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Five trips for a Code 3
Can I please ask Keith Cain how is it that after doing around 120 credits
rides last month, I’ve done 10 hours at work today doing 4 account trips and
1 scrub, there are around 120 trips in EC5 and E140, yet I can’t do a Code 3
to get a trip home? How that helps coverage, I don’t know?
In addition, with the current changes to E140 making trips As
Directed, if you think I'm running back to the Island to accept a trip blind
that could go around the corner, well no.
With more drivers who haven't done 5 trips for a Code 3 and more
accounts being AD only, drivers nearing their finishing time don’t want to
accept for fear of going miles away from home. Again, I just don’t see how
this new procedure helps coverage?Jon Robinson (E88)
Keith Cain replies: Jon, I cannot comment on what happened
during your working day except to say that we have instructed IT to
reprogram the system to include those scrubs that a driver has received
payment for. That will help the situation for the future.
The reason for making changes has been solely brought about because
of the continuous criticism being received from clients regarding service.
It was some two months ago that the Board finally made the decision to
implement these changes - changes that they felt would improve the
situation. It may not be the decision every driver wants, but if we had not
done something and a major client had been lost, then members would have
asked what did the Board do to save the account?
Our service has been written about for a very long time and any
improvement required all members to play their part. But because the
situation did not improve, the Board had to do something. It is interesting
to note that after the first week, we have already seen a remarkable
difference
Signals…
The signals are absolutely appalling,
I will say once again that this system in its present form is hazardous and
a real danger to drivers, it must be on par with using a hand held mobile
device surely? Well actually at least you can stare straight ahead using a
mobile, with DaC’s MDT you are constantly glancing left, pressing resend
resend, I honestly believe that unless it is sorted out, someone somewhere
will have a bad accident. The year is 2007 , have a look at the technology
out there! A system that works and is safe for drivers is paramount, this
should have been dealt with before a move to new fancy offices !
I had my cab without DaC for 8 days whilst awaiting a new one. I
got in, put my light on and went to work. It all seemed rather simple and
stress free....now I am back to booking in and out of zones and pressing
resend/discard all day long. I thought, or at least it used to be, that
having a radio in your cab was meant to make your day easier? Now I am not
too sure. Daniel Priddle (N96)
Brian Rice replies: I know signals are your pet subject,
Daniel, and that you have written to the magazine twice in the past. Your
most recent letter was in February 2006 and the same answer applies today as
it did then. The only difference is that work increased last year by
£5million (15%) and so far this year by 18%, that will mean that by the end
of this financial year, we would have put an extra £12m of extra work
through our system in the past two years, no wonder our system is creaking
sometimes with the number of rejects going through - that is our
problem! Anyway Daniel, this is my answer to your last letter and as I
stated earlier, it still applies today…
From February 2006: Brian Rice responds: That is fair comment, Daniel.
The signals are bad when it is very busy - they always have been except that
we tend to look back at the past through rose tinted glasses. The
thing that exacerbates the situation is the amount of 'rejects' going
through the system. During some busy periods, we have had up to 200
unmatched trips with, on average, each trip being rejected ten times before
it is accepted. Can you imagine the amount of unnecessary pressure that is
put onto the system? Incidentally, we have just come through the busiest
trading period this Society has experienced in over 52
years. Did you try sending a text message on your mobile phone at midnight
on New Year's Eve when the system was busy - it was taking literally
hours for messages to be delivered, assuming of course you could get on the
network to send a message in the first place? We are dealing with
our problem; we have moved aerial sites, installed new digital land lines
and fitted filters to our aerial sites, we have even re-written software for
the modems, but still our problems persist. But no one can accuse us of not
trying to improve the situation. I thought it was quite interesting
that you believed we should change our despatching system to one similar to
ComCab. We have operated a zonal system for over sixteen years and our
members like it because during quiet periods, they can be assured of
receiving a trip. I find it quite intriguing as to what attracted you to us
two years ago? After all, if ComCab have a better despatching system and
their signals are better, why were we more attractive - so much so that you
were enticed to leave ComCab and join us? Finally, I was
extremely disappointed to learn that you turned the equipment off for five
days; perhaps that is why we had so much uncovered work?
If black was black…
In response to Michael Beevor’s (N76) letter
(Black is black, August Mailshot): ‘If’ is the biggest word in the English
language. If the trade would have stood up against the press 45 years ago
when Sylvester and Welbeck put their Private Hire cars on the road and
called them minicabs and the press started to call us ‘Black’ cabs, we today
would rightly be called London Taxis regardless of colour.
