Archive for category: Taxi News

Rogue Melbourne taxi drivers have been caught using GPS jammers to queue-jump and steal fares.  As a result dozens of Melbourne cabbies suspected of using the jammers have been reprimanded or have been given their marching orders by one taxi booking network.

The contraband jammers can disguise the location of taxis by disrupting satellite navigation system signals and drivers have been caught using them in order to fool cab companies into giving them jobs even though they are not in the area. As a result Communications Authorities have warned the devices are a potential risk to public safety, as they can obscure the location of police cars, ambulances and fire appliances. Melbourne Taxi industry sources said jammers are being bought for about $25 on websites such as eBay.

HOW DOES A GPS JAMMER WORK?
1. Cabbie turns on the jammer, which transmits interfering signals to block GPS location.
2. The jammer disguises the taxi’s true location and gives the impression the cabbie is in a certain area for a long time waiting for a fare, when they are actually out getting other fares
3. Booking networks then offer the next fare in that area to the cab driver, thinking they have been waiting the longest.
4. The driver who has actually been in the area the longest misses out on the fare.

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A Redcar mum gives birth in cab then receives bill to clean the vehicle. Two days after the incident the cab driver turned up at their family home and presented them with the cleaning bill of £40.

The woman went into labour in the early hours so her partner called a cab to take her to hospital.
The 22 year old mum said: “My partner told them it was maternity and when the driver came he had plastic sheeting on the front seat and said it was fine to sit there.

“By the time we got to hospital the baby was coming and five midwives dashed out and I had to deliver him in the cab.” But two days later the cab driver turned up at the couple’s home and presented them with a £40 cleaning bill.

The mum-of-three said: “I was mortified. He knew I was going to maternity and had put sheets on the front seat. “We’re on benefits and £40 is a lot of money.”
The driver who is responsible for cleaning his own cab as part of his contract with the taxi firm said: “Someone’s got to pay for it. I don’t think I’m being nasty.”
Owners of the firm said the driver had the right to pass on his bill to the family in accordance with a council bylaw.

A staggering 17 out of 19 taxis in Milton Keynes failed an MOT after an operation by Thames Valley Police. As part of Operation Troll, police, along with taxi licensing officers and fraud benefit officers, targeted all taxis in the city which had damage or defects with their vehicle, and escorted those to the council depot where they were tested by trained mechanics. A total of 19 taxis were taken for tests, but only one passed without advisories, with 17 of them failing and needing retesting.

On 21st November came the surprise announcement from Nissan that it has suspended its London Taxi Project pending the outcome of London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone consultation. It was being eagerly awaited by many in the taxi trade, following a launch event earlier this year, when Nissan said that this meant the taxi would have “exceptionally low CO2 emissions that start from 139g/km (89hp engine) – a figure that comfortably undercuts existing London Taxi offerings. Versions fitted with the 89hp engine feature a five-speed manual transmission, while 110hp variants benefit from a six-speed unit.

 

 

 

Both powerplants are fully compliant with the latest EuroV emissions regulations.

Earlier this year, when Nissan announced the new taxi at the O2 Arena, it said that by 2015 the taxi would also be available with a clean, zero-emission electric motor. Nissan said its key goal was to have its electric version on sale “before any other manufacturer”. The NV200 Taxi was successfully launched in New York City recently and will be soon introduced in Tokyo and other cities in Asia. Last month the electric e-NV200 Taxi started commercial operations in Barcelona and it is expected that it will be soon introduced in other European cities.
James Wright, Managing Director, Nissan Motor GB said: “Nissan is a strong supporter of air quality and CO2 reduction measures and is encouraged to see the recent consultation launched by the Mayor’s office. However, if this were to be implemented then our planned petrol taxi, designed to meet the challenging
London taxi standards, would not meet the requirements from this date and it would be obsolete just a few years following its introduction. As such, we have decided to suspend our current taxi project until the regulation of the market has been decided.” He added: “Nissan will continue to work with Transport for London and the Mayor’s office to use our expertise and support the Capital’s transportation future.”

Independent charity Crimestoppers has join forces with Radio Taxis Group to create a new project called London Taxi Watch.

The new initiative is hoped to involve all the Group’s taxi drivers in utilizing Crimestoppers as a means of giving information on any suspicious behavior or intelligence in respect of security or criminal activity, by being the eyes and ears of the police and reporting crimes they see on London’s streets. It is hoped that the nature of their job will enable taxi drivers to alert the authorities to suspicious behavior and pass on information to Crimestoppers anonymously.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: “London’s cabbies are the best in the world. With police officers they are there all hours, all weathers and all places. They can be our eyes and ears and help victims of crime.” Crimestoppers’ London campaigns manager, Regan Hook, said the drivers could become “everyday heroes” by reporting crime. “Cab drivers can invaluably help fight crime by contacting the charity anonymously and play a part in making London safer,” he added.

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