Report shows cabbies move to zero emission taxis hindered by London’s charging network, initial vehicle costs and industry instability

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One of the silent success stories of 2018 was the rapid uptake of electric taxis by London’s Black Cab drivers. Last year, London’s cabbies invested over £60m of their own money to move away from diesel vehicles in order to do their bit to make the capital’s air cleaner. However, the transition is being hindered by concerns about the security of the sector, the upfront cost of the vehicle and problems with the charging infrastructure.

A report published today by TaxiPoint, the taxi industry’s biggest independent publication, has captured the views of over 700 London taxi drivers and highlights a number of the challenges they face moving to electric vehicles.

Since 1st January 2018, regulators Transport for London (TfL) introduced licensing requirements to reduce emissions from the taxi fleet by phasing out diesel taxis and increasing the number of zero emission vehicles in the capital. The only model currently available, the LEVC TX Taxi, has proven extremely popular with drivers. 68% of drivers rate the overall experience of the taxi as “Excellent” and a further 26% “Good”.

Cabbies experienced in driving the LEVC TX taxi did however highlight concerns around the charging network in London. Over 60% of drivers who own or rent the vehicle experience faulty chargers every week and all 100% of drivers thought London needed more rapid chargers to fuel their vehicles. 45% of drivers stated that charging on London’s roads was “usually difficult”.

So far approximately 1,000 electric taxis have been purchased UK-wide, but some drivers remain cautious. Just one in ten cabbies want to remain in their current diesel vehicle but over 55% of drivers yet to make the change say they are unlikely to go electric in the next 5 years. The three biggest concerns holding cabbies back are the initial cost of the taxi (78.5%), the stability of the taxi industry (70.8%) and the current charging network (62%).

The cost of the LEVC TX vehicle, the only electric taxi on the market in London, is set at £57,099. This includes OLEV Plug in Taxi Grant of £7,500 which is due to end next year. Finance packages on offer to drivers can cost upwards of £67,000. However, many drivers can realise substantial fuel savings when operating the vehicle.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said: “This clearly shows that there is massive appetite within the trade for this modern, clean and fuel efficient vehicle. The well known downsides of price, availability and the lack of charging infrastructure are also clearly indicated in this revealing and groundbreaking survey”

Perry Richardson, Founder and Chief Editor of UK taxi publication TaxiPoint, said: “TaxiPoint are delighted to have been able to capture the views of licensed taxi drivers as they move from diesel to electric. For those that have experienced the vehicle, it has proven popular and feedback is overwhelmingly positive. However, if progress is to accelerate with the move to electric, our report would certainly suggest that more needs to be done across the industry to support drivers and address concerns around costs, the stability of the trade and the charging network, amongst others.”

January 22, 2019 at 09:11PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Taxi Driver's Charity makes heartwarming donation to Children's respite centre

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The London Taxi Driver’s Charity for Children (LTDCC) has given a donation to help an East Finchley Children’s respite centre decorate its premises. £700 was given to the Buckets and Spades Centre which offers respite care for children with learning difficulties and complex health needs. First reported in the Ham & High, the centre’s manager, Claire Politzer said: “Donations like this are absolutely crucial” and the money was spent to decorate one of the bedrooms which children use when they need to stay over. She said the room is now “a warmer and cosier place” and creates a “home away from home” feeling. The Buckets and Spades Centre is run by Norwood - a 234 year old charity who the LTDCC have been working with since 1928,when cab driver Mick Cohen raised for the orphanage that had once been his home.

January 22, 2019 at 08:00PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi drivers in Denmark become the latest to take action as protests ramp-up across Europe

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Danish taxi drivers became the latest group to take action against their regulator as protests seemingly ramp-up across Europe.

The Local have reported that taxi drivers in Copenhagen have protested against some of the regulations that have been imposed on them.

Around 100 taxis, had a "drive-in," driving in convoy past Industriens Hus, the head office of the Confederation of Danish Industry at City Hall Square, as well as Christiansborg, where the Danish Parliament is located.

They then circled the inner ring road, before dispersing after an hour.

The action in Copenhagen is the latest in a series of protests taken by taxi drivers, angered by their respective regulators or local councils across Europe.

Protests have taken place in Madrid and Barcelona, and a week long protest is in-situ in London in response to Camden Council's latest scheme in banning taxis from Tottenham Court Road, which has been described by some as monumentally stupid, given that it is a main thoroughfare with a major hospital at its northern end.

