Payment for rail replacement taxis

[philthetube]

The inconsistency is that some Tocs/locations will allow their staff (or at least a senior member of staff on duty) to issue a chitty to the customer which allows them to take any waiting taxi from the rank outside the station to the destination listed on the form; the taxi driver then writing the price on the form and submitting it to the Toc (or their agent) for reimbursement. Whereas other Tocs/locations will insist that their control room organise taxis, which may or may not arrive within a reasonable timeframe and may potentially be travelling a long distance to get to the customer.

This is dependent on taxi drivers being prepared to accept chittys, though this largely depends on how long it takes toc's to pay bills in the first case.

 

[SussexLad]

Shall we create a list of each TOC? Let's say must be within the last 2 year.

From my experience:
SWR - chitty issued to taxi waiting outside if senior member of staff is present.
Southern / GTR - Control room organise the taxi's via a third party
LNER - In London, the control room use Gett to summon an army of black cabs

 

[Emmsie]

Shall we create a list of each TOC? Let's say must be within the last 2 year.

From my experience:
SWR - chitty issued to taxi waiting outside if senior member of staff is present.
Southern / GTR - Control room organise the taxi's via a third party
LNER - In London, the control room use Gett to summon an army of black cabs

Certainly when working at Redhill and organising one off taxis we would call Control (GWR or Southern) for authorisation and then sort the taxi out ourselves. Not sure if its changed in the last year. At a different Southern Station with different management taxi seems to be a forbidden word.

 

[mmh]

Shall we create a list of each TOC? Let's say must be within the last 2 year.

From my experience:
SWR - chitty issued to taxi waiting outside if senior member of staff is present.
Southern / GTR - Control room organise the taxi's via a third party
LNER - In London, the control room use Gett to summon an army of black cabs

I don't think there's much value in TOC to TOC comparisons. What happens is going to vary due to circumstance and location within a TOC.

 

[NormyFGW]

When I first started work with GWR many years ago, taxi dockets were issued locally by each station's supervisor or duty manager, and the system worked perfectly well most of the time. The next taxi on the rank would be offered the job, most would accept it, as even though payment might take a while to be received, it was usually lucrative and guaranteed money. A journey from Bristol to Cardiff or Exeter would probably equate to a nights work without the risk or uncertainty of picking up a nutter in town that may or may not pay! As far as I'm aware, they operate a different system nowadays that like most 'improvements', doesn't work as well. Taxi's are arranged through a central number, last I heard they aren't remotely near to Bristol, and cabs are dispatched where necessary. Sadly, this leads to longer waiting times for customers and drivers turning up eventually who aren't familiar with the areas they are travelling to. On a sidenote slightly, when I was part of the on train crew, we were taxied quite considerable distances on occassions, but when we needed a cab for something that was not preplanned, the taxi had to be summoned through a central no. based in Liverpool, for a journey from Hereford or Swansea to Bristol! I guess it was beneficial to the company to use this method, but it always seemed strange to me!

 

[Swanny200]

Having worked both sides of the fence both in the office and in the car, I have dealt with the "Liverpool" company (cabfind) 4 or 5 times, there are two or three onward travel companies around that deal with the bigger taxi companies. The best one was one that was based in the US, I called up one of their guys at 3am asking if they knew where their passenger was, while waiting, as you do, you shoot the breeze and ask how their day is, to which he replied he was sitting in his house in Texas, it was 95 degrees and he was about to go out onto the porch to have his burritto and a cigar. The other company that we dealt with was Cabfind which is central Liverpool number that a lot of people talk about, IIRC they were taken over last year. From a Dispatcher's side, they can be a pain in the backside especially when trains go off around school run time and all your drivers are on school runs, (Cabfind used to be really strict that if you couldn't drop everything for them when they rang they used to look elsewhere, they changed their attitude when they had been through every company in the town and realised that at school run time, no taxi company will have 20 cars available to send straight away).

From a driver's side, they can be a godsend, it isn't the first time that I have been about to go home of an evening because the pubs are quiet and had a freight driver job although it did annoy some of the drivers at Westbury rank when I drove past them without a pass, Cabfind used to do the runs to Manchester for a well known now cancelled daytime TV show.

The issue we had was that sometimes it could take months to get paid, Cabfind would drag their heels as they hadn't been paid and at one point my friend's business nearly went up the wall after being owed 6 figures by then.

I know Cabfind used to have a lot of the Firstgroup work, so Scotrail at the time, GWR etc...

 

[vlad]

I've only used a rail-provided taxi a couple of times.

