NOTTINGHAM
Tributes have been paid to 43-year-old father-of-three Amjim Amin following his death after a crash in Edwards Lane on Monday (July 16).
Known to his friends as Majid, he had been a Hackney carriage taxi driver for more than 20 years.
His distraught brother, Imran Amin, 43, said his family have been told he died from a suspected heart attack while behind the wheel of his cab.
It happened only moments after he had dropped his parents off at the City Hospital for a routine appointment.
Imran told the Post: "He was one in a million. He was a cheerful, loving character who would always put a smile on your face. A lot of people are shocked. He was always there for the family."
He said his brother, who lived in Lenton and was born and bred in Nottingham, leaves behind three children - two teenage boys and a girl.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/tributes-paid-taxi-driver-43-1794601
--------------------------------------
WELWYN GARDEN CITY
Cabbies working with a leading WGC private hire company held a day of work stoppage in protest of their employment conditions.
The protest had the backing of national workers’ union GMB.
On Tuesday, July 3, dozens of drivers gathered at Mundells with their cars and GMB flags.
The protesters say over 100 drivers attended.
“If there’s no drivers, there’s no AAA,” said one driver.
The cabbies were objecting to AAA’s use of drivers licensed by Transport for London (TfL) for Welwyn Hatfield jobs, which they say is eating into their business.
One driver said his takings had plummeted by between 60 to 70 per cent in recent months.
GMB say that under a process called triple licensing, the operator, driver and vehicle should all come from the area the job was called from
However, the law changed nationally in 2015 following the Deregulation Act, allowing operators to sub-contract jobs across local authority borders.
The drivers protesting at Mundells said they want more scrutiny on cross-border hiring of drivers as a national issue.
A spokesperson for AAA, which has offices serving Potters Bar, Hatfield, WGC, Borehamwood, Hertford and St Albans, said: “We operate within the national and local guidelines for licensing.”
Welwyn Hatfield-based drivers with AAA pay the company between £90 and £100 per week to access its bookings, and believe that the company takes similar fees from London drivers.
Either way, one driver told the WHT: “The more drivers they get, the more money they get.”
He added: “So we’re the ones who suffer.”
“They [AAA] don’t care about their drivers any more,” said another anonymous driver at the Mundells demonstration.
Steve Garelick, regional officer for GMB, also attended the protest on Tuesday, July 3.
“It takes a lot for drivers to protest like this,” he said.
“The guys here need a quality of life and they need to be able to earn an income.”
He added the TfL-licensed drivers “don’t know the area, and they don’t know the clientele”.
He expressed particular concern about the possibility that contracts for the school run could be subcontracted to non-local drivers.
The demonstrating drivers say that AAA has not responded to their ongoing attempts to discuss the situation, prompting the protest.
“Nothing has been talked about, they just ignore us,” said one driver.
A spokesperson for AAA responded to say that they regularly discuss issues with drivers on an individual and group basis.
On the day of the protest, AAA declined to comment, but told the WHT: “As far as we’re concerned it’s business as usual for our customers.”
The impact of cross-border hiring of drivers has been a point of discussion between cabbies since the Deregulation Act came in, and is not unique to AAA.
A spokesperson for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, which oversees taxi and private hire licensing, said in response to the drivers’ calls for greater scrutiny:
“This has become a problem for drivers across the country and we’ve been supporting the lobbying at a national level calling for the law change to be looked at again.
“We’ve also been working closely with TfL over many months to investigate operator activity in London and hope to make a further announcement soon.”
As a next step, the drivers are planning to arrange a meeting with Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps to discuss their concerns about how the Deregulation Act is impacting them.
------------------------------------------------
SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE 6 Year Long Investigation.
You need to read this yourself, much, to much information for usual 'Cut n Paste.'
https://bit.ly/2zNGYYZ
Tuesday, 17 July 2018
Monday, 16 July 2018
HULL
Compulsory training on spotting signs of possible child exploitation is set to be introduced for Hull's taxi drivers.
The training will be a condition of future taxi licence applications.
Subject to cabinet approval in September, it will initially be free of charge with funding for the initiative being provided by Hull City Council.
Speaking at a council scrutiny meeting, Hull Safeguarding Children Board manager Neil Colthup said: "Making training part of the licensing conditions is the next step.
"Taxi drivers can act as eyes and ears for us and this will become part of our strategy to reduce risk."
There are around 1,400 taxi drivers in Hull and the training will form part of every new licence application and renewal.
Mr Colthup said a multi-agency group in Hull, including the council and Humberside Police, had recently expanded its focus on child sexual exploitation to include other areas of concern around criminal exploitation involving children and trafficking.
He said the group's work included meetings held every six weeks where suspected perpetrators were identified along with specific action aimed at disrupting their activities.
Councillors heard the police had recently completed a draft of its first-ever profile of the extent of child sexual exploitation in Hull.
Mr Colthup said this had been drawn up using police data and intelligence and would have extra information from other agencies added to it in due course.
"This will give us a better understanding of risks, trends and hot spots and help inform responses," he added.
Councillor Rosie Nicola said: "I remember when Rotherham hit the fan and I was horrified at the scale of the child sexual exploitation that had been going on there.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hull-taxi-drivers-set-trained-1790481
------------------------------------------
Manchester-based retailer The Co-op is unlikely to extend a trial which saw taxis being used to deliver groceries to customers.
The three month experiment centred on three stores: Lancing in West Sussex, Ashley Down, in Bristol, and Royton in Manchester.
