Vale of White Horse District Council is conducting a public consultation on proposed taxi tariff changes.
The Oxford Mail reports that the council is considering altering the current taxi tariff, introduced in October 2022, using the 'Guildford model', a nationally recognised method.
The plans are to change hiring charges and to start tariff two from 10pm instead of 11pm.
The consultation is primarily aimed at taxi drivers and proprietors licensed by the district council, but members of the public can also give their opinion.
The consultation will close at midnight on February 19 and, without objections, the tariff would take effect from February 20.
Taxis will then be given a month to update meters in line with new pricing.
If there are objections to the changes, the matter will be referred to the cabinet for review.
Source: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24120052.proposed-taxi-tariff-changes-vale-white-horse/
Taxis in one part of Kent may see their flag rate rise from £3 to £4 in order to help drivers with the cost of living.
KentOnline reports that Medway Council's licensing sub-committee heard that Medway Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (MLTDA) has asked for an increase after a survey of their members.
Cabbies considered raising the yards travelled and waiting time tariffs but ultimately decided against this due to concerns it might make cabs uncompetitive.
Rates for yards travelled will remain at 20p per 170 yards and 20p for 40 seconds of waiting time.
Nigel Jackson, chairman of the MLTDA, said the requested increase would help drivers earn a sustainable income, would ease pressure on them and make being a taxi driver a more attractive career.
He said: “The £1 increase on the flag to some could seem quite substantial, but in relation to our costs, it will certainly help the trade to earn a sustainable living.
“With this we can attract drivers into the industry saying this is a good job to work in.”
The towns' tariff is currently the 172nd highest in terms of median taxi fare in the UK out of 344 local authorities - the increase would see it rise to around the 51st highest.
Mr Jackson said following the increase Medway would drop back down the leaderboards over time as other areas adjust their rates and the rise was not excessive.
He added that the decision to ask for the increase was not taken lightly and discussed at length by members, however even with the rise in flag rate, he said, Medway taxis were still cheaper than third party apps such as Uber.
The last time taxi drivers received an increase in tariffs was in September 2022.
Mr Jackson said a survey of cabbies had shown they were needing to work up to 70 hours a week to earn a living.
“You shouldn’t have to have drivers as slaves to the job to try and put food on the table for their families," he said.
“This is purely to cover our rising on-going costs as an industry.”
Sub-committee chair Cllr Dan McDonald (Lab) said it was important to work with licensed cab drivers as they ensured a safe, reliable service for residents.
Members approved the decision to recommend the report to cabinet for approval.
The Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA) has announced that it will be joining a protest against Glasgow City Council on the issue of the city’s large number of potholes, alongside an action group known as 'Potholes Make Glasgow', on 24th February in Glasgow City Centre.
The SPHA have said that they will “surround” George Square with private hire cars and taxis in a “maximum impact” protest while members of the pothole protest group demonstrate on foot in George Square.
The General Secretary of the SPHA, Eddie Grice, said: “We are joining the group Potholes Make Glasgow to jointly protest the abysmal state of Glasgow’s roads and Glasgow City Council’s dereliction of duty in failing to adequately maintain our road network assets.
"It is our belief that they are failing to meet their statutory obligations in keeping our roads safe and fit for purpose.
“The Council is constantly rejecting claims for damage just now and saying that it is not acting negligently. However, it's starting to become apparent that many of the damages are happening on previously reported road defects.
"It's becoming difficult for the council to continue claiming it is not responsible”.
It is also being reported that Mr Grice will not be seeking re-election as the SPHA’s General Secretary later this year and is soon to be stepping down from his leadership role.
John Paul Duffy, a fellow SPHA trade rep, seen by many as Mr Grice’s right-hand-man, said: “We are obviously saddened to be seeing Eddie stepping down soon as he has led us brilliantly in all our campaigns and protests over the past three years.
"This protest is kind of like his curtain call as General Secretary. He’s taking one last stand against Glasgow City Council as he takes his final bow.
The joint protest action has also been joined by Saltire Private Hire, a company which operates a fleet of cars across the city.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Enough is enough. Whilst the city is struggling financially, the state of the roads are now at the point where they pose a risk to our drivers and customers.
"Our roads are not fit for purpose and it’s time that Glasgow City Council listened to the people of Glasgow. Make our roads safe for drivers and cyclists”.
The protest to be held on Saturday 24 February, is currently being attended by Potholes Make Glasgow, Saltire Private Hire, and The Scottish Private Hire Association.
The organisers are urging other organisations as well as the general public to attend.
Authorities in California are working to determine if the destruction of a driverless taxi in an arson attack by a mob of lunar new year revellers was the latest in a series of protests targeting autonomous vehicles in the state.