When I was a child, London did not have one black taxi. All our
taxis were hand built and were dark blue, light blue, brown, red, green,
even yellow - and I may have missed some colours out. The only thing black
was the wings (mudguards). Black came about after WW2 when all cars were
black because of the Utility Regulations. So when Nuffield built their first
post war taxi, it was black and a short time later M&Os put the FX3 on the
road - that too was black! However, later on drivers wanted taxis in the
colours they had before the war, so as production had to be stopped, buying
a coloured one cost extra. My first new coloured one WMM 491G was metallic
bronze and was the first factory built metallic FX4. Bill Lucas, the MD of
Carbodies saw it and a car version (FL2) was built in the same colour.
At that time, Carbodies were building Humber Shooting Brakes for
Rootes in that colour.
As I said at the AGM, I am not a black cab driver, I am white
Jewish and proud of it and I do not drive a black taxi, it is a red LPG
Metro.
As for other Cities imposing a colour or color for New York, it was
done so the police can spot out of town taxis that try to steal work. I have
photos of NY taxis before they went yellow, including an early Yellow and
Black FL2 (FX4) working in that city.
Incidentally, 20th August will be the 110th
anniversary of the first mechanical cab. This was a Bersey (Humming Bird)
run by the London Electric Cab Co in Juxon Street, Lambeth. The cabs were
yellow and black, the same colours as David Davies cabriolets of 1823. So
much for black!
Stanley Roth (Y53)
The debate on whether we benefit by the name ‘black cabs’
that has been imposed on us or find it to be an insult, is still open …Ed |
Is Bill’s Bill a Bill?
I want to warn other cab owners who are thinking
of renting out their taxis. I recently rented out my P Reg Fairway to Bill
Francis. He was a nice enough person and paid me the required deposit and
made regular and prompt weekly rent payments into my bank account. He was
obviously a taxi driver, but there was something not quite right with him He
told me that his Bill was being renewed and showed me his PCO temporary
licence to prove this. He talked like a cab driver and even had taxi stories
to tell. But after 7 - 8 weeks of constantly asking him for his Bill without
any joy, I decided to call the PCO. They had never heard of him or his
address or telephone number. I asked him for my cab back and he kept arguing
his
innocence, but no Bill was produced. So I reported my cab stolen to the
police.
Thankfully, he returned my cab back to my garage - albeit on a
Sunday when there wasn't anyone there. But I was glad to have the cab back
in one piece and not damaged or sold on. I
notified the police the same day that my cab had been recovered. They said
they would remove my cab from their stolen vehicle registry.
For 3 weeks after this, my temporary cab drivers were stopped daily
in the city and I received numerous calls telling me that the police had
recovered my cab. I really felt sorry for the innocent drivers. Finally, my
cab was taken off the police stolen vehicles registry. I've subsequently
received several letters from the police telling me they are pursuing Bill
Francis for the various serious offences committed. However, yesterday a
Detective Inspector rang to tell me that although they could easily trace
Bill Francis from his mobile telephone number, they didn't have the manpower
to do so. And even if they did find him, what good would it do? The
Inspector told me that I had suffered no loss. I got my cab back and no
money was owed. I pointed out that if had there been an accident or an
injury, my insurance would have been invalid. The Detective Inspector wasn't
interested and put the phone down.
So my warning to you is always see and keep the drivers Bill and
ask to see other forms of ID before you go through the same traumas as I
did. The police wouldn't hesitate to prosecute a genuine taxi driver, but if
you are an impostor you'll be ok…
Mike Coleman (C13)
Back-to-front Call Sign
Nice one Alan! Whoever did last month’s back
to front Call Sign cock-up should be sacked…
Gary Heath (W42 and ex-compositor)
Gary was one of 250 drivers out of the 2200 who received
their copy with the two inside sheets sewed in back to front so that half of
Mailshot appeared in the front and half at the back! Even worse, it also
meant that the Chairman’s Report appeared at the back instead of the front!
Fortunately the majority received their copy intact, but believe me, the
printers got a rocket in a place you wouldn’t want anything sharp and have
issued an apology somewhere inside this issue. I too apologise on behalf of
the printers, their only saving grace being that it’s the first time they’ve
cocked up in my ten years as Editor. Hopefully it will also be their last
…Ed
And speaking of printer’s error…
Please accept our sincere apologies for the
pagination error in the last issue of Call Sign (July).
Unfortunately human error happens sometimes and although we make every
effort to avoid mistakes, occasionally we fall down.
Once again please accept our sincere apologies for the error and
any embarrassment and inconvenience this may have caused.