Currently, the Co-op provides home delivery from 228 branches, but only for purchases made in-store.
Home delivery is free within certain postcodes for customers spending more than £25, or for £3 if they spend less.
These items are delivered by Co-op vans.
But the recent trial involved taxis being hired to make deliveries to customers.
Industry commentators believe that this could be extended to deliver groceries using private hire cabs and courier fleets for items bought on the internet.
The group has recently employed senior e-commerce experts from other supermarket groups, including Chris Conway, previously senior director of grocery e-commerce with Asda and Morrisons’ head of online, and George Hayworth, former Asda e-commerce operations manager and Morrisons’ online digital operations manager.
Lisa Byfield-Green, senior analyst at LZ Retailytics, believes the trial could be linked to “future e-commerce ambitions” for the Co-op.
It could be aimed at cutting the costs of its existing delivery systems, and, with a “network of reliable logistics partners it could potentially also scale this initiative to include online ordering,” she said.
A staff member at Lancing was quoted as saying: “It’s a new process. We used to do it with our own vans but we’ve been trialing it with the taxis. It seems to be going quite well.”
However, a Co-op spokesman said there are no plans currently in place to extend the trial.
-------------------------------------------------------------
WOLVERHAMPTON
Taxi drivers staged a further 'go-slow' protest on the streets of Wolverhampton today in an ongoing row over licensing.
Cabbies gathered on roads around Wolverhampton Science Park from 9am ready to head out from 10am.
The group drove at around 20 mph on Stafford Road onto the city centre ring road
Sayed Hussain, aged 33, who is a Wolverhampton taxi driver, said: “I knew a driver who came the other side of Newcastle-under-Lyme to pick up his licence.
"How can the council monitor the amount of drivers they are handing licences out to? It is simply not safe, young lives could be at risk.
“If drivers are banned in one borough, they can still get licenses in Wolverhampton and that is wrong.
There is a reason why they are banned.”
It came less than a month after hundreds of drivers staged a similar demonstration.
Cabbies from Coventry joined union officials to campaign against Wolverhampton Council's private hire licensing system.
They say the authority has issued thousands of licences to Uber drivers operating all around the country, threatening the livelihoods of black cab drivers in places including Coventry.
Some Wolverhampton taxi drivers have been working in places as far afield as Weymouth.
The West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association is behind the latest protest today.
Secretary of West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association Richard Corfield said: “We have issues with driving licences that are handed out nationally from Wolverhampton. Plus self employed drivers are being exploited and we want more stringent tests. We want to see that drivers have done a topographical test along with tests in written and spoken English.
“Drivers are coming from all over the country, even as far as Weymouth, to get licences from here.
“We want to sit down with the council and have a meeting. They need to take into consideration that us drivers, who have been doing it for how many years, can have an input on the best way to issue licenses.
“The council are giving out 10 times more licences than boroughs of similar size and population. It cannot cope.
“Whether we get 20 or 200 drivers taking part, success today would be if we raise awareness to the public.”
Wolverhampton Council dismissed earlier protests as 'pointless' saying any demonstrations should be directed to law makers in Westminster.
Council officials claimed only 20 vehicles took part.
https://bit.ly/2zIAfiN
Compulsory training on spotting signs of possible child exploitation is set to be introduced for Hull's taxi drivers.
The training will be a condition of future taxi licence applications.
Subject to cabinet approval in September, it will initially be free of charge with funding for the initiative being provided by Hull City Council.
Speaking at a council scrutiny meeting, Hull Safeguarding Children Board manager Neil Colthup said: "Making training part of the licensing conditions is the next step.
"Taxi drivers can act as eyes and ears for us and this will become part of our strategy to reduce risk."
There are around 1,400 taxi drivers in Hull and the training will form part of every new licence application and renewal.
Mr Colthup said a multi-agency group in Hull, including the council and Humberside Police, had recently expanded its focus on child sexual exploitation to include other areas of concern around criminal exploitation involving children and trafficking.
He said the group's work included meetings held every six weeks where suspected perpetrators were identified along with specific action aimed at disrupting their activities.
Councillors heard the police had recently completed a draft of its first-ever profile of the extent of child sexual exploitation in Hull.
Mr Colthup said this had been drawn up using police data and intelligence and would have extra information from other agencies added to it in due course.
"This will give us a better understanding of risks, trends and hot spots and help inform responses," he added.
Councillor Rosie Nicola said: "I remember when Rotherham hit the fan and I was horrified at the scale of the child sexual exploitation that had been going on there.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hull-taxi-drivers-set-trained-1790481
------------------------------------------
Manchester-based retailer The Co-op is unlikely to extend a trial which saw taxis being used to deliver groceries to customers.
The three month experiment centred on three stores: Lancing in West Sussex, Ashley Down, in Bristol, and Royton in Manchester.
Currently, the Co-op provides home delivery from 228 branches, but only for purchases made in-store.
Home delivery is free within certain postcodes for customers spending more than £25, or for £3 if they spend less.
These items are delivered by Co-op vans.
But the recent trial involved taxis being hired to make deliveries to customers.
Industry commentators believe that this could be extended to deliver groceries using private hire cabs and courier fleets for items bought on the internet.
The group has recently employed senior e-commerce experts from other supermarket groups, including Chris Conway, previously senior director of grocery e-commerce with Asda and Morrisons’ head of online, and George Hayworth, former Asda e-commerce operations manager and Morrisons’ online digital operations manager.
Lisa Byfield-Green, senior analyst at LZ Retailytics, believes the trial could be linked to “future e-commerce ambitions” for the Co-op.
