Drivers who faced allegations about drugs and taking advantage of female passengers have been refused taxi licences by councillors.
TeessideLive reports that Stockton Council's general licensing committee has considered cases of taxi drivers applying or re-applying for hackney carriage and private hire licences.
They decided three separate unnamed drivers were not "fit and proper" to hold licences because of past allegations against them, according to minutes of their meetings.
One concerned a driver who lost his licence in 2018 after two complaints of alleged inappropriate conduct towards female passengers. He denied the allegations to licensing officers but the committee decided it was more likely than not "he had taken advantage of lone and vulnerable female passengers", a decision later upheld by Teesside magistrates.
The driver, who was given written warnings for inappropriate behaviour to a lone female passenger in 2007 and for his attitude and speeding in 2008, continued to deny the allegations. His legal representative said he had "behaved himself and is willing to be watched and scrutinised".
He assured the committee passengers were safe with him and installing CCTV in his vehicle would protect them and him. But the committee was concerned he had never admitted any wrongdoing and unanimously refused his licence application.
In a separate case, a driver's licence was suspended in 2020 after his arrest on suspicion of supplying cocaine and suppling a psychoactive substance. It had been alleged he was involved in a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Officers found more than 16,000 nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, cannisters in a container rented by the driver with his driving licence in November 2019, and he had been seen at the blue box storage unit in his taxi, files from the North-east Regional Specialist Operations Unit (NERSOU) showed. However the driver and his lawyer told licensing officers no further action was taken by police.
His representative said the 16,000 cannisters had nothing to do with him, though he had a business supplying nitrous oxide cannisters. He denied the allegations or any misuse of nitrous oxide, or that he offered deliveries of the canisters on Facebook until 1am.
He claimed the container searched by police was not his and his container was empty. He denied that balloons - which are used with nitrous oxide - were found in his property by police, and later asserted they belonged to his partner who ran "a legitimate balloon business".
The driver told licensing officers he had a catering supplies business and the containers were used to make whipped cream for cakes. Companies House checks revealed just £100 was recorded on the cream bakery charger firm's accounts in three years, and he claimed it only lasted six or seven months.
He had a licence revoked in 2011 because of concerns over his driving, he was given a warning in 2014 and there were two anonymous safeguarding and drugs complaints in 2017. The committee revoked his licence.
In a third case, a driver was refused a licence because of a 2016 conviction for possessing cannabis with intent to supply. He had been given a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months with 120 hours of unpaid work.
He had told officers the few grams of cannabis police found in his vehicle were his "personal smoke" and money found was from his work as a takeaway delivery driver. He told the committee he had started using cannabis a month or two earlier, stopped after his arrest, wanted a taxi licence to get a "proper job" to support his family and gave a negative drugs test.
However 10 years had not passed since the end of the sentence so the application went against council policy. The committee said the motorist "appeared to minimise" his offending, they found it "hard to accept" his submissions and could not add weight to two character references from family members.
Minutes of the meeting state: "The committee members were not satisfied that they would allow people for whom they care to enter a vehicle with the applicant alone due to their doubts surrounding his previous conviction for supplying drugs.
"Ultimately, the committee did not believe that (the applicant) was a fit and proper person to hold a combined hackney carriage and private hire vehicle driver's licence owing to his previous conviction for drugs offences, along with his vague responses to the committee when questioned about the circumstances of his arrest and subsequent conviction. The committee were unanimously satisfied that the application should therefore be refused."
Finally, another applicant with a "history of anger outbursts" had a licence revoked in January 2019 and an application refused in September 2022.
But the committee decided to "place their trust" and grant a licence for the driver, who had taken two courses of anger management sessions.
Source: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/male-driver-who-took-advantage-28116188
Joby completed the first-ever electric air taxi flight in New York City on Sunday 12 November.
Global Air reports that the exhibition flight with Joby’s eVTOL was the first time the company had flown its aircraft in an urban setting.
At the iconic Downtown Heliport in Manhattan, New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, announced the city's intent to electrify the heliport, preparing the city to become a global leader in the adoption of clean and quiet flight.
“By electrifying one of the most famous heliports in the world, New York is demonstrating global leadership in the adoption of electric air travel,” Joby Aviation Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said.
“We’re grateful for the support of the city, and we’re honored to be working with visionary partners, such as Delta Air Lines, to bring our air taxi service to this market.
"We plan to make quiet, emissions-free flight an affordable, everyday reality for New Yorkers, while significantly reducing the impact of helicopter noise.”
Previously, Joby announced its partnership with Delta Airlines and the intention of making New York one of the early launch markets following FAA certification. The company will offer quick, quiet trips using a piloted, four-passenger electric aircraft.
