Addison Lee will only carry people to NW10 - which includes Harlesden, Willesden and Stonebridge - if they are using credit cards or accounts.

There have been about a dozen muggings in the last six weeks, "normally going to or from NW10", said MD Liam Griffin.

But local councillor Anne John said she was "fed up" with "slurs" on the area.

"I've represented Stonebridge for nearly 20 years now; it's changing rapidly," she told BBC London 94.9.

"It's an area that's coming up in the world very, very quickly indeed, and I'm very pleased to see that for the people in Stonebridge."

Mr Griffin said the restrictions would apply between 1900 and 0700 each day, unless a booking was made in "a way in which we can verify exactly who we're picking up before the driver gets to the passenger".

However too many drivers were being lured into danger and having their cars or takings stolen, he said.

"It's a lazy mugger's way of getting a victim," Mr Griffin added.

"People were basically using this as a method of bringing the victim to them, rather than finding them.

"They've turned it into something of a sport."

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "Any crime which disrupts the lives of Londoners or the invaluable work of businesses in the capital will not be tolerated."
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7452334.stm

Bamidele Soyoye, 46, was arrested at Gatwick Airport on suspicion of taxi touting in July last year.

He was then arrested again in September for driving whilst disqualified in two separate vehicles.

And in January of this year, he was spotted at Gatwick Airport again, after previously been banned from entering the airport by BAA.

Now fed up police chiefs have decided to crack down on the increasing crime, and as a warning crushed Bamidele's grey Chrysler Voyager yesterday.

http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/VIDEO-Touting-cabbie39s-car-crushed.4148075.jp

Addison Lee continually strive to look after their two most important resources, their customers and their drivers, as well as taking responsibility for the environment very seriously. Using Magenta’s dynamic scheduler, Addison Lee expect to be able to increase the number of Jobs fulfilled in 2008 by 10% and at the same time still meet their target for cutting emissions in 2008 by 6%. The new tool also enables Addison Lee to consider and meet the mini cab drivers’ personal requirements and to provide an even higher level of service to new and existing customers.

Addison Lee chose Magenta’s Scheduler for its ability to dynamically schedule new mini cab jobs in real time in an effective and intelligent way. Magenta’s solution schedules passenger orders as they are taken, reacting to car positions, driver and customer preferences and other real world events to ensure maximum utilisation, trip efficiency and customer service.

Liam Griffin, Managing Director of Addison Lee, stated “Having already successfully worked with Magenta to implement the Shamrock booking solution we were confident that the initial results from the new Magenta scheduler would be good. However they are even better than we expected. Our existing car controllers, who have been scheduling mini cabs for over 20 years are surprised and impressed with the scheduler’s performance and this is proof in itself of a successful result. I am certain that in 2008 Addison Lee will build on this initial success to achieve groundbreaking results in vehicle scheduling and customer service.”

Frank Lee, Executive Chairman of Magenta Technology, added “I am extremely pleased that we were given the opportunity to implement Magenta’s dynamic scheduler at Addison Lee. The fast moving mini-cab business shows our unique scheduling capability at its best in terms of improved efficiency and customer service. We are confident that the cost benefits the new solution will provide Addison Lee in 2008 will be significant. Magenta looks forward to working with Addison Lee on other leading-edge dynamic scheduling applications for the transportation industry and helping them to extend their market leadership.”

About Magenta Technology

Launched in 1999, Magenta Technology provides two types of solution to our customers - Scheduling and Development Projects (SDP) and Mobile Resource Scheduling (MRS). SDP is used to create complex custom solutions for the most challenging of business problems, whereas MRS can be rapidly and simply implemented in any size of organization and is delivered as a service over the internet. Magenta provides dynamic scheduling systems, and enables our customers to realise significantly higher utilisation of their assets and deliver superior customer service at a lower cost than is currently possible.

Magenta has established a blue-chip client base including world-leading car rental, oil tanker, trucking and taxi firms. Although traditionally Magenta has had particular strength in transportation and logistics, we now offer Dynamic Scheduling services across all industries.

Magenta has over 140 highly skilled developers based in Samara and Togliatti, Russia. There are also sales, account development and customer delivery staff in the UK, USA and in Germany. Magenta has been consistently backed by the same Venture Capitalists for the past 8 years and forms part of the Eurovestech (EVT) portfolio of companies (http://www.eurovestech.co.uk).

