Call Sign March 2012
Page 5
DIESEL HITS RECORD NEW HIGH!
intensive evidence-gathering, that it has made a
Something that affects every single driver on
Dial-a-Cab is the cost of the fuel that propels
formal submission to the Office of Fair Trading
recommending that it conducts an urgent new
our taxis diesel. Now the price has hit a
study into the UK fuels market. Brian
record high having rocketed by 10p per litre in
Madderson added:
just 12 months an inflation-busting 7% rise
according to RMI Petrol Chairman, Brian
"Alleged unfair pricing and predatory pric-
Madderson.
ing tactics by some hypermarkets and oil
companies are driving independent operators
The increase puts diesel at 143.05 pence per
out of business at the rate of 250 to 300 sites
litre, a level that could derail Government plans
a year. This death of the independent fuel
to curb inflation, is a disaster for motorists and
retailer will lead to higher prices and a loss of
puts the livelihoods of hundreds of fuel retail-
refuelling facilities, particularly in rural areas.
ers at further risk. But that isn't the whole story
This will be the most important study of the
because more grim news is expected as a "per-
troubled UK fuels market for more than a
fect storm" of global factors including rising
decade. Rising pump prices show no sign of
crude oil prices, closing refineries and pressure
abating. Now more than ever it is absolutely
on supplies mean that by Easter we could well
crucial that the OFT obtain real transparency
see diesel (and petrol) prices go even higher!
"Sixty percent fewer fuel forecourts
into the structure of wholesale costs and
Mr Madderson continued that inflation for
since 1990!"
retail competition. We would welcome, as we
diesel was now almost double that of the
know would many MPs, swift action by the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 3.6%. He told
Brian Madderson continued:"It's all very well
OFT to progress this study."
Call Sign that the coming March Budget was
for the Government and the Bank of England
an ideal opportunity for Chancellor George
In 1990 there were more than 20,000 fore-
to declare that CPI is heading down, but try
Osborne to cut the rate of duty on fuel, as he
courts. Today there are just 8,500 a massive
telling that to our cash-strapped retailers and to
drop of nearly 60% - leaving huge areas of the
did last year. Mr Madderson also called on the
the millions of motorists, truckers and taxi dri-
UK as fuel deserts where motorists have to
Government to ease pressure on motorists and
vers now paying an average 143.05ppl for their
drive miles to find a forecourt.
the economy by ditching plans to raise fuel
diesel. We are seeing run-away inflation for
Current UK fuel duty is 57.95ppl, amongst
duty by 3.02p per litre from 1 August 2012.
diesel."
the highest in Europe, especially for diesel.
Such a rise would result in a 4p per litre price
RMI Petrol is so concerned after months of
hike once VAT at 20% was included.
6-A-SIDE SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Dial-a-Cab driver Del Oldfield (D32) is hosting a charity 6-a-side football tournament for Whizz Kidz. If you can get a
team together and fancy your chances, this is how you enter.
The football tournament will be held at the London Soccerdome Europe's premier indoor soccer arena (for-
merly known as the Beckham Academy) in Greenwich on Sunday 25 March at 2pm. Entry is £80 per team for a
squad of 8 players (£10 per man).
There can only be a maximum of 24 teams, so it has to be on a first come - first served basis. There
will also be Soccer Skills games for the kids too.
To book your team in, call Del on 07841 526 751...
`Smarter Driving's' amazing results!
The January and February issues of Call Sign gave details of what was then an exclusive offer to Dial-a-Cab drivers to participate in an ECO-driving
instruction course operated jointly via the Energy Saving Trust and TfL. The offer gave the first 200 drivers to apply the 90 minute course free of
charge before opening the offer up to the rest of the trade.
Call Sign has now received a summary of the first 43 taxi drivers' results many of them on DaC - and excellent reading they make.
There was an average 25.4% improvement in fuel consumption, which would make an annual saving of £1,831 per driver! Put simply, that gives you
one day a week where your diesel is free! Even if drivers only kept up half the improvement, then £900 a year must be worth that one-off 90 minutes
of anyone's time!
In terms of MPG, the average increased from 19.9 to 26.8 with the data also showing no decrease in average speed, in fact a slight increase.
Every one of the DaC drivers we spoke to who had taken the course said they were surprised at how their fuel consumption had improved. And at
143p a litre, every pound is worth saving - let alone £1831 per year!
There isn't room to publish all the results, so we've picked the first one from each cab type. Some had better, some worse but all the results are
genuine and if anyone would like to see the list, email callsignmag@aol.com and we'll email the ExCel file straight back to you.
Jan 12 Vito: Up from 17.6 MPG to 22.1
Jan 12 TX4: Up from 20.7 to 24.9
Jan 16 TX2: Up from 21.7 to 29.3
Fuel Saving (£) as a Proportion of Total Fuel Cost
Jan 16 Fairway: Up from 20.7 to 28.6
Jan 19 TX1: Up from 18.3 to 30.5
Feb 3 Metrocab: Up from 22.1 to 25.6
If you would like to apply, go to www.smarterdriving.net where you can
log on with your own email address, using the password savings. You
will be directed to the website and be able to see which dates and time
slots are still available. And some more free ones are also there.