Phillip Brown
MD, John Brown Printing
DAB radio
Re Kevin Went’s (N19) letter on driver’s views of
DAB radio (August Mailshot, is DAB the best radio for a taxi), I've
had a DAB radio for the past three years and thoroughly recommend it,
particularly if you like comedy (BBC7), extra football (5Live extra) as well
as improved reception when AM reception is poor in town.
Nicholas Fielding (O52)
And more DAB…
I have had a DAB radio fitted to my last 3 taxis
and think they are really great, but there is a problem with signals. Places
such as Conduit St / Bruton St and again going north in Finchley Road from
the Swiss Cottage. My supplier has tried various aerials including one on
the inside top of the windscreen, but the problem still there. I believe
there is another one to come and I will wait till I get my next cab to try
that.
If like me you enjoy Radio 5, Capitol Gold and Test Match
Ball-by-Ball on AM, then DAB is for you. The sound is great. I feel sure
that the radio industry will come up with a solution.
And finally gents, please keep accepting and not rejecting jobs.
Martin Freeborn (C67)
Well done DaC…
DaC client Lady de Zulueta called to compliment
John Murphy (F77) for the trip he did for her recently. She said he was
very clever, very helpful, the best driver she's ever had and to quote her,
it was Dial-a-Cab at its best and she would like the pat on the back to be
passed on to him.
Since people tend not to offer compliments nowadays, I thought I
would let you know so that you can do the honours.
Jago Delangen (Sup 511, DaC Call Centre)
Thanks for letting me know Jago. Passengers tend to expect perfection and
rarely offer praise. But of course, if there is a reason to complain… Ed
Complaints
The July edition of Call Sign was as
usual, a good read, but what I found most interesting was the Complaints
Results section. Here we had a driver who was found to have made racist
remarks. Another had been expelled because he ‘has taken the same trip at
different times. Driver also brought passenger into work’. But the one that
caught my eye the most was that
a driver, who I assume was once a Call Sign columnist and had
stood for election to the BoM, had been accused of 'using threatening and
intimidating towards the Chairman of ODRTS'.
I and I'm sure others would like to know more about these incidents, because
they affect the whole of this Society. So can we have some more information
please?
Yaqub Rafiq (O28)
Brian Rice replies: I am more than happy to furnish you with
details as you request Yaqub, however as you are probably aware, I am not
privy to what occurs at a complaints meeting as I am not present. I am only
there if a complaint goes to Appeal but in the instance where the 'Racist
Remarks' went to appeal, I did not chair the meeting as normal - probably
the only one I have not chaired in the past eleven years as I was out of the
country on holiday - so again I was not privy to what occurred.
Consequently, other Board Members would be far better placed than I to
answer your queries as they sat on the Appeal.
However, re the complaint where a member
used threatening and intimidating behaviour towards me, I can tell you
exactly what happened. When the member concerned endeavoured to seek
election to the BoM earlier this year, he produced and distributed
literature to the membership, part of which contained the phrase that the
BoM lived in a 'comfort zone'. I took great exception to that phrase, as I
am also part of the BoM and thought it a disgraceful remark to make
particularly as this Society has never ever been so
successful. Consequently, I telephoned the member concerned and gave him a
piece of my mind, telling him exactly what I thought. This was in a private
telephone call between two members, however, I was not aware of the fact
that the member was taping the telephone call, which as I’m sure you know is
illegal unless all parties are aware of the |
situation, (which probably says a lot regarding the
member concerned). Although the call was heated at times, I certainly said
nothing that I should be ashamed of.
I subsequently saw the member at our last
AGM and nothing was said, however, after the meeting I received a very
complimentary email from the same member congratulating me on the way in
which I had handled the AGM, something I thought was quite nice. The
telephone call that I had made on 3 January this year (according to the
member) had long been forgotten by me - especially as I had seen him and
received that complimentary email.
Then on 18 May, a taxi was ordered to pick up a client - who is
also an adviser to the Society - and myself from the office and take us to
an appointment. When the taxi arrived, it was the member I had spoken to on
the phone regarding the distributed literature.
Again, as it was by now many months past, I didn’t give the
previous incident a second thought. When we went to enter the taxi, the
member opened the door and shook hands with the client who then entered the
cab. As I went to enter the taxi, I also offered my hand to shake his, but
instead of accepting it he pointed his finger to within a couple of inches
of my face and stated in a threatening manner: "Don't you ever talk to me
like that again." I replied that he shouldn’t speak to me like that and
asked the client to leave the taxi. We then ordered another one and later
proceeded on our journey.
I was particularly upset regarding the situation as it was
apparently done to intimidate
and – even more importantly – to belittle the Chairman of ODRTS in the
presence of a
client apparently to prove what a 'big man' he was. I was extremely
embarrassed by the situation and had to apologise profusely to the client.