It could be aimed at cutting the costs of its existing delivery systems, and, with a “network of reliable logistics partners it could potentially also scale this initiative to include online ordering,” she said.
A staff member at Lancing was quoted as saying: “It’s a new process. We used to do it with our own vans but we’ve been trialing it with the taxis. It seems to be going quite well.”
However, a Co-op spokesman said there are no plans currently in place to extend the trial.
-------------------------------------------------------------
WOLVERHAMPTON
Taxi drivers staged a further 'go-slow' protest on the streets of Wolverhampton today in an ongoing row over licensing.
Cabbies gathered on roads around Wolverhampton Science Park from 9am ready to head out from 10am.
The group drove at around 20 mph on Stafford Road onto the city centre ring road
Sayed Hussain, aged 33, who is a Wolverhampton taxi driver, said: “I knew a driver who came the other side of Newcastle-under-Lyme to pick up his licence.
"How can the council monitor the amount of drivers they are handing licences out to? It is simply not safe, young lives could be at risk.
“If drivers are banned in one borough, they can still get licenses in Wolverhampton and that is wrong.
There is a reason why they are banned.”
It came less than a month after hundreds of drivers staged a similar demonstration.
Cabbies from Coventry joined union officials to campaign against Wolverhampton Council's private hire licensing system.
They say the authority has issued thousands of licences to Uber drivers operating all around the country, threatening the livelihoods of black cab drivers in places including Coventry.
Some Wolverhampton taxi drivers have been working in places as far afield as Weymouth.
The West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association is behind the latest protest today.
Secretary of West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association Richard Corfield said: “We have issues with driving licences that are handed out nationally from Wolverhampton. Plus self employed drivers are being exploited and we want more stringent tests. We want to see that drivers have done a topographical test along with tests in written and spoken English.
“Drivers are coming from all over the country, even as far as Weymouth, to get licences from here.
“We want to sit down with the council and have a meeting. They need to take into consideration that us drivers, who have been doing it for how many years, can have an input on the best way to issue licenses.
“The council are giving out 10 times more licences than boroughs of similar size and population. It cannot cope.
“Whether we get 20 or 200 drivers taking part, success today would be if we raise awareness to the public.”
Wolverhampton Council dismissed earlier protests as 'pointless' saying any demonstrations should be directed to law makers in Westminster.
Council officials claimed only 20 vehicles took part.
https://bit.ly/2zIAfiN
Tuesday, 10 July 2018
Aberdeen council chiefs are considering a review of the city’s taxi plate system after allegations of widespread “renting” to bypass the rules.
Retired cabbies living as far afield as Thailand and Spain are said to be accepting cash for their plates from younger drivers so they can operate saloon style cars rather than wheelchair accessible vehicles like council policy dictates.
The claim has been made by two of the city’s drivers who said the practice was widespread and while not technically illegal was nonetheless concerning.
Council licensing rules state that new drivers coming into the trade in the city should drive wheelchair accessible cars – with drivers who are behind the wheels of older saloon vehicles given a special dispensation.
That has made the idea of “renting” a saloon plates attractive to a number of prospective city taxi drivers.
A council spokeswoman said there was nothing illegal about someone else operating a car under this method but the person whose name the plate was under would be responsible for it.
She added that the system was being reviewed.
One of the men, who doesn’t want to be named for fear of backlash, gave the Press and Journal details of nine plates operating in the Granite City that are driven by someone else.
He said: “These guys maybe aren’t making a lot of money out of their plates, maybe £60 a week I hear, but it is the principle of the thing.
“Wheelchair cars are more expensive to run, cost more to buy and people can avoid them on the street.
“It isn’t fair that these guys can bypass the rules.”
In May, a decision on controversial proposals to make all taxis in Aberdeen wheelchair accessible was put-off by council chiefs for at least five years.
A legal ruling dating back to 1994 committed the authority to implementing the policy by last summer.
But the decision was deferred last year so a consultation with the taxi trade, members of the public and disabled groups could be carried out.
The consultation found that the 247 who gave their views would prefer to have some form of mixed fleet, with only 49 people in favour of full accessibility vehicles.
A council spokeswoman said: “There is no legal requirement under legislation for the licence holders to drive the vehicles themselves, however the licence holder will always remain responsible.
“This is something that the council are keeping under review. “
https://goo.gl/ERfmLC
Retired cabbies living as far afield as Thailand and Spain are said to be accepting cash for their plates from younger drivers so they can operate saloon style cars rather than wheelchair accessible vehicles like council policy dictates.
The claim has been made by two of the city’s drivers who said the practice was widespread and while not technically illegal was nonetheless concerning.
Council licensing rules state that new drivers coming into the trade in the city should drive wheelchair accessible cars – with drivers who are behind the wheels of older saloon vehicles given a special dispensation.
That has made the idea of “renting” a saloon plates attractive to a number of prospective city taxi drivers.
A council spokeswoman said there was nothing illegal about someone else operating a car under this method but the person whose name the plate was under would be responsible for it.
She added that the system was being reviewed.
One of the men, who doesn’t want to be named for fear of backlash, gave the Press and Journal details of nine plates operating in the Granite City that are driven by someone else.
He said: “These guys maybe aren’t making a lot of money out of their plates, maybe £60 a week I hear, but it is the principle of the thing.
“Wheelchair cars are more expensive to run, cost more to buy and people can avoid them on the street.
“It isn’t fair that these guys can bypass the rules.”