January 22, 2019 at 03:43PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Crack dealing Cab driver took Cocaine to stay awake behind the wheel

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A cab driver from Wales has been jailed for three years after he admitted being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, supplying crack, possession of crack with intent to supply, and possession of cocaine. 27-year-old Rhys Hearn was arrested after police became suspicious when he pulled up at a bus stop in Pentregethin Road to pick up a woman and then dropped her off 300-yards further down the road. Officers who were patrolling in an unmarked police vehicle decided to follow Hearn’s who was driving his cab. The police eventually stopped the cab in the St Thomas area and searched the vehicle. During their search they found a Kinder egg containing 10 wraps of 65% pure crack, £265 in cash, and a burner phone containing messages relating to the supply of drugs. A small quantity of 77% pure cocaine was also found in a small zip-lock bag. Hearn told the police officers that he was just trying to make ends meet and that he had sold seven wraps of crack already that evening at the price of £25 each. The court heard how Hearn’s had sold the equivalent of £575 worth the week before, keeping £175 for himself and giving the rest to his supplier. Defending Hearn, Matt Henson said his client was taking cocaine to deal with depression following a family bereavement and used the drug to also keep himself awake during long late night shifts. The court heard that Hearn became addicted to the drug and turned to dealing as to fund his own supply of cocaine. As reported in the Wales Online, Hearn had previous convictions for a public order matter, battery, and possession of Class A and Class B drugs. He held his cab licence since 2016 but has since had it revoked. Judge Keith Thomas jailed Hearn for three years and ordered for the drugs to be destroyed.

(Image credit: South Wales Police)

January 22, 2019 at 03:24PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fatal crashes prompt Uber to raise minimum age for drivers in Netherlands

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Controversial ride-hailing firm Uber is set to raise the age for drivers in the Netherlands following several fatal crashes in Amsterdam in recent weeks. The minimum age is to rise from 18 to 21 respectively bringing it in line with other countries like the UK, Belgium and Denmark. According to Dutch broadcaster AT5, Uber will now only accept drivers with at least one years’ driving experience. Drivers under 25 years old will also have to attend a compulsory road safety course conducted by third party safety organisation VVN who raised concerns around the accidents. Earlier this month, the VVN told the Telegraaf that Uber drivers should not be allowed to work unless its drivers conform to existing taxi regulations. ‘What has happened is terrible,’ Uber Nederlands head Thijs Emondts told AT5. ‘We are convinced that the measures we are taking today will remove some of the concerns about safety.’

January 22, 2019 at 11:32AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Swearing or making rude gestures whilst driving could cost see you fined up to £2,000

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Motorists that make rude gestures or swear at other drivers could land a fine of up to 75% of their weekly earnings up to £1,000.

A gesture such as raising a middle finger could see you prosecuted for ‘disorderly conduct’, offences that fall under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. On top of that, the driver could be seen as ‘not being fully in control of a vehicle’, an offence which carries a maximum fine of £1,000 (up to £2,500 for vehicles designed to carry up to 8 passengers) and 3 penalty points. So that’s a whooping £2,000 (£3,500 for vehicles up to 8 passengers) and 3 points! For any motorist its easy to get frustrated when faced with poor motorists. Especially at those drivers looking at a screen rather than the road! But keeping your temper in check and not reacting could save you money and points. Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA says: “A small minority of drivers think that being sat in their car exempts them from an offence like this. “However, this kind of anti-social behaviour can land you in hot water and take you on an expensive trip to the courts. “Road users have a duty of care to each other, so keeping your cool and remaining focused is important. "Your hands should remain on the wheel and your eyes on the road. “Rather than let the tailgater get under your skin, where safe to do so, it is better to let them pass so you can carry on your journey in a calm manner.”