Although the conversation between the member and myself was
extremely short - although very intimidating, belittling and embarrassing
for the Chairman of the Society
(the fact it was me was irrelevant) - I decided to make a
complaint. It went to a complaints meeting where the committee gave him a
two-week suspension. The member then appealed and the BoM upheld the
sentence, something I learned when returning from holiday.
More Call Signs…?
Not just because I was featured in your last issue
(Second Generation), but I do really believe that it could be in the
best interests of Dial-a-Cab if we were to print a one-off extra 3000 or so
copies of Call Sign to hand out to non-radio drivers. Reading
our magazine and seeing what DaC are like could encourage some drivers who
had perhaps thought about going on radio but never drew up the courage, to
make that first move.
This would be a big help in recruiting extra drivers to assist in
the coverage for evenings. It will also give them a decent magazine to read
for a change…
Gary Cox (O46)
Allen Togwell replies: Hello Gary, over 2000 Call Signs are
distributed. Perhaps it could be suggested that once read it should be
passed on to a non-radio driver or left in the back of the cab for the
passengers to read? Passing it over to a non-radio driver would give an
indication as to the response and if it were positive, there would be a
strong argument to take it a step further.
So there you have it Yaqub, that is what happened and I
have to say that in my view, the member concerned is extremely fortunate to
still be a member of ODRTS. Can you imagine any large organisation allowing
someone who threatens the Chairman to remain with that company?
And Mike Son replies: Yaqub, I do understand your concern with
regard to the outcome of various complaints you highlight. Firstly, the case
of the driver who admitted he used a derogatory term that I will not
mention. The passenger concerned did not wish to make a formal complaint,
but a third person made the complaint by phone. Due to the seriousness of
the complaint, the Complaints Officer asked for a statement in writing.
After numerous calls to the passenger and the third person, for whatever
reason, this was not forthcoming.
Listening to the driver’s verbal evidence, the committee took
account of his admission of using said unacceptable terminology, which he
stated was not directed at the passenger, plus he was remorseful and claimed
he used the term when describing to the passenger a person and an incident
that took place previously. The Committee also took account of the apparent
verbal apology to the passenger and the drivers 30 years service with
Dial-a-Cab, so it was decided to reduce the expulsion to 4 weeks suspension
(mistakenly entered as two weeks in the July Call Sign).
As for the other complaints, Brian Rice has offered his thoughts
within this issue on the complaint he initiated. The complaint relating to
the expulsion of the driver who allegedly was making jobs his own, I don’t
believe needs further explanation.
In conclusion, if you are not already a member of the group of
drivers who have put their names forward as Complaints Committee members,
please consider doing so.
Dial-a-Cab PLC?
Having read your interesting Editorial in the July
issue of the Call Sign, I wonder whether it is now time for
the PLC issue to be debated once again? At least then the genuine DaC
members (shareholders if PLC status is voted upon) could at least look
forward to some financial reward / return at the end of the financial
year. Your Editorial asserted:
"It is our society...should we not at least look as though we
care?" Let me take that one step further and say if it is our society
(company?) should we not at least look forward to a financial return? Maybe,
just maybe this would encourage more drivers to undertake more account work?
I am aware that you may not be in a position to address these points, hence
perhaps it’s time that the matter was once again debated?
In order to increase the coverage of work at particular times in
particular zones, have the Board considered making more jobs non-rejectable,
once booked into a zone?
Louie Christian (A48)
Thanks Lou, there’s nothing like a non-controversial letter – and that is
certainly nothing like a non-controversial letter! Should we convert to PLC
and make account work non-rejectable? Two nice quiet subjects! Anyone like
to comment on either? …Ed
No smoking signs and private hire…
Can Call Sign tell me whether
private hire need the same ‘no smoking’ stickers as us and also whether they
are allowed to put the company name under the stickers, as I have seen done
with Addison Lee?
Bernie Silver (G08)
Call Sign asked Colin Wren at the PCO Policy and Standards
department. He told us that any private hire vehicle is considered to be a
"workplace" just as licensed taxis are. If they fail to have them, they are
in breach of the regulations. As for the name below it – definitely not …Ed
LTFUC trip to Southend
I have just watched the cavalcade of taxis on their way
to Southend, just by Basildon on the A127. I have nothing but admiration for
the drivers that have taken time out to drive the kids to Southend. When
people complain about taxi drivers getting in the way in London, perhaps
they should come and see some of the good these guys are doing. Keep up the
good work.
Adrian Clarke,
Plaistow E15
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