Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) provide a particularly important service for many disabled people, helping them to remain independent and to complete journeys which may not be possible using other forms of transport.
I recognise that the availability of wheelchair accessible taxis and PHVs varies across Great Britain, particularly in rural areas. I know too, however, that they can sometimes be difficult to access for some ambulant disabled people. As such we encourage local licensing authorities to use their existing powers to ensure that a range of vehicle categories are represented in their taxi and PHV fleets.
We have also introduced powers in the Deregulation Act 2015 to enable the sub-contracting of PHV services across local authority boundaries, helping to ensure that wheelchair accessible vehicles are available wherever they are required.
(Citation: HC Deb, 16 January 2017, cW)
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Five Dundee taxi drivers had action taken against them after sexual allegations were made against them, the Tele can reveal.
The information has come to light following a freedom of information request by the Tele to Dundee City Council.
Last year, there were 41 taxi drivers in Dundee who had action taken against them by the council as a result of allegations made against them by passengers.
As well as the five cases alleging “inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature”, there were seven allegations of breach of the peace and six alleged road traffic offences.
There was a total of 11 allegations of other behaviour issues, which were not specified.
In addition, there were a further 12 cases involving other issues which included medical issues and smoking in taxis.
All five of the drivers accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour were male.
The Tele understands that while decisions are made on a case-to-case basis, in most instances drivers are suspended immediately when an allegation of a sexual nature is made.
All hearings on the misconduct of the drivers were held in private at Dundee City Council’s licencing committee.
Stewart Hunter, convener of the council’s licensing committee, said public protection was “at the forefront” of any decision made, adding that the allegations were taken very seriously.
He continued: “I cannot comment on individual cases but council policy is to wait on criminal proceedings to finish before a decision is made.
“We take very seriously any allegations and take appropriate measures to protect the public.
“The safety of any passenger getting into a taxi in Dundee is our No 1 priority.”
There is a limit on the amount of taxi driver licences the council grants, which is set at 575.
At the moment, according to the council, there are 589 taxis operating in Dundee.
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-taxi-drivers-suspended-sexual-claims/
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UBERK Pay 20 Million Dollar Court order
The ride-hailing company Uber has agreed to pay $20 million to settle allegations that it exaggerated prospective earnings in seeking to recruit drivers, according to documents filed with a U.S. federal court on Thursday.
The company had on its website that UberX drivers made more than $90,000 in New York and $74,000 in San Francisco when the real earnings were considerably less, the Federal Trade Commission said in a court filing.
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SAN ANTONIO - For the first time in San Antonio, an Uber driver is facing charges of violence. He is accused of raping a young woman after driving her home.
According to an arrest report from the San Antonio Police Department, the incident happened in October 2016.
The woman was at an unnamed bar. The report states she was so drunk that she passed out in the bathroom. Bar staff helped her outside, where an Uber was waiting.
The Uber driver, a man police identified as Gabriel Vasquez, reportedly helped the woman inside her apartment because she needed help walking. The report states he "escorted her to her bed and began to undress her." He is then accused of raping her.
“You'd like to think that when you're getting into an Uber, you're entering a safe place,” said local Uber user Hattie Piske, who is not connected to this incident. However, she said she is one many San Antonio women shuddering at the thought of this happening.
The 22-year-old victim alerted police and Uber the next day, according to SAPD. Uber said the trip Vasquez gave the 22-year-old was his last Uber ride, and he no longer drives for Uber.
Police said Vasquez did not have any previous complaints.
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