The questions below were presented to the auditors and COM of the LTDA at the AGM on the 16th September. No answers were forthcoming.
The LTDA should not see these questions as intrusive, but as an opportunity to nurture a more transparent and inclusive relationship with its member base.
It’s worth noting that the questions were the result of findings made by two independent, highly regarded accountants.
Last Thursday night, CMT’s complete system shut down and driver’s could not sign in, or clear a payment for hours.
The vehicles are all TX4 Elegance models, the highest specification of taxis currently available in the UK and Sherbet will be adding its own flavour of extra convenience and luxury to the vehicles. If you own a fleet of taxis we recommend you to read about fleet trackers so you will know where your units are at any moment.
Asher Moses, CEO of Sherbet commented: “We’re thrilled to be adding another 50 premium TX4 taxis to our fleet, and in addition to their already high specification, which includes air conditioning and a cleaner Euro 6 engine, we will be adding optional WiFi, in cab digital media, cashless payments, app bookings and our unique Union Jack front grille.”
“Our fleet is growing rapidly, but we never want to lose sight of the fact London taxis are, above all else, high quality – so this purchase of 50 brand new, top of the range taxis makes sure there is no mistake about the premium nature of the Sherbet First Class London taxi offering.”
Sherbet has seen rapid expansion since it started two years ago, having already acquired three of the largest taxi fleet operations in London, and in June Sherbet opened its new Knowledge College facility, teaching the next generation of London cabbies in a modern and spacious school based at the Richmond Road Cab Centre in Hackney.
This latest purchase of 50 new taxis and fleet vehicle graphics also places Sherbet into one of the upper tiers of new cab purchasers in the UK.
Martin Crouch, General Manager for The London Taxi Company added: “We are, of course, delighted to see such an investment in our flagship product. Sherbet wanted premium iconic taxis and that can only mean TX4 Elegance vehicles. Moreover, we are pleased to see firms such as Sherbet continuing to grow and invest in the quality London taxi market, it demonstrates that it is still a market that attracts lots of innovation and investment.”
Sherbet also plans to also offer premium First Class taxis to newly licensed drivers passing through the Sherbet Knowledge College. Asher added: “Usually top of the range, premium fleet services are reserved for the most experienced drivers but we also believe that good service must be embedded right from the beginning, and so we will be using our Knowledge College facility to nurture the next generation of professional Sherbet drivers and we will be placing hand-picked, recently licensed drivers directly into one of these new First Class fleet TX4 vehicles.”
It doesn’t stop there for Sherbet, with their fleet size growing they are soon to launch their own booking app, allowing customers to directly hail the Sherbet taxis from their smartphone for the very first time. Asher added: “Everything Sherbet does is improving the quality of London taxis and making them more desirable and more convenient. Launching our own hailing app is the logical next step, so people can specifically hail a Sherbet taxi in a dynamic and convenient way.”
Sherbet also recently unveiled its unique credit card payment solution for its taxi fleet, enabling Sherbet drivers to accept cashless payments as part of the TfL mandate, but at a lower cost than many alternative solutions. The Sherbet card payment system, standard in all its rental taxis, has one of the lowest transaction charges of all solutions and has no minimum contract term.
Asher Moses concluded: “The Sherbet business is growing fast and our investment in iconic taxis and innovative technology demonstrates there is still demand for a high quality taxi rental service and that customers still crave the unquestionable quality, safety and convenience of a licensed London taxi driven by a safe and knowledgeable driver.”
In the light of the plethora of evidence published in trade journals about the collusion between certain TfLTPH officials, allegedly bending over backwards to help Uber circumnavigate the requirements laid down by the Private Hire Act 1998, you would have thought there’d be no more skeletons left in the TfL closet. But you’d be wrong!
Andrew Jones, the Parliamentary Under-secretary for the Department of Transport finally answers written question to him made in July.
SARAH CHAMPIONSHADOW MINISTER (HOME OFFICE)To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for Rotherham on 8 July 2016, on clause 145 of the Policing and Crime Bill, when the Government expects to publish a timetable for its (a) consultation on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing and (b) publication of guidance.
ANDREW JONESPARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY (DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT)The Government expects to publish the timetable for the full public consultation on the local authority Best Practice Guidance for Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles in advance of Royal Assent of the Policing and Crime Bill. The government aims to launch the full public consultation upon Royal Assent of the Bill.
The Guidance will be published following completion of the full public consultation and once any amendments have been made.
DANIEL ZEICHNER SHADOW MINISTER (TRANSPORT)To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce new national regulations for private hire driver licences in line with Transport for London’s new regulations for private hire drivers which will come into force on 1 October 2016.