In May, a decision on controversial proposals to make all taxis in Aberdeen wheelchair accessible was put-off by council chiefs for at least five years.
A legal ruling dating back to 1994 committed the authority to implementing the policy by last summer.
But the decision was deferred last year so a consultation with the taxi trade, members of the public and disabled groups could be carried out.
The consultation found that the 247 who gave their views would prefer to have some form of mixed fleet, with only 49 people in favour of full accessibility vehicles.
A council spokeswoman said: “There is no legal requirement under legislation for the licence holders to drive the vehicles themselves, however the licence holder will always remain responsible.
“This is something that the council are keeping under review. “
https://goo.gl/ERfmLC
Monday, 9 July 2018
MANCHESTER AIRPORT
Black cab drivers have stopped picking up from all Manchester Airport terminals as part of a dispute over a new T3 taxi rank.
The row between Unite the union and airport bosses has escalated through the day, with drivers initially boycotting just the new rank - which is around the corner from the terminal and not visible to passengers.
Drivers claim this positioning discriminates against disabled passengers - and Hackney cabs.
It takes the place of the current rank, which is closer to the terminal exit and more visible to passengers. It’s been moved to make way for more drop-off bays for a new ‘kiss and fly’ passenger charging system launching on Tuesday.
The new taxi stand is the third in less than a year. The original one had space for 12 cabs, while the new one will take four at a time.
But at 6.30pm on Monday, they moved to a full withdrawal of their services.
Yucel Polat, a driver and Unite rep, said: “We were getting threats and drivers were getting moved on so we moved to a full withdrawal from all terminals. We are getting a strong feeling they don’t want black cabs here.
"At international airports around the world the first thing passengers see when they step outside is a taxi rank. But not here.
Drivers also take issue with the facilities at the feeder park on Ringway Road - where they wait before being directed to the terminals by airport marshalls. They say hundreds of drivers have to share three run-down toilets and that facilities have been left to deteriorate.
Khurshid Anjim, a driver of 20 years, said: “The facilities are diabolical and I’ve seen them get worse over the years.”
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “Passengers have a wide range of options for travelling to and from Manchester Airport, including train, tram, bus, coach, car, private hire operators and Hackney Carriages.
“It is down to each individual Hackney Carriage driver who is registered with us whether they choose to work on any given day and we note the intention of a group of drivers not to serve our terminals until further notice.
“In developing our new forecourt arrangements, we have had to consider the interests of more than 25 different user groups while coming up with a system that reduces congestion and provides the best possible experience to our customers.
“We believe we have chosen the best possible location for the Hackney Carriage rank at Terminal 3, from where cars are sent from our dedicated feeder park.
“It is a similar distance away from the terminal than the previous rank, with new signage put in place to guide all arriving passengers to the right location, should they wish to use a Hackney Carriage for their onward journey.
“This signage has been tested with passengers prior to the new rank opening and has proven to be effective.
“We have been in dialogue with the Hackney Carriage community over a number of concerns they have raised about the Terminal 3 rank and believe we have made several concessions in an attempt to resolve the issue.
“Among other things, these include the guarantee of a review of the new system after six weeks and the provision by Manchester Airport of a dedicated taxi marshal inside Terminal 3 to direct arriving passengers to the new rank.
“That is why it is disappointing this action has been taken before the effects on the Hackney trade, if any, are truly known.
“However, we remain committed to working with the Hackney Carriage community to find a solution that is fair to all users of Manchester Airport.”
https://goo.gl/f6oZqT
------------------------------------------------------------
Black cab drivers have stopped picking up from all Manchester Airport terminals as part of a dispute over a new T3 taxi rank.
The row between Unite the union and airport bosses has escalated through the day, with drivers initially boycotting just the new rank - which is around the corner from the terminal and not visible to passengers.
Drivers claim this positioning discriminates against disabled passengers - and Hackney cabs.
It takes the place of the current rank, which is closer to the terminal exit and more visible to passengers. It’s been moved to make way for more drop-off bays for a new ‘kiss and fly’ passenger charging system launching on Tuesday.
The new taxi stand is the third in less than a year. The original one had space for 12 cabs, while the new one will take four at a time.
But at 6.30pm on Monday, they moved to a full withdrawal of their services.
Yucel Polat, a driver and Unite rep, said: “We were getting threats and drivers were getting moved on so we moved to a full withdrawal from all terminals. We are getting a strong feeling they don’t want black cabs here.
"At international airports around the world the first thing passengers see when they step outside is a taxi rank. But not here.
Drivers also take issue with the facilities at the feeder park on Ringway Road - where they wait before being directed to the terminals by airport marshalls. They say hundreds of drivers have to share three run-down toilets and that facilities have been left to deteriorate.
Khurshid Anjim, a driver of 20 years, said: “The facilities are diabolical and I’ve seen them get worse over the years.”
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “Passengers have a wide range of options for travelling to and from Manchester Airport, including train, tram, bus, coach, car, private hire operators and Hackney Carriages.
“It is down to each individual Hackney Carriage driver who is registered with us whether they choose to work on any given day and we note the intention of a group of drivers not to serve our terminals until further notice.
“In developing our new forecourt arrangements, we have had to consider the interests of more than 25 different user groups while coming up with a system that reduces congestion and provides the best possible experience to our customers.
“We believe we have chosen the best possible location for the Hackney Carriage rank at Terminal 3, from where cars are sent from our dedicated feeder park.
“It is a similar distance away from the terminal than the previous rank, with new signage put in place to guide all arriving passengers to the right location, should they wish to use a Hackney Carriage for their onward journey.