For more information about Magenta Technology please go to http://www.magenta-technology.com 

About Addison Lee Plc

Addison Lee Plc was established in 1975 and has grown to be the market leader in moving people and parcels in London - for corporate clients and individuals. Addison Lee has been built on service with over 2000 people carriers enabling them to offer a twenty minute on-demand service in central London for both car and courier services. Over 10,000,000 people each year trust Addison Lee to move them and their parcels around London. Addison Lee's 450 plus office staff helping to support those on the road include customer service agents and our driver liaison department who ensure that Addison Lee's high standards are maintained.

Addison Lee was the first company in the industry to be awarded both the ISO 9002 and Investors in People accreditations. Addison Lee has been largely involved in setting the criteria for private hire car trade in London which has recently become licensed, with many of their working practices being adopted by the legislation.

http://www.addisonlee.co.uk

http://www.newdesignworld.com/press/story/2657

Married father-of-three Nazrul Islam, 35, of Bruce Road, Bow, attacked the 29-year-old victim on June 15 last year after he dropped her off at her house in Orpington.

Despite denying the offence, Islam was found guilty on Monday of sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court and was sentenced to 14 months in jail as well as being ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

The victim caught the cab with a friend in east London and after dropping him off in Blackheath, continued on to her home where they arrived around 2.25am.

When she went to pay him, Islam said: "I don't want your money, I going to stay here" and "I can be your boyfriend".

He then snatched her hand, started kissing it and grabbed her around the waist, picked her up and attempted to force her into the car.

During the struggle he grabbed her breasts and pulled up her skirt. She managed to break free and rushed into the communal area of her home, forcing the door closed. Islam tried but failed to open it.

http://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/content/bromley/times/news/story.aspx?brand=BMLYTOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsbmlyt&itemid=WeED04%20Jun%202008%2014%3A47%3A58%3A240

Nazrul Islam, from Bow, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for attacking the 29-year-old as she left his VW Bora cab in the early hours of June 14 last year.

Islam, aged 35, had tried to kiss and grope the woman after dropping her home in Orpington after a night out.

She managed to escape before Islam, a married father-of-three, chased her and attempted to force his way into her building.

Islam was arrested at his home on June 17.

He denied sexual assaulting the woman, claiming there had been a disagreement over the fare.

But he was found guilty at Croydon Crown Court.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2315758.0.minicab_driver_sexually_assaulted_woman.php

Mohammed Ali, 36, of Benworth Street, Bow, prowled the streets of Soho looking for passengers desperate to get home.

He spotted his 35-year-old victim in Greek Street and offered her a lift, claiming to be a legitimate driver.

But when the woman, who had been drinking after a tiff with her lover, told Ali she had no cash, he drove her to a friend's place in the Isle of Dogs, forced her to strip and beat her before raping her.

The woman had earlier told Snaresbrook Crown Court that when Ali, who is married with two children, had made a pass at her, she snapped: "I'm not going to have sex with you."

But then the leering monster barked: "Take your clothes off."

"He beat me into submission then raped me" she said.

Full story in today's Tower Hamlets Recorder.

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/content/newham/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsTowerHam&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsnewham&itemid=WeED04%20Jun%202008%2008%3A51%3A36%3A343

Bamidele Soyoye, 46 was arrested in July of 2007 for touting illegally for business and then was arrested again later that year in September for driving whilst disqualified. The final straw came for authorities in January of 2008 when he was seen at Gatwick Airport once again after being banned from the airport by BAA. The police took the step of making an example of him by crushing his Crysler Voyager vehicle as a signal to illegal cab drivers that their actions will not be tolerated.

Tahir Bilal Baig, 33, of Rusholme, was fined £700, plus £350 costs at Manchester Magistrates' Court after admitting illegally plying for hire.

The court heard he was spotted touting for business in his Toyota Avensis after a Reds clash with Newcastle.

Two fans were trying to flag down black cabs when Baig, of Rainbow Cars, asked them where they were going and beckoned them into his vehicle, before being confronted by a Trafford council official.

Baig claimed he had been called to the ground to pick up a fare which didn't turn up and was taking the opportunity to make up the shortfall.

Old Trafford has become a magnet for rogue drivers hoping to cash in on match days.