The most recent was a few years ago when breakdowns/cancellations of both GW and XC meant that plenty of people (me included) had got to Exeter after the connection to Barnstaple had left and so GWR arranged taxis as that'd get us to Barnstaple quicker than if we waited for the next train.

I assume this had all been planned in advance, as all we passengers had to do was queue up at the station taxi rank and a member of GWR staff put us in taxis based on our destination.

A couple of people got into the queue who actually wanted a taxi; they were advised to go to the taxi company round the corner which GWR couldn't use as they didn't have an account with them.

 

[fairysdad]

I've only used a rail-provided taxi a couple of times.

The most recent was a few years ago when breakdowns/cancellations of both GW and XC meant that plenty of people (me included) had got to Exeter after the connection to Barnstaple had left and so GWR arranged taxis as that'd get us to Barnstaple quicker than if we waited for the next train.

I assume this had all been planned in advance, as all we passengers had to do was queue up at the station taxi rank and a member of GWR staff put us in taxis based on our destination.

A couple of people got into the queue who actually wanted a taxi; they were advised to go to the taxi company round the corner which GWR couldn't use as they didn't have an account with them.

My only experience with rail taxis is on the same line as it happens! For a couple of months a few years back, I was working in London but still living in Devon, and would often on the Friday catch the last Exeter train from Waterloo, with the intention of catching the last Exeter to Barnstaple train to where my car was parked at Umberleigh. On two of these occasions, the SWT (as was) train was so packed that station calls were increased meaning it was late into Exeter. On one of these occasions, a number of other passengers were also after the Barnstaple line and asked the Guard if it was possible for the Barnstaple train to be held - after all, we were only due a few minutes after it was due to leave - but obviously this wasn't going to happen. So, we were all piled onto taxis when we reached Exeter (probably about five taxis or so) and set off north through the county. The taxi dropped me off at Umberleigh (he was willing to actually take me home, but given that my car was at the station I declined his offer!), and while I loaded my car up with my bags and got ready for my drive home... into the platform calls the train that I would have caught, running to time but arriving later than I did in a taxi!

 

[tiptoptaff]

Cabfind use local companies, they just source them from a central control centre. They weren't the best, and that was both a mixture of cabfind themselves, and the drivers that got allocated by the local company.

Taxis from Bristol will be with a Bristol firm. From Bath a Bath firm, from Exeter an Exeter firm (probably the one round the corner that was alluded to) and so on.

From a control centre point of view having one number to call to get a taxi anywhere, and they'd do the chasing if local firms couldn't help, was far more convenient than having to call 20different taxi firms myself to get a driver from A to B

No one has a "right" to be given a chitty and put in a cab on the rank. As long as one is provided when required, then what does it matter if it's centrally booked or not. By using a central booking system, it was very easy to track down a specific driver on a specific job if something has happened, such as poor or dangerous driving (common) or lost property (not as common) - if chittied off the rank, you don't know which person got in which taxi.

 

[Swanny200]

Cabfind use local companies, they just source them from a central control centre. They weren't the best, and that was both a mixture of cabfind themselves, and the drivers that got allocated by the local company.

Taxis from Bristol will be with a Bristol firm. From Bath a Bath firm, from Exeter an Exeter firm (probably the one round the corner that was alluded to) and so on.

From a control centre point of view having one number to call to get a taxi anywhere, and they'd do the chasing if local firms couldn't help, was far more convenient than having to call 20different taxi firms myself to get a driver from A to B

No one has a "right" to be given a chitty and put in a cab on the rank. As long as one is provided when required, then what does it matter if it's centrally booked or not. By using a central booking system, it was very easy to track down a specific driver on a specific job if something has happened, such as poor or dangerous driving (common) or lost property (not as common) - if chittied off the rank, you don't know which person got in which taxi.

Having a central number is great for the customer side, it wasn't the first time I had been rang up at 10:30 on a Wednesday night when I had 4 cars out and asked by cabfind to supply 10-12 cars, I would get drivers out to only find 2 people waiting which would really annoy drivers, they always used to overestimate which again from the TOC side is great as everyone gets picked up, but from our side was a nightmare. Cabfind are now part of a bigger company, they were owned by Transdev for a while too, they always sent the big contracts boss of Cabfind to the taxi companies to meet the workers which was a nice touch, got to meet him 2 or 3 times.

Pricing was something like 30p a mile off the metered fare in Edinburgh.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Having a central number is great for the customer side, it wasn't the first time I had been rang up at 10:30 on a Wednesday night when I had 4 cars out and asked by cabfind to supply 10-12 cars, I would get drivers out to only find 2 people waiting which would really annoy drivers, they always used to overestimate which again from the TOC side is great as everyone gets picked up, but from our side was a nightmare. Cabfind are now part of a bigger company, they were owned by Transdev for a while too, they always sent the big contracts boss of Cabfind to the taxi companies to meet the workers which was a nice touch, got to meet him 2 or 3 times.