“This signage has been tested with passengers prior to the new rank opening and has proven to be effective.
“We have been in dialogue with the Hackney Carriage community over a number of concerns they have raised about the Terminal 3 rank and believe we have made several concessions in an attempt to resolve the issue.
“Among other things, these include the guarantee of a review of the new system after six weeks and the provision by Manchester Airport of a dedicated taxi marshal inside Terminal 3 to direct arriving passengers to the new rank.
“That is why it is disappointing this action has been taken before the effects on the Hackney trade, if any, are truly known.
“However, we remain committed to working with the Hackney Carriage community to find a solution that is fair to all users of Manchester Airport.”
https://goo.gl/f6oZqT
------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, 6 July 2018
WOLVERHAMPTON
A drug-addled taxi driver who attacked a woman with a knife while high on cocaine was starting an 18-month jail sentence today.
Abdul Jabbar knew the woman and had asked her to give him a lift when his vehicle was dropped off for repair.
The pair left in convoy after meeting by agreement in Highfield Road, Netherton, but he parked alongside a nearby block of flats and climbed into her car with a bag, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The married 41-year-old admitted he was ‘coked up’ and had been taking drugs all night, revealed Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting.
The court heard how the defendant told the woman: ‘Sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing’ before producing an eight inch blade knife from the bag.
The terrified woman tried to get out but was grabbed by the hair by Jabbar on August 26 last year, the court heard.
“She was kicking and screaming and managed to wriggle away from him to open her door,” continued Mr Searle.
She got out and started to phone the police as he dashed round the car to put a hand over her mouth yelling: ‘Shut up, shut up or I will stab you.’
Her cries for help were heard by a member of the public whose shouts spooked the attacker into throwing the victim to the ground and fleeing in his taxi.
He was arrested soon afterwards.
The petrified victim was not physically injured but is now frightened whenever she leaves her home and has had to change her car as it reminds her of the attack.
Mr Curtis Myrie, defending, said Jabbar’s marriage was on the rocks and he had developed a serious cocaine problem, the court heard.
Jabbar from Corporation Road, Dudley, admitted assault and threatening with a blade in a way that caused risk of serious harm.
He was sent to prison by Judge James Burbidge QC, who said: “You pre planned to get a woman on her own in a car while ‘coked up’ and in possession of a knife.
"You had your own agenda but have not been entirely honest when claiming she had nothing to fear from you.”
https://goo.gl/NCC9QP
Wednesday, 4 July 2018
NEW YORK
The Queens organization or The Committee for Taxi Safety is denouncing Uber’s proposal of a “hardship fund” to help bail out struggling yellow medallion taxicabs in New York City, amid a spate of driver suicides in the past six months.
On June 18, following the recent suicide of Abdul Saleh in his Brooklyn home — the sixth yellow taxi driver or owner to take his own life in less than six months — launched a “Clock of Inaction” to document how much time has passed since the first tragic death without any legislative action being taken by the City Council to address the crisis and regulate Uber.
“As long as the Council continues to drag its feet, we will continue to remind them of their obligation to step up and do the right thing,” said David Beier, president of The Committee for Taxi Safety. “There is nothing stopping the Council from working immediately to regulate Uber and save lives.”
The Committee for Taxi Safety is comprised of licensed New York City taxi agents managing approximately 20 percent of the yellow medallion vehicles in New York City Just days before Saleh’s suicide, Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi told the New York Post that the city should impose a fee on all ride-sharing apps to create a fund to help yellow cab drivers who bought their medallions at a high cost and are struggling to pay their debt. But taxi advocates contend the real solution is placing a cap on Uber cars and enforcing regulated prices on ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft that continue to take their customers.
Khosrowshahi did not say how much the fee should be.
“His proposal, of course, does not provide any real answers to the struggles facing yellow taxi owners and drivers,” said Beier. “It would just help Uber to continue maximizing its own profits in New York City.”
According to Khosrowshahi, the fee would help any independent medallion owners -- not fleet bosses or investors. About 25 percent of the 13,587 city taxi medallions currently are owned by independent drivers.
“Things have changed, and if we can be a part of the a solution to make things better to help get some of these owner-operators get out from under water and to continue making a better life and to make a decent life and to help themselves, we want to do that,” Khosrowshahi said. “We don’t want to be a part of the problem.”
Beier said the owners and drivers of taxi medallions are in “enormous debt” with over hundreds and thousands of dollars of outstanding loans, leaving drivers feeling hopeless. Medallions were once extremely valuable, but in the years since Uber and similar companies disrupted the industry, the value of medallions has dropped to $175,000 from over $1 million.
“This went from the American dream, to saving money and buying medallions, to an American nightmare because the city of New York failed to act and protect the medallion license,” said Beier.
According to Beier, New York City Council Members have made numerous statements of condolences for the yellow taxi drivers and owners lost in recent months, but they have not voted on any legislation that would actually fix the problem by limiting the number of ride-sharing vehicles allowed on the streets of New York City.
The yellow taxi industry is required by law to keep its fleet capped at approximately 14,000 vehicles, but there are now more than 100,000 cars driven for companies like Uber in the five boroughs, making it virtually impossible for drivers to earn a living wage, Beier said.
“Uber came in with no regulations, no accessibility, no caps or restrictions,” said Beier. “There’s no way to compete with them; they’re not under the same regulation as we are.”