Earlier this month, it emerged a Bury driver was breaking the law by picking up fares in Old Trafford and demanding £20 for a two-mile journey.

Black cab drivers are not supposed to pick up unbooked fares outside the local authority area which granted their licence. Meanwhile, private-hire drivers are not supposed to pick up fares in the street anywhere.
Licensing enforcement officer Martin McKinley said: "Private-hire vehicles can't ply for hire as black cabs can.

"Old Trafford is unique as we get people from all over the country and the world here on a regular basis and it's our job to protect the public.

"If a driver isn't licensed to pick people up, he isn't insured."

John Connaught, of Trafford Hackney Drivers, said: "On one day during the West Indies cricket Test Series last year there were 12 Trafford Hackney drivers and 76 private hire drivers from places like Bolton, Oldham, Manchester, Salford and Trafford.

"Some of them were demanding £50 to go to the airport and £25 to the city centre.

"Drivers even come in from towns like Nelson, Colne and Burnley.

"I would urge fans to use licensed Trafford black cabs and when they use private hire vehicles, to book them by phone."

http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/1052157_fine_for_rogue_driver

Out of almost 50 drivers checked on Barking Road in East Ham, 30 were found to be committing taxi licensing offences, vehicle and road traffic offences, benefit fraud or had outstanding court fines.

Newham Council's executive member for crime and anti-social behaviour, Cllr June Leitch, described the proportion of minicab drivers flouting the law as "absolutely appalling".

She added: "Any user of minicabs would expect to be safe and secure in the knowledge that their driver is a law-abiding citizen."

Police, council bailiffs and Department of Work and Pensions officials were out in force for the operation, which saw a long stretch of the major road coned off to accommodate the cars being halted.

One person received a warning for possession of cannabis and bailiffs executed eight warrants for outstanding fines totalling £3,550.

There were ten offences related to benefit fraud and two untaxed vehicles were removed. There was also one arrest for driving offences and another for breach of the peace.

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/content/newham/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsNEWHAM&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsnewham&itemid=WeED27%20May%202008%2016%3A23%3A39%3A880

What’s the difference between taxis and private hire vehicles?

Although both serve the same purpose (to transport paying customers to their destination, help with their luggage etc.), taxis and private hire vehicles have significant differences.

Hackneys

Hackney Carriage taxis (black cabs) are able to pick up people off the street (flag down) without a prior booking. Mostly found in urban areas, black cabs are highly regulated, with fares controlled by local councils and numbers restricted by many local authorities.

Drivers of black cabs are essentially self-employed and have to go through rigorous checks and tests before they are awarded their license. Some Hackney Carriage operators form co-operatives and drive saloons and MPV’s, However most Hackney drivers prefer the traditional London style MetroCab or TX1 and TX2 Vehicles made by LTI.

Private Hire

Private hire vehicles, or minicabs, have to have a prior booking when picking up passengers.

Minicab owners will be prosecuted if they are found touting their business or behaving like a Hackney or Taxi.

Most private hire drivers are self-employed owner drivers and pay a minicab company a circuit fee for taking the bookings and scheduling the work. The minicab operator charges for the call centre and in most instances they will probably rent the radios end even provide data terminals or PDA dispatch systems if they have computerised booking and dispatch software.

If you want to be self-employed and make profit on your own without having to pay minicab circuit fees, become a licensed black cab driver and go it alone. Some black cab owners form co-operatives where they team up with other drivers to increase profits and run operations much like a small business. Computer Cabs in London, was built around a small fleet of black cabs. They now boast a fleet of over 3,500 taxis, taking 10-20,000 bookings a day. They also have one of the most advanced computer booking and dispatch and data systems in the City, they can process credit cards and track their vehicles by GPS.

It is possible to mix fleets, Hackney Carriages can cover private hire bookings if the street hires are quiet. It is however illegal for the Private hire vehicles to stop if a member of the public attempts to solicit them.

Rules and regulations

There are over 400 council licensing authorities in the UK and as there is no central body the regulations for each council will vary according to their particular management style. There are however basic regulations that are common to all authorities..

Private hire car regulations

Minicabs have suffered a bad reputation in the past due to the previously unregulated nature of their work. Rogue drivers would pick up stray passengers and charge them extortionate prices or worse. It is estimated that at least one woman a week is raped in illegal minicabs in London alone, a shocking statistic which blights the good name of the industry.

