4 Sheffield Terrace,
Kensington W.8.
12th June 1967

Dear Sir,
   Thank you for your letter of 8th June. I am very happy for you to publish my letter of May 31st in your News Magazine; if you fell it will be helpful.
I shall certainly advise my friends to ring LORDS 1133 when they are in need of a taxi, and thank you again for all your help.

Yours sincerely,

Hi Kim
Christian A. Withy.

Dear Sir,
   I am writing to say how elated I was to hear that cab drivers had volunteered their services to the Israel Embassy to transport students to London Airport and such other places as required, free of charge.
   When the call first came out the response was such, that it took even me, five minutes to get in on the call, it was as if bars of gold were being distributed.
   May I say that I am proud to be associated with this circuit and to call myself a cabman.
A word of praise, too, for the co-operation of all our telephonists and dispatchers, without them it would not have been possible.Yours sincerely,
Aubrey Siteman, C.7.

Helsinki,
14 Kapteenik.

Dear Sir,
   I am sorry that I have let you wait for my answer to your letter this spring. However, last months have been very busy for me. On January, had to negotiate about arranging (primary) schoolchildren’s transportation with taxis in many rural communities.  We had meetings with local schoolteachers and local taxi owners about these things. In February our about 300 local associations had each their annual meetings. Just now these meeting of our total countrywide organisation is about to start in Turku, which is the former capital of Finland and the most ancient city of our country. It lies on the southwestern coast along the European road Number 4 (Madrid-Stockholm-Helsinki-Leningrad). Maybe you like to hear more about our taxi news. The use of radio equipment is continuously spreading. Two towns, Vaasa and Kokkola plan to buy them from the English Pye. They plan to operate on the basis of quite a large area-larger than yours in London. Another new arrangement is that our taxis start to use the lamp on the roof of the car (cablites) so that                   it starts to flash if the taxi driver is in danger (e.g. of being robbed). 

The75a Fernhead Road,
Paddington, W.9.

Dear Editor,
   I would like to convey my thanks and gratitude to ALL of the B.O.M in their help and support, and also Mr. Bill Browne for his Assistance, over an accident that happened with one of our credit customers, which could have resulted in serious consequences for me. Be warned chaps, that old adage, "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT" really stands.Yours sincerely,
T.Browne C.35.

Kibbutz Ceva,
Israel

Dear Sir,
   Let me introduce myself as Dan 38, former Night Man. I’ve just had the pleasure of reading your fine magazine. Prior to my trip to Israel, whilst working on June 1st, 1967, I answered a radio call- Paul St. to St. Johns Wood. This job is called daily at 4.45 or 5.5 p.m whilst outside 52 Paul St. I made contact with the hall porter, my total absence from my vehicle, five minutes, and £2 parking ticket.
   The job, 15s. Can you wonder why I’m here? It doesn’t pay me to work with the present traffic laws; a cabdriver cannot give the general public a service for which is badly required. Staying with me is a former London taxi driver, the name is Al Weinhouse or Swedish taxis also plan to take this system.
   It has been very interesting to read your "NEWS" and "The Steering Wheel". May be you might be able to send me also further copies using my home address (Helsinki 14 Kapteenink. 24 F 76 A. Salmi), as I am very often away from the office on a journey. The girls in the office not understand to save the copies of your magazines of me always, that is why the home address is better.Yours faithfully,

Asko T. Salmi,
Organising Secretary.

North Harrow, Middx.

Dear Sir,
   Unfortunately (or unfortunately for your readers), a commitment, in the shape of a marvellous opportunity I’ve been given to work on a screenplay, is making it very difficult for me to concentrate on other writing just now, which means that I won’t be able to send you any more materials for a while.
   However, I should like to thank you very much indeed for publishing my short stories and other work in the magazine in the past, and of course hope that you may be able to to use anything else I might come up with later on.
   In the meantime I wish you every success with the magazine for the future, and shall very much look forward to seeing the work of other Weinstein and he lost his brother Alec last year (taxi driver). I believe he was a gent’s hairdresser.
 Yours truly,Ron Carlowe.
The girls here are better looking than the traffic wardens (women) around the Shoreditch areas !!
I would be very grateful to you, if possible, to send me a copy of your magazine.
In this country the taxi/buses are a true service, not a pipe dream of The Liberal Party Plans for London.Embassy of Israel,

2 Palace Green
London, W.8.

Dear Sirs,
   I would like to express my deep-felt thanks to all the members of your service for the great help with which they rendered the Embassy staff during the difficult days three weeks ago.
   This manifestation of solidarity with Israel was a source of tremendous strength to all of us, and enabled us to face our tasks with confidence.
I would be grateful if you would bring this to the notice of all who gave unselfishly of their time and energy.
Yours sincerely,Raanan Sivan,
Consul General.
Drivers in it.
Thank you again.
Your always,
Melvin (Taxema) Simmons A.52.
Nice to hear, GOOD LUCK. -Ed.

4 Lower Court Road,
Epsom, Surrey.

Dear Sirs,
   On behalf of the drivers (E.60-67) who are endeavouring to start a sub-section of the O.D.R.T.S. in and around Kinston, we would like to take this opportunity of saying thank you to everyone concerned in getting us going and to the occasional cab driver who stops and wishes us all the best on his way through Kingston.
   It would be impossible to single out one person who has done more than any other, or to thank  you all personally, so if you can find a space in

 your monthly magazine or on your office board to display this letter we would be most grateful.
Yours faithfully,J. C. Downie, E.60

Radio Taxicabs (Southern) Ltd.,
144 Shirland Rd.,
London, W.9.
June 20th 1967

Dear Sir,
   On behalf of the above Company, may we offer our sincere thanks for your co-operation when we were unfortunate in having a power failure this morning.
   This undoubtedly proves that the co-operation between the two circuits is indeed sincere.
Thanking you once again.Yours faithfully,
F. Franks,
Secretary.