The fast travel will offer an alternative to ground and air transport with zero operating emissions. Joby’s eVTOL is optimised for swift, back-to-back flights and can fly up to 100 miles on a single charge.
These capabilities will allow the eVTOL to take trips across New York City’s five boroughs. When flying from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), it can take travelers more than an hour by car, but should only take seven minutes by air.
Joby and Delta are working with the Port Authority of New York and the New York Economic Development Corporation as plans develop for air taxi operations, including developing infrastructure at JFK and LaGuardia International Airport (LGA).
“Delivering exceptional experiences for our customers is why Delta has invested over $7B in New York City, especially at our LaGuardia and JFK hubs,” said Gail Grimmett, SVP of Sustainability Performance and Strategic Partnerships at Delta.
"Today's announcement demonstrates the great progress that's been made toward launching clean, quiet and convenient air taxi services for Delta customers traveling to and from New York, and is a testament to our innovative partners at Joby and the support of Mayor Eric Adams in advancing new and sustainable technologies.”
Joby’s eVTOL is being designed to have a lower acoustic footprint compared to helicopters. The low noise level will allow the eVTOL to operate in densely populated regions like New York City, without adding to the background noise.
FREENOW UK has announced that the 20,000+ London private hire vehicle drivers on its app will have the chance to expand their careers by accessing a unique financial subsidy that will support them in completing the Knowledge of London and becoming black cab drivers.
In an industry-first, FREENOW will be funding 100% of the application cost, tuition fee, exams and licensing required to the value of over two thousand pounds per driver over a minimum period of two years.
The company will be working in partnership with two leading schools, Knowledge Point School and WizAnn, which will also host information sessions for PHV drivers interested in pursuing this career.
The announcement comes as an internal FREENOW survey of all PHV drivers in London revealed that:
This FREENOW initiative aims at helping to tackle the continuous drop in the number of black cab licence applications which have dropped by almost 95% in the last decade and while demand has bounced back, the number of licensed black cab drivers continues to fall (27% decrease in the number of licensed black cab drivers in London, from over 21K in 2013/2014 down to 15K+ in October 2023) putting this iconic and safe mode of transport and the industry at risk.
The Knowledge takes an average of three to four years to complete, requiring a significant financial investment over this period of time, which, including all costs associated with it, can reach up to £10,000.
Following the announcement, Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager at FREENOW UK, said: “Our goal is to support our drivers to thrive within the industry. The applications for black cab licences have dropped from over 3K in 2011/12 to just 221 in 2022.
"We want to help reignite the industry by supporting experienced and knowledgeable private hire vehicle drivers to progress in their careers and help them complete their studies through financial aid and learning support.
"Increasing the number of black cab drivers in the city will benefit local businesses, including shops, restaurants, bars, theatres and the tourism industry, ultimately bolstering London’s economy."
Rafael C, who has been working as a private hire vehicle driver for over seven years, said: "I've always dreamed of joining the iconic London black cabs, but I've been put off by the time and money required to complete it. This FREENOW subsidy makes a big difference financially and gives me that much needed confidence boost to go for it."
Steve McNamara, General Secretary, The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said: “Any initiative which helps encourage more people to study the Knowledge and work towards joining our ranks as professional, highly trained, London licensed taxi drivers is very welcome.
"The Knowledge requires dedication and hard work, but the skills it develops remain as relevant today as they ever were, allowing drivers to take the quickest, most direct route, avoid road closures and traffic, and ensuring they can provide customers with a reliable, efficient service.
“It’s great to see FREENOW investing in safeguarding the future of London’s world-renowned licensed taxis. With an increasingly zero-emission capable fleet, a growing customer base and record demand, with the right support and initiatives like this, our trade has a bright future ahead of it.
"I would encourage anyone looking for a rewarding, flexible and dynamic job, who is willing to commit the time and energy required, to do the Knowledge and become a London cabbie.”
This funding support marks the latest benefit added for private hire vehicle drivers on the platform. Recently FREENOW announced all PHV drivers could choose to become a worker and be granted National Living Wage, holiday pay and pension.
In the meantime, black cab drivers using the FREENOW app can take advantage of accident and sickness insurance, compassionate and parental leave, as well as other unique benefits such as EV subsidy and other exclusive advantages provided to drivers collaborating with FREENOW partners such as Revolut or Spotify.
A man who helped plot a chilling drive-by shooting which saw a dad executed outside his home has been convicted by jurors.
BirminghamLive reports that Akeel Hussain (pictured) helped arrange the 'carefully planned attack' on taxi boss Mohammed Haroon Zeb.
A second man, Mohammed Rafiq, later helped hide the Volkswagen Golf, where shots were fired from.
The shocking shooting came as part of an ongoing feud between rival families.