January 22, 2019 at 09:07AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Stop wasting time and give workers their rights says GMB Union

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Uber drivers in the UK have scored a hat-trick in the legal fight to be treated as workers by the multi-billion pound ride-sharing company as the Court of Appeal in London rejected Uber’s appeal against two previous court rulings that their drivers work for them and are not self-employed, contractors or ‘business partners’. Not satisfied with being told they’re in the wrong for a third time, Uber now intends to take their lost cause to the Supreme Court. Worker status for drivers is something Uber has fought tooth and nail to avoid granting in order to save money through denying drivers basic rights to holiday pay, a guaranteed minimum wage and an entitlement to breaks. GMB organises and represents private hire drivers across the UK who deserve a level playing field, which means being paid a decent wage and making sure passengers are safe - it doesn't mean working excessive hours or allowing exploitation to continue unchecked. In 2016 we took successful legal action when our Uber driver members told us of the long hours they were working to make up for being paid far below the legal minimum wage, once the costs of doing the job were taken into account. With no right to paid breaks and holiday pay these drivers are completely dependent on the hours in the car. Add the ability for Uber to fix the cut of the money drivers make from their labour and it’s clear that far from running their own businesses, they are being taken for a ride. When the evidence had been heard, the conclusions of the employment tribunal, as it ruled in GMB’s favour could not have been clearer: “The notion that Uber in London is a mosaic of 30,000 small businesses linked by a common ‘platform’ is to our minds faintly ridiculous”. Its judgment surmised the firm's argument that drivers are "self-employed" as based on "fictions, twisted language and even brand new terminology". Instead of accepting the ruling and changing its ways, Uber showed itself to be unapologetic and set about challenging the verdict. Their arguments heard at the Employment Appeal Tribunal the following year. Another defeat did not dissuade it from seeking to flog its dead horse a third time. The lengths this multinational, multi-billion dollar transport company has gone to avoid abiding by the ruling of the courts have become embarrassing. From the masquerade of claiming to be a ‘technology company’ to the waste of money on PR and legal fees fighting now three court rulings in the workers’ favour - it’s time for Uber to set an example to other ‘gig’ employers by giving up the game and facing up to its responsibilities. Our landmark case against Uber shifted the landscape in favour of workers who are being exploited in the so-called ‘gig economy’, but this isn’t a fight against a new technology or industry. Our union was founded over 100 years ago by workers fighting against the scourge of long hours and casualisation of work that entrepreneur capitalists, as today, use to put profits for shareholders and investors over the workers who make them. If any employer in the so-called ‘gig economy’ thinks new technology will hide this same old-style exploitation they can think again. That’s why Uber is just one example in our legal campaign against employers who refuse to play by the rules, including other private hire firms like Addison Lee, as well as online retail couriers such as DPD and DX.

So, in case Uber HQ has not made a New Year’s resolution yet, here’s one from us: stop wasting time and money on lawyers bills in the courts while refusing to engage with GMB and our members. Workers have fought for a hundred years to be entitled to these basic rights, and we’ll fight for a hundred more to keep them.

January 22, 2019 at 08:38AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY GMB THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London cabbies kick off daily protest for access on Tottenham Court Road

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London taxi drivers have blocked Tottenham Court Road protesting against plans to restrict access along the busy main road. The one-way street will be converted to a two-way system with full 24-hour access only available to buses and cycles. Between 8am and 7pm Monday to Saturday, no other vehicle will be able to use the road much to the dismay of motorists. The changes come as Camden Council plans to invest £35 million to transform the area highlighting the need to improve air quality and road safety. The decision to exclude taxis on the basis of safety and air quality, but not buses, has been met by anger within the industry. Ongoing daily demonstrations are set according to driver activist group the “ITA”. The black cab, a public transport vehicle, has been overlooked despite moving to zero emission vehicles and recent concerns over bus safety. Cabbies who use Tottenham Court Road will face a £130 fine if they pass through the restrictions. Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licenced Taxi Drivers’ Association, said “The major arteries of London are just that, they are the main method of London’s lifeblood moving around.” Camden Council’s Adam Harrison disagreed by saying “not having taxis in the daytime will lead to 25 percent less traffic, with all the benefits for air quality and congestion that go along with it”. The move to ban taxis has quickly sparked action amongst cabbies with demos planned to start 21st January and then each day after until access is assured.

(Photo: @KJCByrne)

January 22, 2019 at 07:48AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uk Airport hopes to introduce a free drop off zone and Taxi waiting area if it gets expansion go-ahead

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Bristol Airport have said that if their expansion plans are given the go-ahead they will allow free drop-offs and locate a new authorised waiting area for taxis. The airport removed its free drop-off zone back in 2011 and introduced a payment system based on the amount off time you took to drop and leave. The new proposals, if given the go-ahead, will come as good news for local residents who have complained about cars clogging up parking laybys and residential roads. As reported in the Bristol Live, some residents have said that they have been left without being able to gain access to their property. The plans are subject to the airport getting approval to spandexes beyond its current cap of 10 million passengers a year. The airport’s planning and sustainability director Simon Earles said: “By accommodating waiting taxis on site and providing a free alternative for private vehicles dropping off passengers, we aim to reduce the impact of growth on local villages.” A number of airports across the UK currently charge for taxis to drop off, including Luton, Stansted and Manchester which is paid for by the driver in most cases.

