Private Hire Taxi's

[McRamFan]

An interesting situation happen to my Dad the other day.  He has stopped driving and uses taxi's every now and again to get to doctor appointment's etc.

He was on route to the doctors and the taxi went the wrong way and added more than £2.00 to the fare, eventhough my Dad was telling him he was going the wrong way.  When the taxi got there Dad refused to pay the additional amount to what he regularly pays, the taxi driver threatened him, physically, so Dad called the Police (Dad is 85, 5' 3" and weighs about 10 st).  Police arrived and after a heated rant by the taxi driver, a call to the taxi company, the Police told the driver to either accept the fare that Dad usually pays, or do one.

The reason I bring this to the forum is to highlight something I had heard in the background, however never knew what sort of impact it can have.  The taxi's drivers private hire licence was registered to Wolverhampton, whom allow licences to people with far less checks that Derby.  They can operate anywhere in the UK regardless of where the licence has been issued, and there is no stadardisation for application.  For instance, Derby require a 'knowledge' test, not quite to the degree of London black cabs, but atleast know were key sites are and where the suburbs are.  Others just require a form filled out and don't even check the driving licence, never mind background checks.

Until recently, only Western Cars where the ony ones that had Derby only registered drivers, this has now changed, as they have been bought out by DG Cars in Nottingham, who will let anyone drive for them.

From my Dad's experiance, I would suggest that if you have to use a cab, either use the hackney ones (yellow), that have to be registered to Derby City Council, however I would still check, or if you use a private hire, ask for a driver that is registered in Derby and check the plate on the back.

 

 

[Stive Pesley]

2 minutes ago, McRamFan said:

From my Dad's experiance, I would suggest that if you have to use a cab, either use the hackney ones (yellow), that have to be registered to Derby City Council, however I would still check, or if you use a private hire, ask for a driver that is registered in Derby and check the plate on the back.

The yellow cabs will cost you at least £2 more anyway - they're extortionate

I've experienced what you're saying though. I had a private hire cabbie the other day who completely blanked my directions (because I know the quickest/cheapest way back home - but there are several options). He did it once and I gave him the benefit of the doubt, then the second time I realised he was doing it on purpose, so I just yelled at him to stop. I paid the fare up to that point and walked the rest of the way. Couldn't be arsed with arguing with him

[SaintRam]

Any time I use a cab I tend to have to have to council cabs because it usually involves taking the dog somewhere. Private cabs wont take dogs, most of the time.

I quite liked using Uber in the states, I've not had a need for it here yet. Mainly because with Uber you prepay based on the distance calculator on the app. Theres completely no reason for the driver to go the wrong way.

[Day]

My mum always told me not to get into cars with strangers

[McRamFan]

1 minute ago, David said:

My mum always told me not to get into cars with strangers

That's why we are talking about taxi's...

[Day]

1 minute ago, McRamFan said:

That's why we are talking about taxi's...

Do you know the taxi driver before getting in the car?

[McRamFan]

1 hour ago, David said:

Do you know the taxi driver before getting in the car?

No you don't, hence why it would be a good idea to have a UK or England standard licence system that vets the driver, his background, local knowledge and ability to drive.

 

[Anon]

It's practises like this that will ensure private hire firms get pushed out by Uber. It's only a tiny minority of cabbies that behave this way, but there's no accountability and your only recourse as a consumer is to either involve the police or simply not use the company.

[Rev]

11 hours ago, McRamFan said:

An interesting situation happen to my Dad the other day.  He has stopped driving and uses taxi's every now and again to get to doctor appointment's etc.

He was on route to the doctors and the taxi went the wrong way and added more than £2.00 to the fare, eventhough my Dad was telling him he was going the wrong way.  When the taxi got there Dad refused to pay the additional amount to what he regularly pays, the taxi driver threatened him, physically, so Dad called the Police (Dad is 85, 5' 3" and weighs about 10 st).  Police arrived and after a heated rant by the taxi driver, a call to the taxi company, the Police told the driver to either accept the fare that Dad usually pays, or do one.