130 Ashford Court,
Ashford Road,
N.W.2.

Dear Sir,
   With regard to Mr. Braden’s letter in the June issue, we should ask ourselves if we stand or fall as an organisation if credit facilities are not taken up by the Braden household or if they seek a more reliable service elsewhere. I am confident that their absence would not be noticed but cannot say the same for the many satisfied and respected clients and friends who are always ready to praise our efforts and sometimes show their appreciation by tipping the driver in addition to the automatic gratuity. The fabulous amount of 6s. 6d. For transporting Mr. Braden from home to office or vice versa, is still 1s. 6d. Or 1s. Below the lowest minimum fare advertised by our unlicensed and unreliable opposition.
   A few weeks ago, I answered a call for Chester Terrace, I gave my position at Madam Tussuads and was asked to cover the job quickly. On arriving at the Braden household with 2s. 6d. on the meter, the manservant asked me to wait, Mrs. Braden eventually appeared and asked to be driven to Hinde Street. After driving about 100yards, the meter tripped up to 3s. 6d. And Mrs Braden began to complain about the amount on the meter. I explained the run-in procedure and waiting time butshe more or less instated that some sharp practice was going on. As I could make no headway, I called the dispatcher, explained the back to us a wiser and happier client, a little more patient during peak hiring hours and happy in the knowledge that we will be more eager to cover his requests for cabs if we are not treated as " Ali Baba and the Forty Cab-drivers" that crazy old pantomime joke which seems to perpetually run through his mind and programmes.Yours faithfully,
R. Barnett, C.37

14 Fulke House,
Brooke Rd., E.5.

Dear Sir,
   Unfortunately, Mr. Braden’s letter, printed by you in the last News Magazine, had a modicum of truth in it.
   Most organisations, rely on the service humans give, must fail at times, and I’ve yet to see ANY product live up to the advertisement portrayed for it. For instance, how often have I switched over on a Saturday night, from the B.B.C., to " on the Braden Beat," expecting to be amused and entertained, BUT………Yours faithfully,E.T. Hainsly, Black II.
Position and told him I had the feelings that Mrs. Braden was convinced that I was a dishonest person. He suggested I make some adjustment at the other end, to which I replied in a very loud and firm tone "Certainly not." By the time we reached Hinde St., Mrs. Braden was sweetness itself, most apologetic and rewarded me with a 1s. 6d. Tip, but gone was the image I had built up of a kind and homely personality. A priceless images every entertainer strugglers and strives for, gone for the price of a measly bob. This incident does not seem to fall in with Mrs. Braden eagerness to have a cab five minutes early rather than five late. I would suggest we write to Mr. Braden, in the nicest possible terms, urging him to give our competitors a trial and when he is dissatisfied, as I am sure he soon will be, come.Dear Sir,
   Having read the letter from Mr. Bernard Braden, I would like to bring to your notice, and to is, for that matter, an incident which occurred two or three weeks ago. A cab was booked for 10.55a.m. For Mrs. Braden, as is usual, we called the job 10 min. before time, a cab was in the outer circle and arrived at the address within two or three minutes, we phoned to advise that the cab was outside and the cab being there a few minutes before, but would the driver stop his meter until the time booked. She was informed this couldn’t be done and we were instructed to send the cab away and send another one at the booked time. We then suggested, after dismissing the cab that she phoned for one when she was ready this she did.Yours faithfully,
Derek Ford,

North Harrow,
Middx.

Dear Sir,
   Bernard Braden’s letter (June issue Newsletter raises two important questions: (1) The amount one should tip generally, and (2) The reliability of our circuit in particular. Mr. Braden states that since his usual journey from home to office is normally 4s. 6d. an automatic gratuity of 2s. Seems excessive.
   Accepting it that tipping is the custom and is adhered to (and heaven help the public when it goes), what do we the recipient’s think is a reasonable gratuity? My own view is that 20 to 25 per cent is very reasonable indeed-keeping in mind that it isn’t the fault of the general public that cabbing has never been an economic business without it; of course that amount will rise or fall depending on the service on receives, and where a cab is guaranteed at one’s door when required regardless of time or conditions, I shouldn’t have thought a gratuity of 2s. (Even for shorter journeys) was particularly excessive, especially in view of the independent, difficult to organise, nature of the cab trade. But this raises the question of reliability, and here Mr.  Braden states " Twice this week my wife, having ordered a taxi for a specific time, has had to give up and start walking." Which seems to justify both the suggestion that we make our independent system clear to customers or remover the word "reliability" from our advertising, and your own appeals to us for better coverage.
   Of course we all know that our ratio of "scrubs" to covered work indicates that we are very reliable indeed, but it’s no use telling that to someone who has just missed a train because the cab didn’t turn up. We also know that if we acted on Mr. Braden’s suggestion we could lose a considerable amount of work, and if we answered your appeals more we could lose a considerable amount of work, and if we answered your appeals more we could have more work-which we probably wouldn’t be able to cover anyway. This isn’t an easy problem, and there is no easy solution to it (perhaps a direct phone link with "Mount View" would help): all we can do in an imperfect world to try to do what’s best, even if it isn’t always absolutely right, I’m sure that Mr.Braden would hold with this position, but that doesn’t mean that this is an appeal for the status quo, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work to improve the position.Yours sincerely,
M.Simmons, A.52.

P.S- I didn’t see the "Braden Beat" programme to which you’re referred in you’re editorial, and therefore couldn’t comment on it.