Pricing was something like 30p a mile off the metered fare in Edinburgh.

I guess the estimates go on what the TOC are told - you also have it when we're using taxis to replace trains on a little used branch line that doesn't have help points, no way of knowing how many, if any, are there. You'd have to send a taxi there just in case, you'd get some good drivers who'd park up and go and check on the platform, others wouldn't leave the main road even if the platform was say 30yards down a path and a taxi wouldn't have been seen from the platform.

I believe the new company is called CMAC - haven't used them personally as I no longer work in control, but apparently their system allows for real time tracking of a cab once its allocated, like you get on some firms' apps - which is a great help in keeping track of late runners

 

[pinkmarie80]

I’ve found they’re quite hit and miss- EMR are decent for taxis but LNWR were not so.
I was travelling to Milton Keynes on the day there was some massive disruption at MKC, got as far as Rugby and it was chaos. We were all thrown off the train at Rugby- I had assistance booked and wasn’t given any help at all to detrain- fortunately a kind passenger helped me down. I asked how to get to MKC and was told by staff i should get back on the train and go back to Nuneaton where I had came from and thus back to Leicester- oh and I couldn’t have any assistance either as they were too busy.
People were asking about taxis but this was met with a flat refusal- I explained going back to Leicester wasn’t an option as I was going to something at my uni as part of my course. Fortunately I got chatting to a nice lady who was also in academia and going to a conference- there were no cabs to be had anywhere in the local area but she called a friend of a friend who was a taxi driver and he came for us. I paid for the taxi and my university kindly reimbursed me in full as part of my expenses, I claimed back the cost of the train ticket and actually asked could I have claimed the cost of the taxi. I was told no as I had been given the option of a train- which wasn’t accessible or suitable for me as I needed to be at MKC not back in Leicester!

 

[philthetube]

I’ve found they’re quite hit and miss- EMR are decent for taxis but LNWR were not so.
I was travelling to Milton Keynes on the day there was some massive disruption at MKC, got as far as Rugby and it was chaos. We were all thrown off the train at Rugby- I had assistance booked and wasn’t given any help at all to detrain- fortunately a kind passenger helped me down. I asked how to get to MKC and was told by staff i should get back on the train and go back to Nuneaton where I had came from and thus back to Leicester- oh and I couldn’t have any assistance either as they were too busy.
People were asking about taxis but this was met with a flat refusal- I explained going back to Leicester wasn’t an option as I was going to something at my uni as part of my course. Fortunately I got chatting to a nice lady who was also in academia and going to a conference- there were no cabs to be had anywhere in the local area but she called a friend of a friend who was a taxi driver and he came for us. I paid for the taxi and my university kindly reimbursed me in full as part of my expenses, I claimed back the cost of the train ticket and actually asked could I have claimed the cost of the taxi. I was told no as I had been given the option of a train- which wasn’t accessible or suitable for me as I needed to be at MKC not back in Leicester!

This might explain why they could not help, sometimes it is just not possible to do anything if circumstances prevent it.

Agree that assistance should be provided but overall passenger safety comes first and if large numbers have to be dealt with this may just be impossible.

 

[Taunton]

By using a central booking system, it was very easy to track down a specific driver on a specific job if something has happened, such as poor or dangerous driving (common) or lost property (not as common) - if chittied off the rank, you don't know which person got in which taxi.

But you do, when they present the chitty for payment.

Worked well at a Mediterranean airport where the cab operator had a small office in the terminal, and passengers arriving with higher end tour company were given a chitty to their hotel. Driver returned, presented the day's documents at that office, and were paid for all the account work on the spot in cash.

 

[island]

Sorry my pedantry is kicking in, but the word is chit, not “chitty”

 

[Taunton]

Sorry my pedantry is kicking in, but the word is chit, not “chitty”

Although not according to many
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_(disambiguation) "A small piece of paper, usually a note, contract or voucher"

 

[Boo_]

Does depend on area some towns there a cab office at the rank and there a deal with them that station staff would have a system to give docket for the taxi. but whenever I have to get taxis I have to call my Control who then calls a cab broker. ( I work in Rail Replacement) I have had issues when I have wanted a black cab over a car as control would use the broker who would send a people carrier when I wanted the control to call the local black cab firm as they have a account but cost`s more. took. me 90 mins for them to get a taxi after 3 cars sent. so it far better when there a cab office onsite.

my best ever taxi was a taxi from Manchester to Dundee and I had to battle to get them to go all the way. the driver was shocked when I told him you do know it a 12hrs trip for you.

