Sunday 14 February 2010
Frist Trial Run In London
SaferTaxi is finally going live - at least with a limited trial project in London. Twenty friends of the four founders were asked to participate in the trial project last week. The initial results are very encouraging. However, the founders also wanted to experience the power of SaferTaxi directly by sending Clemens to London. By the first day of his stay he had already used four taxis - two Black Cabs and two Mini Cabs (or private hires). The results were astonishing. Firstly, upon informing the taxi drivers that Clemens would register the ride with SaferTaxi, three out of the four drivers responded that they thought it was a really “cool” idea and something absolutely necessary in London. The fourth taxi driver only grunted “Do what you have to do”. Secondly, the service level and friendliness of all four drivers increased immediately. Clemens was asked if he wanted the light on or off, whether he wanted more heat in the car, or if he had any route preferences. The registration combined with the instant feedback option seems to work extremely well! Similar experiences are being reported by the trial participants.
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Congratulations! You've added to the long list of things that people need to be paranoid about.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, can I point out a couple of things about taxis in London.
Taxis are purpose built, wheelchair accessible vehicles, which determine the fare by use of a TAXImeter. Minicabs (Private Hire Vehicles, or PHV) are not and work on a fixed fare which should be agreed before at the time of booking.
Taxis can be hailed in the street, or from many taxi ranks in London. PHVs *MUST* be pre-booked and may not "rank up" to be available for immediate hiring.
Taxi drivers have completed the extensive Knowledge examinations (around 3.5-4 years to complete) in order for them to take the optimum route for the journey. PHV drivers tend to rely (and even market themselves as having to rely) on increasingly unreliable sat-nav or GPS systems.
Every London Taxi has a plate on the boot lid with a number specific to that vehicle, a number which can also be found on the nearseide door on the inside of the taxi. There is also a fare chart and details of how to comment on your driver and contact numbers for the Public Carriage Office, should you need them. PHVs have a small license disc in the window which is often hard to read due to window tints.
Taxis have a partition between the driver and passenger compartments making it inherently safer for the passenger and driver. PHVs are standard saloon cars or MPVs, putting passengers and drivers in the same space.
Items lost in taxis are taken to police stations and sent from there to the TFL's lost property office. Details can be found via TfL and the PCO websites.
Taxis provided by clubs and restaurants in London are operated through "satellite offices" which should operate from inside the venue, and must not approach you since this would constitute illegal touting.
In order to ensure that London's travelling public are getting into a safe vehicle your site would be better if it addressed the proper ways to hire a vehicle.
1) Hail a taxi (a proper taxi, one with a meter and a for hire light. They're quite easy to tell from other vehicles, being one of the most iconic vehicles in the world)
2) Pre-book something.
Getting into any vehicle that is not either of the two above options can be dangerous. Your journey will not be logged with an operator and your journey will be uninsured. There are 8-10 assaults on passengers in illegal vehicle EACH WEEK in London.
If you, at Safer Taxis were really concerned about the safety of the travelling public, and not in making money out of people's paranoia and fears, your site would promote the safe use of PROPER TAXIS and pre-booked PHVs in line with PCO guidelines, rather than trying.
I have always used Hummingbird Cars as they are licensed private hire London Airport Taxi company. They Provide Airport Taxi Service From and To London Heathrow Airport Terminal 1,2,3,4 and 5, London Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Stansted Airport and Luton Airport ......I have used them on quiet a few occasions and they Reliable and Affordable. They have very well maintained cars and even the driver are very good.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hummingbirdcars.com