Tyneside.

Blueline Taxis has unveiled ambitious plans to create hundreds of new jobs on Tyneside, coupled with a unique driver earnings guarantee to ensure a living wage for all drivers.

The family-run taxi company, which has expanded its fleet to more than 600 cars in recent years, is recruiting across all parts of its business, looking for drivers, mechanics and call centre staff at its Wallsend headquarters.

Blueline has continued to expand right through the recession and, as the region’s economy returns to growth, the company is now seeing a rapid increase in bookings from business and leisure customers.

This growth in demand has led to further investment with more vehicles and new staff.

Ian Shanks, owner and managing director of Blueline, said: “We’re putting our money where our mouth is, creating jobs with guaranteed earnings for hard-working people in the North East.

"With all the coverage in the press about zero-hours contracts, we are offering a guarantee that take-home pay for our drivers will never drop below £350 per week, which equates to a salary of just under £23,000 a year.

“This commitment to our employees will sit alongside our continued investment in new vehicles and the latest technology, ensuring we are able to deliver the highest quality service at the lowest possible price to our customers.“

All drivers and call centre staff will receive full training at Blueline’s bespoke training academy, where all new recruits are provided with the skills and knowledge required to drive taxis and deal with customers. Drivers require a driving license and mechanics must have a Level 3 qualification.

Mr Shanks: “While all drivers will have a minimum take home wage packet of £350 per week, they will have the opportunity to earn much more, particularly during the busy festive season.


“Working with Blueline offers genuine prospects for advancement and personal development as we continue our ambitious expansion plans.“
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October 14, 2013 06:01 CET
PARIS (Bloomberg) 

The French government will limit minicab services after protests from taxi drivers and will add more taxi licenses in Paris to satisfy residents of the nation's capital who say they can never find a cab.

Minicabs, or car services provided by unmarked vehicles, will have to wait 15 minutes between receiving a reservation and picking up a client, and the ban on them being hailed on the street will be reinforced, Interior Minister Manuel Valls and Commerce Minister Sylvia Pinel said in a joint statement.

The 15-minute delay won't apply to tourist hotels and to professional trade fairs.

An additional 1,000 taxi licenses will be added for the Paris region, on the condition they are prepared to work evenings and weekends, Valls and Pinel said in the statement.

There are 17,357 taxis in the Paris region, according to the Paris Police's Web site, compared with 32,000 in 1937 when the government first began limiting the number of licenses.

Valls and Pinel also said the government will attempt to count the number of minicabs, for which there are no verifiable statistics. A 2010 law on tourism services opened the way for minicabs, and 323 companies have been registered in Paris alone,

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Norwich

Courtesy Taxis welcomed in the cameras for a fly-on-the-wall documentary showcasing the 24-7 demands of running the city’s biggest taxi firm – including dealing with kicking-out time at its Prince of Wales Road offices.

Owner Mark Streeter said the one-hour programme encapsulated the daily life of a taxi driver – from the genteel daytime clientele through to “the night-time manoeuvres”.

“We see the full spectrum – as drivers we see the nicest and we see the nastiest,” said Mr Streeter, 45, who bought the company eight years ago.

And despite much of the action centring on the intoxicated antics of Courtesy’s customers in the wee small hours, Mr Streeter insisted the programme was positive for the city.

“I’m Norwich born and bred and I love Norwich, so I’m glad that it shows it as a nice, vibrant, lively city with everyone enjoying themselves.

“Yes, you’ve got people falling around and being drunk, but it’s all in good taste, and it’s very funny.

“It will show the varied customers that we have at Courtesy Taxis, from lovely silver-haired ladies getting their hair done, to transvestites, to a bunch of lads who have no shame.”

Much of the action centres around Courtesy’s 50-seat waiting area, complete with door staff and taxi marshalls, which can become a venue in its own right on a Friday or Saturday night.

“After a night out, what you want is a cab and a kebab, and our waiting area is a safe place for people to get their taxi home,” said Mr Streeter.

“We often have people in there at 7am on a Sunday after a night out, as it’s a meeting point for people.

“It’s a 24-7 operation, and we never close. You could have your Christmas dinner there if you wanted.”

Mr Streeter, who lives in Hevingham, said he hoped the one-off show could lead to follow-ups if it proves popular.

Up All Night: The Minicab Office airs on Thursday, October 24 at 10pm on Channel 4.