Call Sign February 2009 - Page 19 - COMPLIANCE OFFICER’S REPORT - DaC client stung in Madoff scam…

COMPLIANCE OFFICER’S REPORT
Hello Ladies & Gents, Christmas seems to have long gone and now that the elongated holiday season has ended, we should see trip figures improve as the days pass by. The nights are drawing out and with spring approaching, one would hope that with the current strength of the dollar and euro and the feel-good factor in the USA following President Barack Obama’s inauguration, we would see a further increase in tourism from these parts, something that has been missing over the past few years. EC5 You will have seen from numerous terminal messages, that complaints have been sent out to the minority of drivers that have still chosen to ignore the current booking-in procedures on EC5 (the former Finsbury Square rank). The rank has been set up in an effort to reduce queue positions and to make it easier for the Call Centre to monitor. I am sure you all agree that enough warnings have be given and those that receive complaints through the post, quite honestly cannot feel aggrieved. Can I please remind you that you must be physically in one of the four EC zones before booking-in to gain a queue position on this rank. The system is regularly monitored and although it is only a minority of drivers that are breaking the rules, they are spoiling it for the rest. It is	unfair and once caught, those offenders will be correctly brought to task. Please play the game… Run-ins During this current economic climate, account clients are more aware of service levels and costs than ever before - and rightly so. Please be aware that the present run-in on regular accounts other than TaxiCards is Ł4.20 at the time of arrival on an ASAP trip or at the pre-booked time. If you are close to the run-in amount but still some distance from the pick-up location, please adjust the meter accordingly by restarting it. The system captures GPS coordinates, so please be aware that if you press the Arrival button and it shows that your location is not outside of the account address or pick-up, it causes problems with excess run-in amounts showing on the meter and can result in customer complaints. Goldman Sachs Whilst I have reminded you of EC5 procedures, it is also well worth a mention that all Dial-a-	Cab members have equal use of the rank outside of Goldman Sachs in EC4. Whist you are waiting for a trip in EC5, why not join the rank in St Bride Street? You are perfectly free to book into EC5 and also have the added option of a Goldman Sachs charge card trip as a further means of generating work. There is a Marshal on site who is at hand to assist you should you encounter any problems. Many of you have used this rank in the past and are aware that trips will not automatically be offered to the rank from EC5, it is for Goldman Sachs employees to approach you on the rank with their charge cards. Give it a try… Complaints meetings The drivers that sit on Complaints meetings are selected from a group of volunteers that any fully paid-up member can join. If you feel you would like to make yourself available as part of a three-driver panel, please contact me and I will be only too pleased to explain how the complaints meetings are conducted and what is required of a committee member. If it is a role that you then feel suited, for I will happily put your name onto the list from which the three are drawn at random Be very lucky… Allan Evans DaC Compliance Officer Allane@Dialacab.co.uk

DaC client stung in Madoff scam…

Dial-a-Cab client and London peer, Lord Jacobs of Belgravia, had told Call Sign of a scam he had been caught in and one where he had lost many Łmillions. This was the day before Bernie Madoff had emerged in the media as the biggest financial fraudster in history…
   Lord Jacobs often asks the driver – in this case Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher - how he is on that day and in response to Alan reversing the politeness, he admitted that it had been a lousy day as he had been caught up in a "scam" that had cost him a fortune. He actually told Alan how much, but the Editor refused to reveal any more about the precise amount.
   At the time, Alan had assumed that this had been one of the many internet scams doing the rounds, although he did tell the mag that Lord Jacobs seemed far too shrewd to have fallen for one of those.
   The following day, the news broke about Bernie Madoff and his $50 billion pyramid or Ponzi scam that put the New York and London investment markets into turmoil and with it, the explanation of what Lord Jacobs was talking about.
   Madoff would ask for at least $1 million from his wealthy clients and often got them to invest $10 million or more in his scheme. For many years Madoff kept his clients – including banks - happy and in addition to a monthly return from their investment, there was never any problem getting their money returned. But the US being in recession had a devastating affect on his scheme with many investors needing to get their money back. Because his scheme involved paying one person from another’s investment, the money ran out and he was arrested.
   Sadly for his investors – and no doubt Lord Jacobs was far from being the only DaC client to lose out - the chances of getting their money returned now seems to be a lost cause. Lord Jacobs won’t be totally devastated, however, as the Sunday Times Rich List had estimated his fortune at Ł128million. However, there was genuine sadness from him for those that couldn’t stand the loss as well as he and have been wiped out…

Ron Yarborough
Call Sign Online

LEICESTER SQUARE "MINICAB RANK"
PCO respond… There have been reports about a minicab "rank" being set up in Whitcomb Street, near Leicester Square. These reports are incorrect: No rank is permitted for minicabs or other private hire vehicles, here or elsewhere in London. The TKTS booth in Leicester Square has been licensed by TfL as a private hire operating centre through the same licensing processes that apply for any other premises used by a private hire operator. Westminster City Council has changed the traffic orders for the tour bus stand in Whitcomb St, which is taken out of operation at	night between 9pm and 4am, allowing vehicles to stop to pick up or set down passengers. Parking and waiting are not permitted on this stretch of road at these times. However, a dispensation is in place allowing licensed vehicles from West1 Minicabs, the operator licensed to use the TKTS booth, to wait a short time for a booked passenger. Enforcement of the parking and waiting restrictions is a matter for Westminster City Council. Vehicles are not available for immediate hire without a booking taken at the licensed operating centre. After making a booking at the licensed office, passengers are	escorted to Whitcomb Street to locate the booked vehicle. All aspects of taxi and private hire legislation must be complied with. Taxi ranks on Whitcomb Street and Coventry Street are served by hackney carriages, which can take customers without any booking. Len Simkins PCO Head of Strategy and Planning *Call Sign Comment:* Whilst we do not wish to disagree with the PCO, our belief has always been that if the cars and drivers are "waiting" in Whitcomb Street and can be seen by the public, that constitutes a rank.

Call Sign Home Page

Page 20