The reason I bring this to the forum is to highlight something I had heard in the background, however never knew what sort of impact it can have.  The taxi's drivers private hire licence was registered to Wolverhampton, whom allow licences to people with far less checks that Derby.  They can operate anywhere in the UK regardless of where the licence has been issued, and there is no stadardisation for application.  For instance, Derby require a 'knowledge' test, not quite to the degree of London black cabs, but atleast know were key sites are and where the suburbs are.  Others just require a form filled out and don't even check the driving licence, never mind background checks.

Until recently, only Western Cars where the ony ones that had Derby only registered drivers, this has now changed, as they have been bought out by DG Cars in Nottingham, who will let anyone drive for them.

From my Dad's experiance, I would suggest that if you have to use a cab, either use the hackney ones (yellow), that have to be registered to Derby City Council, however I would still check, or if you use a private hire, ask for a driver that is registered in Derby and check the plate on the back.

 

 

Good topic. 

I live in a suberb of Nottm, and have seen DG go from a friendly local cab firm to a city wide cartel of massively varying standards, mostly downhill in my experience.

I didn't realise they'd reached across the border, but the bigger they get the less they give a poo seems to be the general rule.

Hackney cabs are no better in my experience, I often use one on my way back from games from Nottm Station, and if I wasn't a local and able to guide them from station to door they wouldn't have a clue.

'The Knowledge' should be compulsory for all such operators imo, it's pretty useless if you embark on a cab journey while not knowing the destination otherwise, surely?

 

 

 

[i-Ram]

Taxi companies offer rank service. End thread.

[Bwash_Ram]

Thats not very fare.

[LesterRam]

Well he might not be the registered keeper of the private hire vehicle, I know many that use one car on a 12-hour rotation, they use one insurance policy and one driving license and if they are picked up give the registered keeper the details to the law. simples.

[Boycie]

2 hours ago, Bwash_Ram said:

Thats not very fare.

Hail apologise soon,

[ThePrisoner]

37 minutes ago, Boycie said:

Hail apologise soon,

He’s right though. Some of the service they provide is uber poor. 

[Gritstone Ram]

On 27/06/2018 at 09:54, McRamFan said:

An interesting situation happen to my Dad the other day.  He has stopped driving and uses taxi's every now and again to get to doctor appointment's etc.

He was on route to the doctors and the taxi went the wrong way and added more than £2.00 to the fare, eventhough my Dad was telling him he was going the wrong way.  When the taxi got there Dad refused to pay the additional amount to what he regularly pays, the taxi driver threatened him, physically, so Dad called the Police (Dad is 85, 5' 3" and weighs about 10 st).  Police arrived and after a heated rant by the taxi driver, a call to the taxi company, the Police told the driver to either accept the fare that Dad usually pays, or do one.

The reason I bring this to the forum is to highlight something I had heard in the background, however never knew what sort of impact it can have.  The taxi's drivers private hire licence was registered to Wolverhampton, whom allow licences to people with far less checks that Derby.  They can operate anywhere in the UK regardless of where the licence has been issued, and there is no stadardisation for application.  For instance, Derby require a 'knowledge' test, not quite to the degree of London black cabs, but atleast know were key sites are and where the suburbs are.  Others just require a form filled out and don't even check the driving licence, never mind background checks.

Until recently, only Western Cars where the ony ones that had Derby only registered drivers, this has now changed, as they have been bought out by DG Cars in Nottingham, who will let anyone drive for them.

From my Dad's experiance, I would suggest that if you have to use a cab, either use the hackney ones (yellow), that have to be registered to Derby City Council, however I would still check, or if you use a private hire, ask for a driver that is registered in Derby and check the plate on the back.

 

 

Can you book a Hackney carriage? 

Chads Taxis I used to use years ago are they still going?

I know City Taxi's are in Derby, Chesterfield & Sheffield.