The Committee for Taxi Safety applauded City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) for recently acknowledging that the Council “made a mistake” by failing to impose a limit on Uber’s growth when a bill was introduced in 2015. Beier said the Council is beginning to look into the issue again.
https://goo.gl/H3zUsC
----------------------------------------
FINLAND
After ceasing operations in Helsinki last year, Uber is back in business after new transportation regulations came into effect this week.
The ride-sharing company had suspended its services in Finland while it awaited the implementation of the new transport law, which allows for surge pricing, increased ability to roam outside of previously restrictive patrol areas, and loosened qualifications to apply for a taxi licence.
Finnish news sites have reported a dramatic increase in the number of operators applying for taxi licences under the new law, with almost 700 applications in one day hitting the country's Transport Safety Agency after it came into affect.
Joel Jarvinen, Uber's general manager in the Nordic region said:
Almost one year ago we paused our operations in Finland, pending the implementation of a new modern transportation law which embraces digital services like Uber.
Those new regulations have now come into effect and so we’re delighted to relaunch in Helsinki today.
Journeys are expected to restart in the country later this afternoon through its Uber X and Uber Black services.
The news comes as Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has set a course for improving the company's relationships with cities and regulators across the world, in a time when Uber is slowly gearing up to go public in 2019.
Rumours surfaced late last night that Uber is exploring a potential merger with Careem Networks to tie-up their services in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg sources.
The deal would see Uber either acquire Careem outright, or own more than half of the company. In the latter case, Careem would manage the running of both companies services while retaining one or both of the companies' local brands.
To date, Uber has sold operations in Southeast Asia, Russia and China to players like Grab Holdings, Yandex and Didi Chuxing.
----------------------------------------
MABELTHORPE
A taxi driver was beaten up in his own taxi and left horrifically bloodied in a savage attack by three masked thugs as they radioed his office to boast to staff as they beat him.
The heartless yobs launched the unprovoked assault on Adam Scandell at around 11.45pm on Monday July 2 and he had to be rushed to hospital, reports Lincolnshire Live .
He is now unsure whether he will return to work following the traumatic incident at Mablethorpe Caravan and Chalet Park, in Lincolnshire.
The masked brutes also picked up Adam's radio in the taxi during the attack and contacted his office, saying: “We have got your taxi driver and we are kicking the **** out of him.”
Scandall could also be heard screaming for help.
Garrie Levett, who owns A1 Taxis where Scandall works, told Lincolnshire Live: "We are at the end of our tether.”
“We’ve had enough of the violence. A lot of people around here have.”
He added: “We’ve had problems with Mablethorpe idiots between the ages of 14 and 17 for over two years. It’s cost us thousands.
https://goo.gl/VJFvbe
------------------------------------
BERLIN (AP) - A group of city counselors in Munich say they want the southern German city's main train station to have a landing pad for flying taxis.
Five city council members from the Christian Social Union party submitted a motion Wednesday calling on rail company Deutsche Bahn to consider the space needed for the small, drone-like passenger aircraft in its plans for a future redesign of the station.
In their motion, they write that "it is to be expected that within a few years technology will have advanced so far that flying taxis can be used to transport people."
The party, which has a majority across Bavaria but is in opposition in the state capital's assembly, has recently been championing the idea of flying taxis as a future means of travel.
https://goo.gl/i8owrh
----------------------------------------------------
MILTON KEYNES
Two taxi drivers have been prosecuted after being caught picking up passengers illegally - plying for hire - known as ‘blagging’ in Milton Keynes.
MK Magistrates heard the two cases on Friday (29 June 2018) after a joint enforcement operation carried out by MK Council and South Northants Council in December 2017.
Selvanayagam Jeevakumar of Turnmill Avenue, Springfield, Milton Keynes attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £84 for plying for hire and £168 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.
At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline. Mr Jeevakumar was previously licensed by Aylesbury Vale District Council who revoked his licence in May 2018.
Muhammed Muddasar Zulfiqar of Windsor Street, Wolverton attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £116 for plying for hire and £232 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.
At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline. Mr Zulfiqar is licensed by South Northants Council who are aware of the position and will now consider appropriate action.
Four other licensed drivers also attended court for taxi licensing offences and their cases were adjourned.
The court heard how officers, acting as members of the public, engaged the drivers on journeys which had not been pre-booked from one location to another in Milton Keynes.
Investigations by council officers showed that the vehicles were not lawfully pre-booked for these journeys.
Cllr Catriona Morris, Chair of the Council’s Taxi Licensing Committee, said:
“The laws and licensing standards that we enforce are in place to ensure that passengers are safe. The public needs to be aware that if they use private hire vehicles without booking in advance then the vehicle will not be insured if an accident occurs. I would like to thank South Northants Council for their support in these joint operations.”
----------------------------------------------------
The Queens organization or The Committee for Taxi Safety is denouncing Uber’s proposal of a “hardship fund” to help bail out struggling yellow medallion taxicabs in New York City, amid a spate of driver suicides in the past six months.
On June 18, following the recent suicide of Abdul Saleh in his Brooklyn home — the sixth yellow taxi driver or owner to take his own life in less than six months — launched a “Clock of Inaction” to document how much time has passed since the first tragic death without any legislative action being taken by the City Council to address the crisis and regulate Uber.
“As long as the Council continues to drag its feet, we will continue to remind them of their obligation to step up and do the right thing,” said David Beier, president of The Committee for Taxi Safety. “There is nothing stopping the Council from working immediately to regulate Uber and save lives.”
