about stress. Unfortunately, whatever the level of stress you are under and for whatever reason - be it with the PCO, the Ol' Bill, financial, health or personal - it must not be allowed to affect your work. Because if it does and you find yourself facing three of your fellow subscribers at a complaints meeting, don't expect any mercy.
In all the years that I have chaired complaints meetings, I have been staggered lately by the sudden unrelenting attitude of the drivers selected to judge complaints. Compared to the past when, for example, a one week suspension was considered an

appropriate sentence, I am now seeing drivers with no previous 'form' getting four weeks. As I have said often, it can take months to open a new account but it only takes one driver five minutes to close it. And, with the effect this can have on our drivers living, complaints committees are recognising this fact and becoming less lenient.
I've had a badge long enough to know the provocation drivers can be put under from some passengers and the possible exaggerations that can be made when complaints are put in writing, however, as difficult as it is, if you don't respond then no complaints can be made against you.

Editor's note: Few in-house magazines within the cab trade - if indeed any - would publish an article such as the one above. But I believe that 99% of you would want to know about it and it is for the sake of the 99% that it is seeing the light of day. If a driver boasts to you and laughs about how they told an account client off, don't laugh along with him - tell him what he might be doing to your work. Many clients will be reading this article either in hard form or via the Internet and it is important that they realise we do not sweep matters such as these under the carpet. Any driver's who have comments about the above are welcome to send them to Mailshot...

DAC OVERSEAS MEETING

The month of October promises to be a busy one for both DaC Chairman Brian Rice and Marketing Manager Allen Togwell. They will be representing the Society at the IRU (International Road Users) two day conference which is being held in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg early this month.

As new members of the IRU, it is important for Dial-a-Cab to have a presence. Allen Togwell is the DaC IRU representative and hopes to use the occasion to make contact with as many European

Picture courtesy of the Luxembourg Tourist Office

cab companies as possible, adding to the useful portfolio of contacts that we already have overseas.
One large Dial-a-Cab client has already made enquiries for us to supply a taxi service in New York and Frankfurt. Allen told Call Sign that he had little problem setting

up arrangements for New York, but that Frankfurt proved to be more difficult as they don't do account work as we do in London. However, he managed to find a taxi company that will work with DaC and he is hoping to make a trip to Frankfurt to arrange details.
The same twosome will be attending the ITLA conference in Chicago in mid-October
and have arranged to meet up with the New York cab firm who will be also be there.
Reports from both meetings will be in Call Sign.