January 21, 2019 at 04:12PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Barcelona cabbies continue blockade

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Taxi drivers in Barcelona are entering their fourth day of blockades in the city, as they ramp up pressure on the Catalonia's regional government, over what they see as inadequate plans on curtailing ride-hailing app providers such as Uber.

As reported in TaxiPoint on January 19, taxi drivers in Barcelona launched an indefinite strike after legislation was passed on Friday by the Regional Government of Catalonia forcing customers to book VTCs (Tourism Vehicles with Chauffeur) with a 15 minute lead time before the vehicles are needed.

Tensions rose as furious taxi drivers blocked off Barcelona’s central Gran Via Avenue on Friday, which lefy one VTC driver needing medical treatment for an anxiety attack, after his vehicle was attacked. It is unclear if the vehicle was attacked by cabbies or by sympathisers to the action being taken by taxi drivers.

In a counter demonstration, VTC drivers parked their cars along another of Barcelona’s main thoroughfares, in protest at what was described as the taxi drivers’ mafia-like behaviour.

The plans, which were unveiled by Catalonia’s infrastructure minister, Damià Calvet, have stated that ride-sharing VTC drivers would be obliged to return to their designated base after each service and customers would not be able to track the car they hire via GPS on any given company's app, however the 15 minute pre-booking time has been roundly condemned by taxi representatives, who are arguing that since VTCs are not a taxi service they should be booked 12 to 24 hours in advance.

Attempts to end the deadlock were made by over the weekend according to The Telegraph , with Mr Calvet offering to negotiate a new minimum waiting time for app -based VTC services, if the taxi drivers agreed to call off their strike, however, this proved unsuccessful.

There has been condemnation of violence during the blockades and a call to end the violence against VTC drivers, which has also spread to Madrid, with Tito Álvarez, leader of the Élite Taxi Association, stating that he would step aside if any more attacks against ride-sharing drivers took place.

It is expected that more talks will be taking place to resolve the ongoing situation.

January 21, 2019 at 02:43PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Are self-driving Uber scooters and bicycles on the way? Ride-hailing firm hire engineers to develop new technology

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Ride-hailing app Uber are hiring engineers to develop self-driving bicycles and scooters, according to a report in the Telegraph. The idea is to have scooters and bicycles which will be able to navigate themselves around cities in order to reach customers and charging points. Uber, who acquired electric bicycle company Jump, allows customers to collect the bikes and leave them on the pavement once at their desired location. At this point, the bikes are then collected by a paid contractor who then repair any damages to the vehicle and charge them overnight. The new technology that Uber hope to develop with engineers will cut out the middle man, therefore increasing profits.

Uber has begun hiring a “micromobility robotics” team to work. On the project, they announced on Saturday. On its online hiring page, Uber said: “we plan to improve safety, rider experience and operational efficiency of our shared electric scooters and bicycles through the application of sensing and robotics technologies.” Currently electric scooters are prohibited from public highways in the UK, but Uber competitor Bird, are operating a trial service on privately owned land at the Olympic Park in East London. Uber have faced major criticism over their self-driving ambitions after the death of a woman in Phoenix Arizona who was crushed by one of their autonomous vehicles while crossing the road at night. The controversial company has just recently restarted testing their vehicles on public roads.

January 21, 2019 at 10:13AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dundee taxi driver saves neighbour from fire

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A Dundee cabbie rescued his unconscious neighbour from a burning flat, and then amazingly went straight back to work.

36 year old, Alan Rafferty, briefly went home on January 15, discovering that a neighbours ground floor flat in Cardross Place, Dundee, was ablaze.

Alan, ignoring the flames, entered the flat and found his neighbour unconscious on a sofa by the flames.

Alan then dragged his neighbour away from the fire, whos flames had now reached approximately five feet.

The Scottish Sun reported tjan Alan had ventilated the room and tried to dampen the fire down with water.

Incredibly, Alan then returned to work at around 8pm.