Some manufacturers of taxi booking and dispatch systems have features such as Text back www.textback.me.uk which ensures that just prior to the private hire vehicle arriving the passenger is informed by SMS the vehicle registration, description and driver name. These essential passenger personal safety features are likely to make you more popular with the female clients.

In 1998 The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act, handed the responsibility of regulation of minicabs and private hire to the Public Carriage Office, which until then only looked after black cab licensing.

Minicab and private hire firms must now hold a private hire operator license before they can accept bookings - your company will not be able to trade without one. In order to get a license, you will have to prove that you are ‘a fit and proper person’. Any criminal convictions, bankruptcy or breach of health and safety rules will count against you.

You should also prove you hold any relevant radio licensing or insurance documents and you must diligently ensure that your drivers vehicles and documents are in order. Some software packages will provide a comprehensive record of all driver and vehicle documentation and automatically lock drivers out if the documents have expired. For further information look at the Diplomat Navigator product on the website at the bottom of this article.

Your home address can be your operating centre, a licensing officer may be sent to inspect the premises.

An application fee which runs for five years will be charged by the local authority.

Private hire cars are not required to have meters but may choose to install them. If they are installed they will have to prove they are compliant when the vehicle attends its regular road safety check 3 times a year, there is no restriction as to what a minicab or private hire operator can charge.

Except for exceptional circumstances the vehicles must be less than 5 years old. Drivers must have held a full EU driving license for 12 months, pass a medical and make a declaration in relation to any criminal convictions. In some areas, drivers have to pass a ‘knowledge’ test, similar to black cab licensees, in order to operate.

Hackney carriage (black cab) regulations

If you are planning to go it alone in a black cab, you need to meet certain requirements. To get your license, you need to be 21 or over, have a full EU driving license for at least 12 months and be able to drive a taxi competently. you will need to prove that you are a ‘fit and proper person’, and you will be checked by the criminal records bureau .(minor crimes may not automatically disqualify you.) and will require a full medical, A ‘knowledge’ test may also be required.

London’s black cab laws are slightly more complex. You need to decide to apply for a ‘green badge’ (which allows you to operate in central London) or a ‘yellow badge’ (which allows you operate in the suburbs.)

The Public Carriage Office allows two years for applicants to pass their central London knowledge test, and six months to pass the suburbs knowledge test.

Training

There is currently no compulsory training programme, although in 2000 the Intermediate Certificate in License Education for Taxi and Private Hire was introduced to provide a nationally recognised qualification for drivers.

To get involved with a training programme, contact the Private Hire, Hackney Carriage and Chauffeur Training Organisation on 0191 296 0814.

Useful contacts

The National Private Hire Association represent over 400 private hire firms. To find out what they can do for you, call them on 0161 280 2800

If you are thinking of becoming a taxi driver, you should firstly contact your local council to find out their particular fees. The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association will also be able to help you out - you can contact them by calling 0207 286 1046.

Startup costs

As with much to do with the taxi industry, where you live and what sector you are working in (black cab or private hire) greatly affects the costs involved in setting up your own firm. You should contact your council to get exact figures, although there are some solid estimates that you can work from.

Hackney Carriage costs

From last year, the Disability act requires black cabs have to include wheelchair access and induction loops for the hard of hearing, although the timetable for compliance with the new regulations has been put back pending an announcement by the government.

Nevertheless, it could cost you several thousand pounds to modify second hand black cabs to keep up with the new rules. Brand new cabs currently cost 25,000 for a manual, 27,000 for an automatic.

Taximeters are obligatory for Hackney Carriages and cost around 150-300, although it is possible to rent them out on a monthly or yearly basis. For further information contact Diplomat on the link at the bottom of the article.

As well as the cost of a license, drivers also have to pay for an additional driving test and area knowledge test - again, these costs vary according to the licensing body. The outlay doesn’t stop there - a medical examination will cost you between 60 to 80.

Private hire costs

As with Hackney Carriages, the costs of getting your private hire fleet on the road will vary depending on which licensing authority you are dealing with. You will need to pay for operator, driver and vehicle licenses before you can get your Certificate of Compliance from the council, which allows you to start taking bookings.

A private hire operator’s license costs anything between 250-300, while a license for your vehicle will range from 75 to 300. A license for your drivers will cost between 25 to 200.

