Minicab firm challenges the rude reign of Paris taxi drivers

9009407Taxi wars have erupted in Paris as the monopoly long enjoyed by the French capital’s notoriously protectionist cabbies is being challenged by a new breed of bookable minicabs.

Parisian taxi drivers get a bad press for being rude, playing loud music, hardly ever accepting credit cards and turning up for a booked ride with 10 euros already on the meter. They are also notoriously hard to find.

Standing in a long queue at a taxi rank outside the Opera Garnier, one irate Parisian watched a string of cabs with the red “taken” light on their roofs drive past and exclaimed: “Taxis, taxis all around, but where’s one when you need one?”

Martin Pietz, a photographer, said: “One or two drops of rain and there are no taxis at all. When you do stop one, they can be very rude and if it’s not on their way home or to lunch they often say, ‘Take another one, I’m busy.’ ”

With just 18,000 vehicles, the taxi fleet of Paris has remained virtually unchanged since the 1950s, while London’s has swelled to about 23,000 black cabs and 40,000 minicabs. Despite the shortfall, the powerful taxi lobby has successfully fought off repeated attempts to deregulate the industry and bring in minicabs – usually by bringing the capital’s main ring road to a halt.

Charles de Gaulle threw in the towel in 1958 after a two-day strike. Nicolas Sarkozy capitulated in 2008 when drivers staged a threeday “operation escargot.”

But now the reign of le taxi parisien is under threat because of a recent change to the law liberalizing socalled “tourist vehicles with chauffeurs,” or VTCs – the French equivalent of minicabs.

Yan Hascoet, 29, the chief executive of chauffeur-prive. com, started with 20 cars 18 months ago and business is booming. He now has a fleet of 320 vehicles, a client base of 15,000 and is seeing 15 per cent week-on-week growth.

“Our drivers are dressed in a suit and red tie, they open the door, make you feel at home in the car, don’t blast their own music and don’t talk unless talked to – just basic service, which is hard to find in France,” he said.

VTCs work on reservations and cannot be hailed in the street. But the advent of smart phone applications using global positioning means cars can turn up almost at once, enraging taxi unions.

“We have to pay 240,000 euros for a new taxi licence, and have a strict area where we can work, while they pay just 100 euros to work where they want and can do what they like,” said Jean-Michel Rebours, Defence of Paris Taxis Union.

Taxi unions are calling on the government to impose a 15-minute delay between the moment a customer books a minicab and its arrival. Minicab companies say the 15-minute rule is an attempt to kill off competition. “How can we tell our customers to wait another eight minutes when their car has already arrived?” asked Hascoet.

With a decision expected in the coming weeks, experts said the taxi lobby would pull out all the stops to get its way.

“The French government is frightened of Paris’s taxi drivers,” said Richard Derbera, a member of the City on the Move institute. “Almost 20 years ago I said to myself, this is ridiculous, there’s no way we can go on like this in Paris. But we have. France will be the last to change.”

Taxi crash tourist leaves hospital

Sian Green is set to return to the UK in the next few days according to a family spokesman and is said to be looking forward to getting back to normal.

Miss Green, 24, from Leicester, was involved in an accident while holidaying with her best friend in New York.

“Her injuries were so serious she had to have part of her left leg amputated below the knee”, said lawyers from Law Office of Daniel Deng who were hired to investigate the case.

However, despite the accident, Miss Green has kept a positive outlook according to doctors who have praised her attitude.

The fashion student has spent more than five weeks in the city’s Bellevue Hospital surrounded by friends and family, where she has been making good progress.

Her father, mother, sister Stacey and best friend Keshia Warren – with whom she travelled to the city – have all remained at her side.

In a recent interview on American television, she praised people at the accident scene in mid-town Manhattan on August 20, whose quick-thinking she believes saved her life.

Miss Green also told reporters she could remember an argument between a taxi driver and a cyclist before the accident, and not being able to move after being hit.

In a statement today her family confirmed she had been discharged on September 26, and was preparing to fly home.

“Sian’s incredible strength has been an inspiration to all,” they said.

“Her positive attitude, infectious personality and determination to recover have played an important role in the result of her discharge.

“In addition, her family, friends and loved ones have been a constant source of motivation for Sian.

“The unwavering love and support from her best friend, Keshia Warren, who has been by her side every day for the past five weeks has also provided her with another source of courage and strength.”

Her family added Miss Green was now looking forward to getting back to a normal routine and focusing on her fashion studies.

They also thanked the people of New York for the kindness and care they had shown their daughter.

London cabbies help transport sick children to hospital

pdl56lp1sfHailo, London’s largest app-based taxi network, is launching a partnership with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The partnership was developed after a number of London cabbies felt passionately that they wanted to help transport seriously ill children to important hospital appointments. They approached Russell Hall, Hailo co-founder, to see how the company could help and as a result a campaign is now being launched on 1st – 10th October which sees Hailo making a donation to Rainbow Trust for every cab booked through the Hailo app.

Having a child with a life threatening illness is something no parent ever wants to imagine going through, but for some families this is a reality.

Dr Jonathan Rabbs, consultant paediatrician at Worthing General Hospital, comments: “There are a number of different reasons why having taxi transport to and from hospital appointments for children with serious illnesses and their parents would be beneficial. Particularly in London, driving and finding parking can be stressful; often the child may have a suppressed immune system so taking public transport risks exposing the sick child to infections; even the additional expense of frequent hospital visits can put extra strain on already stretched family finances. Hospitals will provide a bus however this often does not fit very easily with the appointments and if they over run the child may have to stay overnight at additional cost to the NHS.  So knowing a taxi is on hand would ease this burden and stress for the family immensely.”

When Cavalli (pictured) was just a few months old he was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where it was discovered he had an immune deficiency, meaning he couldn’t fight even a small infection. Over the next two years Cavalli underwent chemotherapy and three bone marrow transplants, the final of which, to his mum Stephanie’s relief, was a success. Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker, Lyn Sweet, has worked with Cavalli and his family offering them emotional and practical support to help them through this difficult period. Now, slowly but surely Cavalli’s health has started to improve.

To support families across London like Cavalli’s, Hailo is aiming to raise an incredible £10,000 in 10 days, which will provide taxi transport to hospital appointments for a whole year.

Commenting on the initiative, Russell Hall, Hailo co-founder and a London cabbie for over 20 years said, “When I was approached by a number of Hailo cabbies to help Rainbow Trust it seemed a natural partnership where we could really help support London families. Anyone who is a parent knows that seeing their child suffer is one of the most difficult things in life to cope with. The emotional and practical support Rainbow Trust provides to these families is immeasurable and we are really pleased to be able to help by providing transport to important hospital appointments.”

Heather Wood, Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust added, “We’re delighted that Hailo has chosen to support Rainbow Trust in this brilliant initiative. £10,000 worth of taxi transport will make a huge difference to our families, as important hospital appointments can be stressful enough, without the added difficulty of taking public transport with a seriously ill child.  We urge every London cab user to help support these families by making every taxi they get between 1 – 10 October a Hailo one.”

These families need your help and it’s really simple to do your bit so please act today; if you have already downloaded the Hailo app simply hail more cabs and if not please:

1. Download the Hailo app  

2. Register your details  

3. Insert the £2 off promotional code: RAINBOW

Next time you need a cab use your Hailo app and get £2 off whilst helping Rainbow Trust.

For further details on the Hailo app please visit www.hailocab.com/london

It’s that simple, but it will make a huge difference to a family going through an already difficult time.