 

[Swanny200]

Does depend on area some towns there a cab office at the rank and there a deal with them that station staff would have a system to give docket for the taxi. but whenever I have to get taxis I have to call my Control who then calls a cab broker. ( I work in Rail Replacement) I have had issues when I have wanted a black cab over a car as control would use the broker who would send a people carrier when I wanted the control to call the local black cab firm as they have a account but cost`s more. took. me 90 mins for them to get a taxi after 3 cars sent. so it far better when there a cab office onsite.

my best ever taxi was a taxi from Manchester to Dundee and I had to battle to get them to go all the way. the driver was shocked when I told him you do know it a 12hrs trip for you.

As stated before, I worked both sides in a taxi company, dispatch and driver, you used to get phonecalls from Cabfind for ITV work, taking someone to the Manchester studios, now I worked Dispatch in Scotland and you used to get asked from Cabfind for "A Fresh Driver" and there were some guys who you would ask and they would refuse (we treated these jobs as different from normal account work where refusal would get you barred from account work for a week) because they would be turning out for a 5 or 6 hour shift and the journey would take more than that.

When I switched to driving after I moved to Wiltshire, I had to take cabfind work as there were only 4 or 5 of us at the company, best one was 2 in the morning, just about to clock off and got a freight run from Westbury to Cardiff, but the boss regularly did Wilts to Manchester for ITV through Cabfind.

 

[tiptoptaff]

As stated before, I worked both sides in a taxi company, dispatch and driver, you used to get phonecalls from Cabfind for ITV work, taking someone to the Manchester studios, now I worked Dispatch in Scotland and you used to get asked from Cabfind for "A Fresh Driver" and there were some guys who you would ask and they would refuse (we treated these jobs as different from normal account work where refusal would get you barred from account work for a week) because they would be turning out for a 5 or 6 hour shift and the journey would take more than that.

When I switched to driving after I moved to Wiltshire, I had to take cabfind work as there were only 4 or 5 of us at the company, best one was 2 in the morning, just about to clock off and got a freight run from Westbury to Cardiff, but the boss regularly did Wilts to Manchester for ITV through Cabfind.

Guessing you've done a few of our 4am Weymouth runs?

 

[221129]

CMAC are the bain of my working life.

 

[Boo_]

CMAC are the bain of my working life.

Yes I know that feeling I have spent many hours on hold sorting out buses and taxis.

 

[Swanny200]

Guessing you've done a few of our 4am Weymouth runs?

My old boss did them before his school run, I never did them personally, he always used to check in on facebook from McDonalds in weymouth before heading back.

 

[SussexLad]

Guards or passengers?

Either way... Why 4am in weymouth, its not that exciting! Lol.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Guards or passengers?

Either way... Why 4am in weymouth, its not that exciting! Lol.

Driver - guards based in Weymouth but no driver. So last two down are worked by Westbury driver and Weymouth guard. Last but one down driver either taxis back or comes back on the last one up from Weymouth. Driver of the last one down works the night turn, preps both units and works the first one back up in the morning with a Weymouth guard. First driver of the day at Westbury taxis down and works the second one out of Weymouth back to Westbury, also with a Weymouth guard

 

[Swanny200]

I'm sure there is or was an early morning run to Acton too from Westbury.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I'm sure there is or was an early morning run to Acton too from Westbury.

That's over on the freight side, I'm the green train passenger TOC

 

[Swanny200]

That's over on the freight side, I'm the green train passenger TOC

I did wonder if it was freight, we took over the cabfind contract from another taxi company who I worked in the office for previously,I stopped driving 3 years ago for the company that has the contract now but i'm still good friends with the guy that does the Weymouth runs now, he might be a small company, but he puts the effort in and is reliable.

 

[Gloster]

#54 The taxiing of Westbury train crews to and from Weymouth has been going on since the days of Wales & West.

 

[kevconnor]

I can't speak from wide experience as my only recent need for a taxi came in the spring of 2018. I and a friends were in Worcester on the Sunday of the late May bank holiday weekend to watch the cricket at New Road.


There was heavy rain forecast but Worcester missed it all day, save for a single rumble of thunder. It turned out to be Birmingham which received the deluge with many of the lines into Birmingham impassable due to flooding.


There was nothing coming out of or into Worcester from Birmingham but due to engineering works there were some coaches already parked up waiting to run RRB’s. It was quite efficiently arranged from discussions between station staff and control for 3 taxi’s to take passengers to intermediate stations and a coach to take anyone going directly to Birmingham.