Taxi / Uber / Private Hire Discussion

[GusB]

Many years ago I knew a dispatcher for a local cab company
They used each other’s licences (“we all look the same eh!” said with a big grin) and moved the tyres round between cars to get them through MOTs.
But never had a problem with our town’s drivers. The next towns could be a pain though, not wanting to drive to ours etc (dunno if there was a runner problem - they didnt give a reason).

I don't disagree that there will be a few bad eggs, as in any industry, but I don't think it's fair to tar everyone with the same brush. I've worked in a control room before (thankfully my time in the dispatcher's seat was limited to covering breaks and absence) and while some of our drivers could get a bit nippy from time to time, I've never known any of them to have any serious defects; occasionally you'd have a driver radio in to say that they've been pulled over by the police for having a bulb out and that they're unable to continue until they can get it replaced, but that can happen at any time.

Any serious complaints from customers would result in them being suspended pending investigation - not so effective for hackney drivers as they could still ply at the ranks, but for a private hire driver that's an immediate loss of income.

 

[Meerkat]

I don't disagree that there will be a few bad eggs, as in any industry, but I don't think it's fair to tar everyone with the same brush. I've worked in a control room before (thankfully my time in the dispatcher's seat was limited to covering breaks and absence) and while some of our drivers could get a bit nippy from time to time, I've never known any of them to have any serious defects; occasionally you'd have a driver radio in to say that they've been pulled over by the police for having a bulb out and that they're unable to continue until they can get it replaced, but that can happen at any time.

Any serious complaints from customers would result in them being suspended pending investigation - not so effective for hackney drivers as they could still ply at the ranks, but for a private hire driver that's an immediate loss of income.

A few years back the plod round here clamped a taxi at the roadside during an ANPR tax/insurance trap.
The passengers weren’t happy!

 

[route101]

I was in Dundee recently and a lot of their taxis appear to be Nissan Leafs.