Hussain, 23, was convicted of manslaughter, while 22-year-old Rafiq was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Their convictions came following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Detective Superintendent Jim Munro, who led West Midlands Polie's investigation, said: "While Hussain may not have fired the fatal gunshot, he was integral to planning the shooting which tragically led to the death of Mr Zeb.
"We will possibly never know why Mr Zeb was specifically targeted. He was not believed to have been actively involved in the feud but was following what was going on.
"We know nothing can ever replace the loss of a loved one, but we hope the fact Hussain will now spend considerable time behind bars will ease some of the pain felt by Mr Zeb's family.
"We will always pursue and seek to convict anyone involved in a killing - from committing the act, planning the killing, or trying to protect others from facing justice."
Mr Zeb was shot in the head outside his home in Queens Cross, Dudley, just after 12.30am on January 31, 2021.
The 39-year-old - who arrived home in his taxi after spending the day with family - was rushed to hospital but died later that day.
Hussain played a 'prominent role' in planning the shooting, West Midlands Police said.
Rafiq, 22, helped to conceal the Golf - which was on false plates and later recovered in Telford. Both men, from Dudley, will be sentenced on December 1.
West Midlands Police said Hussain - who is now in custody - was also recently convicted of separate offences of violent disorder and possession with intent to supply.
Earlier this year, Gunman Hassan Tasleem and accomplice Gurdeep Sandhu were jailed for life, with a minimum term of 30 years each, for murdering Mr Zeb.
Tasleem was a passenger in the Golf, driven by Sandhu, when he fired a total of five shots at Mr Zeb.
The victim died in what was described as a 'public act of war' amid a bitter feud between two rival families, Loughborough Crown Court previously heard.
Mr Zeb was not thought to be involved in the wider feud which included previous acts of violence and another murder.
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/man-who-helped-plot-dudley-28114637
A taxi driver in Rhyl was allegedly “shot at with an air rifle” last week.
The Rhyl Journal reports that A & J Taxis, based in Rhyl, claimed that one of its employees were targeted while driving customers on Rhydwen Drive at about 10pm on Friday, November 10.
Though both the driver and the passengers were said to be uninjured, the vehicle suffered “quite severe damage”.
Luke Packer, owner of A & J Taxis, has appealed for witnesses to the incident, and also contacted North Wales Police.
He said: “On November 10, one of our drivers, was shot at with an air rifle on Rhydwen Drive in Rhyl.
“Passengers were on board the vehicle, and the vehicle has suffered quite severe damage.
“Luckily, both the driver and passengers were OK, but this has obviously led to a very stressful time for the driver, due to being unable to work, and is facing the cost of replacing the parts and repairing the vehicle.
“The police were called to the incident and have been provided with dashcam footage, but so far, there are no updates on the incident."
Anyone with information can contact the force on 101.
Source: https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/23926247.rhyl-cabbie-shot-air-rifle-driving-customers/
French taxi drivers are calling for government compensation after suffering significant revenue losses during the Paris Olympics.
Coventry city centre has introduced a new taxi marshal service aimed at improving safety and efficiency for late-night revellers.
A court heard harrowing details of the moment a drink-driving uninsured motorist killed three people in a 90mph crash.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was amongst the thousands who enjoyed the Battle Proms at Highclere Castle on 3 August.
Swindon residents could be facing a hike in taxi fares from October after councillors gave the green light to a £1 increase in the standard fare minimum charge.
Ricky Harold, a 20-year veteran of the town’s taxi trade, was parked in a lay-by when his vehicle was struck from behind by a black Audi A2.
Chinese automotive giant Geely has deepened its commitment to the UK electric vehicle market with a £120m cash injection into London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC).
North Tyneside Council is facing a backlash over plans to increase taxi fares by 6.3%.
Nazim Asmal preyed on his victims after nights out in Preston and Darwen, driving them to secluded spots before carrying out horrific sexual assaults.
Newcastle is set to see a surge in pink taxis driven by women as part of a new initiative aimed at improving passenger safety.
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
Cleethorpes taxi drivers are breathing a sigh of relief after council enforcement officers cracked down on vehicles illegally parked in designated taxi ranks.
A Barry man has avoided jail after launching a drunken attack on a taxi driver who refused him entry to his vehicle.
Jersey’s taxi service is in crisis, with driver numbers plummeting by more than a quarter since 2014, a new report has revealed.
On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
Taxi drivers in the town will be able to charge passengers more following a decision by the borough council on 31 July.
A taxi driver has been sentenced to a community order after admitting causing the death of a pedestrian by driving at excessive speed.
A joint operation by council, police, and DVSA officials has seen three taxis taken off the road in Oldham due to safety concerns.
Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex could soon be forced to accept card payments, following a surge in complaints about cash-only services.
Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.