ANDREW JONESPARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY (DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT)The Government wants to see taxis and private hire vehicles prosper in London and elsewhere. The regulations issued by Transport for London are a matter for them as the local licensing authority. The legislation that provides for licensing of taxi and private hire vehicle services is enabling in its nature, giving local licensing authorities the discretion to set standards that they deem to be appropriate for their area.
In a recent interview with MIT Technology Review, Hart said his agency’s experience investigating crashes involving automated planes and trains indicates humans can’t be fully removed from the control of personal vehicles.
A significant number of fatalities continue to result from train and plane crashes, and these modes of transportation are far easier to automate than personal vehicles since they operate in isolation from other vehicles, pedestrians and wildlife, as explained here.
Given the near-infinite number of hazards posed from a plethora of activities, vehicles, people, animals, and weather challenges, it may be impossible to fully automate personal vehicles, argues Hart.
“There’s no software designer in the world that’s ever going to be smart enough to anticipate all the potential circumstances this software is going to encounter,” says Hart.
“The dog that runs out into the street, the person who runs up the street, the bicyclist, the policeman or the construction worker, or the bridge that collapses in a flood—there is no way that you’re going to be able to design a system that can handle it.”
Beyond the challenge of addressing the complexity and spontaneity of roadway hazards by way of software programs, Hart highlighted the underlying problem of human error at every level of an automated transportation system.
By removing vehicle control from human drivers, the margin for human error is simply moved to the people designing the software, producing the hardware, and maintaining the vehicle, data networks, and infrastructure, he said.
“We investigated a people-mover accident in an airport,” explains Hart. “It collided with another people-mover. And our investigation found that the problem was a maintenance problem.
“Even if you eliminate the operator, you’ve still got human error from the people who designed it, people who built it, people who maintain it.”
The final difficulty that could halt the rollout of fully automated vehicles, Hart says, is the ethical questions that will have to be answered by the highest levels of government—whether, for example, a vehicle should be programmed to protect its occupants at any cost, or intentionally sacrifice the lives of its occupants to save the lives of pedestrians nearby.
“Those kinds of ethical choices will be inevitable,” concludes Hart.
Mayor of London press release
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today heralded a new era for the capital’s taxi and private hire markets as he set out a programme of far-reaching improvements that will drive up standards, boost the quality of service for Londoners and protect the future of London’s iconic black cabs.
The Mayor is determined to create a vibrant taxi and private hire market, with space for all providers to flourish. The Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan, launched today by the Mayor alongside Transport for London (TfL), includes specific new measures to support licensed taxi drivers, and sets out ambitious plans to enhance public safety, and also improve London’s air quality.
Special new measures being introduced to help London’s black cab industry to continue to flourish include:
The iconic black cab trade – already recognised as the finest service of its type in any city – will also be helped to become the greenest in the world.
From next year, up to £5,000 will be available to drivers who scrap the oldest and most polluting taxis. A grant of £3,000 will be provided towards the first 9,000 Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) taxis and TfL is asking the Government to guarantee the ‘plug-in car grant’ for these vehicles, which would take the total grant to £7,500.
From 1 January 2018 no more new diesel taxis will be licensed – helping to address London’s poor air quality and tackle the unacceptably high number of people dying each year because of air pollution.
The new plans include new ‘zero emission’ ranks for drivers who pioneer green technology alongside a network of rapid electric charge points.
New technology is changing the way many Londoners access taxis and private hire vehicles, and the New Action Plan also addresses how regulation can be used to ensure safety standards are applied across the taxi and private hire markets.
A range of measures are also being introduced to enhance public safety, many of these were outlined in the recent Private Hire Regulations review. These include:
Other new initiatives to further drive up standards are now also underway, including quadrupling the number of on-street Compliance Officers, with 250 more dedicated officers on the streets by summer 2017.
By summer next year, TfL will also require that private hire drivers pass an advanced driving test before they can be licensed or relicensed.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
“Our new Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan will help us deliver a truly world-class service for Londoners and create a vibrant taxi and private hire market where all providers can continue to flourish. From my first day at City Hall I have been determined to drive up standards and improve safety for every passenger in London, while protecting the future of our iconic black cabs that provide a unique and invaluable service for Londoners.
“Opening up extra bus lanes and increasing the number of taxi ranks will help ensure our black cabs continue to thrive, and our new proposals include ground-breaking incentives to create the greenest taxi fleet in the world.
“We’re also pushing ahead with important new measures to enhance public safety, including quadrupling the number of on-street Compliance Officers and requiring that private hire drivers pass an advanced driving test before they’re licensed. Nothing is more important than ensuring every Londoner feels safe getting around out City.”