Insurance

You must be insured, Cars, drivers and third parties (i.e. passengers) must be insured, with special private hire insurance available to minicab firms. It is also worth getting your operating centre (if it is not your house) and any equipment (radios, GPS, PDA’s and computer booking and dispatch systems etc.) insured too.

Premises

This can be any building you like as long as it conforms to Health and safety and has all the appropriate licenses for equipment.

If you are going to be operating a VHF two way radio system try to choose a site that is on high ground so as to maximize your transmission coverage area. Some companies will provide you with computer coverage predictions before you even talk to the potential landlords. For more details on this service please contact Diplomat.co.uk

Your operating centre should be easily accessible to customers who wish to walk in and make bookings, rather than call.

What equipment is needed?

Modern cab companies have state-of-the-art radio equipment, this often integrates with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so the vehicles can be tracked on the booking and dispatch computers using the bespoke dispatch software to co-ordinate the jobs and vehicles. Another useful feature is to have full data so that the job details are transmitted in digital form to the cars and can appear on pocket PC’s mounted in the cars or simply texted to the drivers phone. This enables a few operators in the office to control a large number of cars and it also prevents confusion when people may be of different nationalities and have widely changing accents. Once the vehicles have Pocket PCs fitted then the drivers can also choose to have in vehicle navigation systems such as Tom Tom and destinator.

Radio licensing

Almost all private hire firms have some sort of radio communication, ranging from simple hand held mobile devices to complex computerised systems that are able to track and interact with drivers. Before you consider your options, however, you must get a proper license from Ofcom

The licence costs between 5 and 10 per car per year depending on the size of the fleet.

You can contact the RLA by calling 020 7211 0211 or by clicking on www.radio.gov.uk

Radio equipment

Small operators may wish to dispense with the cost of any two way radio equipment and just use mobile phones.

It is however far more cost effective in the long run to use two way radio as unlike a mobile phone contract there is no monthly line charge associated with such systems

Make sure you get the right equipment for the area you cover. VHF is good for long range communication and is best over long straight lines. Be sure to purchase radios that are data compatible as many radios being offered at bargain prices are not. For further information on data compatibility phone Diplomat on 01256 381656

To take the next step up to cover a wider area, you would need to lease a line on one of your area’s telephone masts. Space on these transmitters is owned by companies such as NTL and Crown Castle, who then lease out space to local operators.

New technology

With new technology you can track your cars using specialized software that knows the destination address and automatically places the car in the rank when they are clear. In addition to this GPS can be used to accurately pinpoint a car and jobs can be sent digitally to onboard computers or even text messages to mobile phones..

Previously high tech software and GPS systems have been out of the price range for most start-up minicab firms, but now there are firms that specialize in startup packages such as Diplomat which offer a single seat of their software complete with National street data for less than 1.00 a day. This package can then integrate with SMS dispatch or full vehicle data systems complete with GPS for under 300.00 per vehicle.

Once your fleet is fitted with a data system you can talk to them in the conventional way and send them text details about pick ups and so on. The drivers have five or six standard responses that they can send back to you, ranging from ‘Picked up and on our way’ to ‘Help! I’m being attacked!’ or please call me I need to talk to you.

Making a profit

Getting the right equipment and licenses doesn’t provide a guarantee that your private hire firm will be successful - your whole enterprise can survive or fail due to public perception, so it’s essential that you get this right.

It is important that ‘word of mouth’ is on your side. Carding (putting business cards through letterboxes) is also very important. Research shows that most customers make their judgment on a minicab or private hire firm after just one journey.

Even if you are operating just two cars from out of a cramped spare bedroom in your house, if your drivers make a good impression, you could see a loyal customer base build up, thus enabling you to take on more drivers and vehicles.

Factors such as turning up promptly, treating the customer with courtesy and having a competitive pricing policy is vital in building up repeat customers so invest in booking and dispatch software and always be polite and courteous on the telephone.

A good way to attract customers is to offer new features such as online internet bookings and text bookings, this appeals greatly to the younger generation as they can book entirely by SMS, modern booking and dispatch software will instantly translate the text to a job and bypass the telephonist all together.

Please contact WWW.DIPLOMAT.co.uk for further information.

Stewart Harding is the CEO of Windowview Ltd.

http://www.e-bizarticles.com/how-to-start-a-taxi-company.html