The Committee for Taxi Safety is comprised of licensed New York City taxi agents managing approximately 20 percent of the yellow medallion vehicles in New York City Just days before Saleh’s suicide, Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi told the New York Post that the city should impose a fee on all ride-sharing apps to create a fund to help yellow cab drivers who bought their medallions at a high cost and are struggling to pay their debt. But taxi advocates contend the real solution is placing a cap on Uber cars and enforcing regulated prices on ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft that continue to take their customers.
Khosrowshahi did not say how much the fee should be.
“His proposal, of course, does not provide any real answers to the struggles facing yellow taxi owners and drivers,” said Beier. “It would just help Uber to continue maximizing its own profits in New York City.”
According to Khosrowshahi, the fee would help any independent medallion owners -- not fleet bosses or investors. About 25 percent of the 13,587 city taxi medallions currently are owned by independent drivers.
“Things have changed, and if we can be a part of the a solution to make things better to help get some of these owner-operators get out from under water and to continue making a better life and to make a decent life and to help themselves, we want to do that,” Khosrowshahi said. “We don’t want to be a part of the problem.”
Beier said the owners and drivers of taxi medallions are in “enormous debt” with over hundreds and thousands of dollars of outstanding loans, leaving drivers feeling hopeless. Medallions were once extremely valuable, but in the years since Uber and similar companies disrupted the industry, the value of medallions has dropped to $175,000 from over $1 million.
“This went from the American dream, to saving money and buying medallions, to an American nightmare because the city of New York failed to act and protect the medallion license,” said Beier.
According to Beier, New York City Council Members have made numerous statements of condolences for the yellow taxi drivers and owners lost in recent months, but they have not voted on any legislation that would actually fix the problem by limiting the number of ride-sharing vehicles allowed on the streets of New York City.
The yellow taxi industry is required by law to keep its fleet capped at approximately 14,000 vehicles, but there are now more than 100,000 cars driven for companies like Uber in the five boroughs, making it virtually impossible for drivers to earn a living wage, Beier said.
“Uber came in with no regulations, no accessibility, no caps or restrictions,” said Beier. “There’s no way to compete with them; they’re not under the same regulation as we are.”
The Committee for Taxi Safety applauded City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) for recently acknowledging that the Council “made a mistake” by failing to impose a limit on Uber’s growth when a bill was introduced in 2015. Beier said the Council is beginning to look into the issue again.
https://goo.gl/H3zUsC
----------------------------------------
FINLAND
After ceasing operations in Helsinki last year, Uber is back in business after new transportation regulations came into effect this week.
The ride-sharing company had suspended its services in Finland while it awaited the implementation of the new transport law, which allows for surge pricing, increased ability to roam outside of previously restrictive patrol areas, and loosened qualifications to apply for a taxi licence.
Finnish news sites have reported a dramatic increase in the number of operators applying for taxi licences under the new law, with almost 700 applications in one day hitting the country's Transport Safety Agency after it came into affect.
Joel Jarvinen, Uber's general manager in the Nordic region said:
Almost one year ago we paused our operations in Finland, pending the implementation of a new modern transportation law which embraces digital services like Uber.
Those new regulations have now come into effect and so we’re delighted to relaunch in Helsinki today.
Journeys are expected to restart in the country later this afternoon through its Uber X and Uber Black services.
The news comes as Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has set a course for improving the company's relationships with cities and regulators across the world, in a time when Uber is slowly gearing up to go public in 2019.
Rumours surfaced late last night that Uber is exploring a potential merger with Careem Networks to tie-up their services in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg sources.
The deal would see Uber either acquire Careem outright, or own more than half of the company. In the latter case, Careem would manage the running of both companies services while retaining one or both of the companies' local brands.
To date, Uber has sold operations in Southeast Asia, Russia and China to players like Grab Holdings, Yandex and Didi Chuxing.
----------------------------------------
MABELTHORPE
A taxi driver was beaten up in his own taxi and left horrifically bloodied in a savage attack by three masked thugs as they radioed his office to boast to staff as they beat him.
The heartless yobs launched the unprovoked assault on Adam Scandell at around 11.45pm on Monday July 2 and he had to be rushed to hospital, reports Lincolnshire Live .
He is now unsure whether he will return to work following the traumatic incident at Mablethorpe Caravan and Chalet Park, in Lincolnshire.
The masked brutes also picked up Adam's radio in the taxi during the attack and contacted his office, saying: “We have got your taxi driver and we are kicking the **** out of him.”
Scandall could also be heard screaming for help.
Garrie Levett, who owns A1 Taxis where Scandall works, told Lincolnshire Live: "We are at the end of our tether.”
“We’ve had enough of the violence. A lot of people around here have.”
He added: “We’ve had problems with Mablethorpe idiots between the ages of 14 and 17 for over two years. It’s cost us thousands.
https://goo.gl/VJFvbe
------------------------------------
BERLIN (AP) - A group of city counselors in Munich say they want the southern German city's main train station to have a landing pad for flying taxis.
Five city council members from the Christian Social Union party submitted a motion Wednesday calling on rail company Deutsche Bahn to consider the space needed for the small, drone-like passenger aircraft in its plans for a future redesign of the station.
In their motion, they write that "it is to be expected that within a few years technology will have advanced so far that flying taxis can be used to transport people."
The party, which has a majority across Bavaria but is in opposition in the state capital's assembly, has recently been championing the idea of flying taxis as a future means of travel.
https://goo.gl/i8owrh
----------------------------------------------------
MILTON KEYNES
Two taxi drivers have been prosecuted after being caught picking up passengers illegally - plying for hire - known as ‘blagging’ in Milton Keynes.