Val Shawcross, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said:
“New measures such as opening up extra bus lanes and increasing the number of taxi ranks will help ensure our black cabs continue to thrive, and our proposals also include ground-breaking incentives to create the greenest taxi fleet in the world.
“A key part of our plan is to push ahead with important new measures to enhance public safety, including quadrupling the number of on-street Compliance Officers and requiring that private hire drivers pass an advanced driving test before they’re licensed. We must ensure every Londoner feels safe getting around our city, while creating a taxi and private hire market where all providers are able to thrive.”
Helen Chapman, TfL’s General Manager of Taxi and Private Hire, said:
“London’s iconic taxi trade is famous around the world and is a fundamental part of our public transport system. We need to support it and also ensure that standards in the private hire industry continue to rise so that both trades can flourish. Passengers deserve the very best, professional service when they choose to travel in either a taxi or a private hire vehicle.
“Through this comprehensive action plan we will improve public safety by driving up standards across the private hire industry, provide the support black cab drivers need and deliver the world’s greenest taxi fleet.”
Jim Kelly, Unite Cab Section Chair, told CTN:
I 
GRIDLOCK TO FACILITATE A FEW CYCLES
We are already experiencing how de-regulation causes a race to the bottom. History has shown that it is not always the best person, team, product, ideology, or even idea that wins, but mostly it is those that have the most money, weaponry and/or exposure that are victorious. As a consequence, everyone loses. And it has been studied in great detail. The Great Depression in the USA is a case in point.
Studies show how a deregulated environment puts passengers in danger financially and physically, and leads to an unhealthy business environment – preventing companies from providing top quality service.
With that in mind, it is of my firm opinion that the private hire industry is on course for UK wide deregulation. Whilst the consequences of this are not fully known, the ramifications on the stringently regulated taxi trade could be monumental.
On the back of TfL’s tentative admission that it was lawful for PHV/D to show availability was the news that the DVSA were going to scrap the taxi driver test from December 2016, deregulation seems inevitable.
Simply put, any PHV/D that is showing availability for work is plying for hire. Effectively, a concept that has defined our working model for over 150 years is no more. Yes, they have a particular way in which they ply their wares but then so do we. Those who asked for a level playing field are now being rewarded with a one tier system. And instead of instructing all private hire drivers to undertake a similar driving standard requirement to taxi drivers, the policy makers have decided to scrap the taxi driver test altogether. The news of both was secreted to the trade so surreptitiously it has garnered virtually no response at all. Notably, the silence from our representatives is deafening.
I’ll be the first to admit, deregulation of the private hire bill has been a foreboding for some time and was the primary reason I chose to get on board taxiapp. Following a long night of existential angst, I concluded that the trade needed it’s own technological platform. To think otherwise, was to enslave ourselves to the whims of corporates; the money men who feign fondness for the history of our sweet, little localised trade.
In a moment of frantic urgency, I called Phil- one of taxiapp’s founder members- convinced that a work force was being stockpiled in order to perform an en-masse take over of our vibrant, self sufficient industry. .
It is impossible to know where innovation will take us next, but it is safe to say, if we are not on the first rung of the technological ladder we may not be afforded the chance to ascend to the second rung.
Those working on taxiapp have, unequivocally, done everything they can to protect the driver from a potential takeover by off-shore business men facilitated by our very own government bodies. It is crucial that we are not distracted by dissenters (even trolls have trolls) who’s misdirection would rather see us sold off to the next highest bidder.
Although i’ve said a thousand times, the intention with taxiapp has always been for the trade to regain control, and to be,, at least, the eulogists of our own destination.
One aspect I have realised since being amongst the passionate and determined steering group behind taxiapp is that business only has regard for business, and taxiapp has in some weird way put the trade back on the map. No question then, if we as a trade want to be a formidable force to be reckoned with when our ranks and the street hail come under threat, then we have to make sure there is no chink in the taxi trade’s armour.
it is as clear as day that our regulators have smoothed the way for us to be hijacked, nevertheless, each and every one of us must accept the responsibility of promoting our industry- on a big scale- to remain valid, and it is imperative that we are in a position to challenge those who would readily take our place. Now is not the time to be suffering the tiredness of defeat.
Taxiapp believe the fight has yet to enter the ring. Collectively, we are a behemoth and by utilising that cohesive strength we can securely operate stronger than all the rest. Merely going through the motions as the Corporates feed on our (not yet deceased) carcasses would mean we are doomed to stagnate amongst the satnav swamp, or at worst not at all.
Are you ready to fight our corner? Defeated, no more! Promote #StreetHail. Promote #Ranks. Promote #Taxiapp. taxiapp.uk.com
In the words of that famous silent film star Charlie Chaplin, let us all unite
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