According to the San Francisco fire department, which posted images of the incinerated SUV on Twitter/X, a group of people jumped on the electric vehicle in the city’s Chinatown district on Saturday night, 10 February, smashing windows and spraying it with graffiti before setting it alight with a firework.
Officials said the car, a Jaguar I-Pace operated by Waymo, Google’s self-driving car project, was unoccupied, and that no arrests had been made as of Monday morning.
“The vehicle was not transporting any riders and no injuries have been reported,” Waymo said in a statement. “We are working closely with local safety officials to respond to the situation.”
The attack follows a number of recent cases and protests involving autonomous vehicles in California, a leading state for the driverless revolution with more than 9 million miles driven on public roads by test permit holders last year, according to its department of motor vehicles (DMV).
The Guardian reported last summer on a group called the Safe Street Rebels, which has operated a campaign of disrupting and disabling driverless vehicles in San Francisco since they first appeared in 2022.
Members realised quickly that placing a traffic cone on the hood of a self-driving car interfered with sensors and placed it in “panic mode”, rendering it immobile until a human employee could come to rescue it.
Protesters question the safety of the vehicles, operated in California almost exclusively by Waymo since Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, saw its test permit suspended in October last year.
Cruise was accused of trying to hide the severity of an incident in San Francisco in which a pedestrian was hit by a car, driven by a human driver, at a stoplight and flung into the path of a Cruise self-driving car, which then ran her over and stopped on top of her. The woman survived.
Cruise withdrew its fleet of 950 vehicles after the California DMV said they posed “an unreasonable threat to public safety” and that the agency was investigating a number of other “concerning incidents” involving driverless cars.
However, the safety record of Waymo’s driverless taxi service has also come into question.
Last June, one of its vehicles killed a dog, and California’s automobile regulator launched an investigation recently after a Waymo car struck and injured a cyclist that was obscured from its sensors by another vehicle at a San Francisco intersection.
Police said they had not immediately established whether the destruction of the Waymo car in Chinatown was linked to protests against autonomous vehicles or the work of opportunist vandals.
An eyewitness said he saw one person jump on the roof and break the windscreen, and another leapt onto the vehicle’s bonnet as a large group of others cheered, some battering it with skateboards.
“That was when it went wild,” he told news agency Reuters. “There were two groups of people, folks who encouraged it and others who were just shocked and started filming.
"No one stood up. There wasn’t anything you could do to stand up to dozens of people.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/12/waymo-car-fire-san-francisco
The most romantic day of the year, St. Valentine’s Day, is fast approaching. February 14 marks a day for people to show their love and appreciation for their significant other.
And according to the Irish Mirror, taxi drivers have heard it all - from the making and breaking of relationships to lovers spilling their hearts out - with one in three Irish people having confided in a cabbie.
That's according to new research from FreeNow - Ireland’s leading multi-mobility app - which reveals that taxi drivers are often unexpected confidants for lovelorn passengers.
The research reveals that one in three people in Ireland admit to confiding in a taxi driver about their love life.
And taxi drivers' advice is highly valued by passengers with 75% of those who confided in drivers saying they found it a helpful experience.
It seems that taxis have also witnessed the blossoming of many romances, with 46% of people in Ireland admitting to sharing a kiss with a date in a taxi.
It’s clear that, for many, the journey is just as important as the destination when it comes to matters of the heart.
When it comes to celebrating love on Valentine’s Day for those who are in a relationship or married, preferences vary.
The classic candlelight dinner is the dream Valentine's date for one in three (36%), while a cosy evening at home is the ideal scenario for 24% of people.
A further 12% would love to celebrate by taking a short break with their partner.
However, Valentine’s Day is not just for couples. Some 45% of single people plan to spend the day with friends or family, while a third (33%) will embrace some alone time.
The most popular celebration among singles is a night out on the town (37%), with one in five (22%) planning to go for dinner, and a further 25% are planning a cosy night in.
And whether it’s a romantic dinner with a partner or a lively night out with friends, 68% of Valentine’s Day celebrants plan to travel by taxi, with FreeNow set to play a key role in their planned activities.
Commenting on the findings, Charlie Gleeson, general manager with FreeNow Ireland, said:
“On average, we see a spike in booking requests on Valentine’s Day by 31%, and as always, our driver partners will be on hand to help passengers get to their romantic dates, solo plans or group gatherings this coming Valentine’s Day safely.
“With the research also indicating that a significant percentage are planning to celebrate this year, we are looking forward to a busy Valentine’s Day ahead.”
Source: https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/one-three-confide-love-lives-32101953
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.
BYD, manufacturer of new energy vehicles and power batteries, has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Uber, designed to bring 100,000 new BYD EVs onto the Uber platform across key global markets.
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.