MK Magistrates heard the two cases on Friday (29 June 2018) after a joint enforcement operation carried out by MK Council and South Northants Council in December 2017.
Selvanayagam Jeevakumar of Turnmill Avenue, Springfield, Milton Keynes attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £84 for plying for hire and £168 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.
At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline. Mr Jeevakumar was previously licensed by Aylesbury Vale District Council who revoked his licence in May 2018.
Muhammed Muddasar Zulfiqar of Windsor Street, Wolverton attended court and pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid motor insurance in December 2017. He was fined £116 for plying for hire and £232 for invalid insurance. He was also given 6 DVLA penalty points and has to pay costs of £400, with a victim surcharge of £30.
At the time of the offence(s) his vehicle was operated by Speedline. Mr Zulfiqar is licensed by South Northants Council who are aware of the position and will now consider appropriate action.
Four other licensed drivers also attended court for taxi licensing offences and their cases were adjourned.
The court heard how officers, acting as members of the public, engaged the drivers on journeys which had not been pre-booked from one location to another in Milton Keynes.
Investigations by council officers showed that the vehicles were not lawfully pre-booked for these journeys.
Cllr Catriona Morris, Chair of the Council’s Taxi Licensing Committee, said:
“The laws and licensing standards that we enforce are in place to ensure that passengers are safe. The public needs to be aware that if they use private hire vehicles without booking in advance then the vehicle will not be insured if an accident occurs. I would like to thank South Northants Council for their support in these joint operations.”
----------------------------------------------------
Monday, 2 July 2018
WHITEHAVEN
A FEMALE taxi passenger accused of causing the vehicle to crash by “grabbing the steering wheel” is to stand trial before a jury later this year.
Lucy Dobbin, 29, denied one charge when she appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today (MON). This is an allegation of causing danger to road users by interfering with a motor vehicle.
It alleges that, on January 5 this year, Dobbin interfered with a Skoda Octavia “by grabbing the steering wheel while travelling as a passenger”, on the A595 at Whitehaven, “causing the vehicle to crash”.
In view of Dobbin’s not guilty plea, a trial – estimated to last up to two days – was listed. This is due to take place at the crown court in the week of August 13.
In the meantime Dobbin, of Westmorland Road, Hensingham, Whitehaven, was granted unconditional bail by Recorder Julie Clemitson.
https://goo.gl/zMVCdt
---------------------------------------------
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City’s cash-strapped Uber and Lyft drivers have been campaigning for bigger paychecks, and their effort got a boost on Monday from a study two economists conducted for the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Drivers for ride-hailing companies, which also include Via and Gett’s Juno, should get a raise to $17.22 an hour after expenses, according to the study by James Parrott of the New School in New York City and Michael Reich at the University of California at Berkeley. The recommended rate amounts to an hourly wage of $15 with an allowance for paid time off.
“Driver pay is low, despite rapid industry growth and high pricing mark-ups, because companies depend upon having a large ready pool of available drivers,” Parrott and Reich wrote. Their study found that 85 percent of the drivers, many of them immigrants, now earn less than this proposed standard.
They said that if the drivers could attain the 22.5 percent raise in net pay, they would take home an additional $6,345 annually. The study is part of a review the taxi commission is conducting to develop a minimum wage and other rules for app-based drivers. The panel plans to release draft rules for public comment soon.
New York’s yellow taxi drivers have joined with drivers for Uber and other app-based ride services to call for guaranteed minimum pay and limits on growth in the number of cars for hire in the largest U.S. city.
https://goo.gl/txYAJ2
A FEMALE taxi passenger accused of causing the vehicle to crash by “grabbing the steering wheel” is to stand trial before a jury later this year.
Lucy Dobbin, 29, denied one charge when she appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today (MON). This is an allegation of causing danger to road users by interfering with a motor vehicle.
It alleges that, on January 5 this year, Dobbin interfered with a Skoda Octavia “by grabbing the steering wheel while travelling as a passenger”, on the A595 at Whitehaven, “causing the vehicle to crash”.
In view of Dobbin’s not guilty plea, a trial – estimated to last up to two days – was listed. This is due to take place at the crown court in the week of August 13.
In the meantime Dobbin, of Westmorland Road, Hensingham, Whitehaven, was granted unconditional bail by Recorder Julie Clemitson.
https://goo.gl/zMVCdt
---------------------------------------------
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City’s cash-strapped Uber and Lyft drivers have been campaigning for bigger paychecks, and their effort got a boost on Monday from a study two economists conducted for the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Drivers for ride-hailing companies, which also include Via and Gett’s Juno, should get a raise to $17.22 an hour after expenses, according to the study by James Parrott of the New School in New York City and Michael Reich at the University of California at Berkeley. The recommended rate amounts to an hourly wage of $15 with an allowance for paid time off.
“Driver pay is low, despite rapid industry growth and high pricing mark-ups, because companies depend upon having a large ready pool of available drivers,” Parrott and Reich wrote. Their study found that 85 percent of the drivers, many of them immigrants, now earn less than this proposed standard.
They said that if the drivers could attain the 22.5 percent raise in net pay, they would take home an additional $6,345 annually. The study is part of a review the taxi commission is conducting to develop a minimum wage and other rules for app-based drivers. The panel plans to release draft rules for public comment soon.
New York’s yellow taxi drivers have joined with drivers for Uber and other app-based ride services to call for guaranteed minimum pay and limits on growth in the number of cars for hire in the largest U.S. city.
https://goo.gl/txYAJ2
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