The victim is believed to have suffered no lasting injuries.

January 21, 2019 at 09:52AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Council issues warning to anyone considering using a 'Facebook Taxi' as more concerning reports emerge

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Hartlepool’s council bosses have issued a warning about the latest social media craze of people offering lifts in exchange for money which is being dubbed ‘Facebook Taxis’. Hartlepool Borough Council’s trading standards and licensing manager, Ian Harrison, said: “the council carries out rigorous checks on its taxi trade so the public can have confidence that both the driver and the vehicle are safe and reliable”. The current issue has been highlighted by a number of councils including Bournemouth, with bosses pointing out major safety problems with jumping into a ‘Facebook Taxi’. Unlike licensed taxi drivers, those offering taxi journeys for payment on social media have not been subjected to any of the rigorous checks and their vehicles will not have the required insurance to carry paying customers. As reported by the Hartlepool Mail, Harrison noted a recent incident of a woman offering ‘cheap runs’ on Facebook but when the driver turned up to pick the passenger up, it was in fact a middle aged man who was driving the vehicle. He said: “For anyone who is, or thinking of, providing ‘cheap taxi runs’, I would remind them that to do so is a criminal offence, and Hartlepool Borough Council will not hesitate to prosecute in order to protect the public and retain public confidence in the taxi licensing system.”

January 21, 2019 at 09:25AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Unblock Meeting, Bank Junction, Moor Lane and Sadiq Khan Antics

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Yesterday I attended a meeting of the Unblock the Embankment Group.

This was a group formed to oppose the closure of the Embankment and Lower/Upper Thames Street route for 6 months, a key east-west route through London, for the construction of a new Super Sewer. It seems they were successful in that regard. But they are now focussed on trying to persuade TfL and the City Corporation to reroute the Cycle Superhighway (CS3) to relieve the congestion on that route. There were representatives of the City Corporation at the meeting including Chris Hayward who chairs the Planning and Transportation Committee. He actually said in the meeting that CS3 has unquestionably made congestion worse, with which I don’t think anyone would disagree. Journey times across London (e.g. City to Westminster and back) have increased very substantially and there are no good alternative routes. One issue raised was that cyclists on the CS3 superhighway have to suffer the high pollution levels when it is known that pollution levels on Upper/Lower Thames Street are some of the worst in London and exceed legal limits. Cyclists might prefer an alternative route and bearing in mind that the City Corporation is planning to improve cycle routes through the City as part of its Transport Strategy, it was suggested that the CS3 could be relocated. Naturally that would require some funding (perhaps £10 million) but it seems HM Treasury might provide some funds to improve traffic flows in London. But will the Mayor of London and TfL support such a move even if funding is available? Has CS3 reduced accidents to cyclists? It was noted that it has not. The City Corporation’s Transport Strategy was discussed and there have been many thousands of responses to their public consultation on that – which is more than expected. The ABD promoted responses among our supporters so perhaps we helped in that regard. The consultation has now closed and it’s too early to give any analysis of responses. It might be March/April before a report is published. One aspect of the Transport Strategy is the proposed 15 mph speed limit across the City, but it was acknowledged that this would require legislation, i.e. the City Corporation cannot impose without an Act of Parliament. With more cycle routes in the City and closure of Bank Junction, even more traffic might be diverted to Upper/Lower Thames Street, making congestion and air pollution even worse. There was some discussion of air pollution trends on the CS3 route, and in London as a whole, on which data seemed to be limited. Incidentally a new initiative on that is to equip Google’s Street View cars with air pollution sensors. This would enable a real time and very localised view of pollution to be obtained. There will also be more fixed sensors attached to lampposts and buildings to obtain even more data. Of course the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is forcing all taxis to become zero emission capable (hybrid/electric) in the near future but surprisingly there are still no electric charging points for taxis in the City. TfL are dragging their feet on providing it seems. There was some discussion on the closure of Bank Junction, and proposals for a zero-emission limit for vehicles on Moor Lane in the Barbican. The City Corporation have now published a report on longer-term proposals for Bank Junction that includes three suggested options – total pedestrianisation, pedestrian priority with some vehicle movement, and thirdly retaining existing vehicle movements. Option 2 includes closure of some of the “arms” of the junction which seems eminently sensible – see illustration provided below – you can see other ones in the Committee Reports here.

But there is still a commitment to turning this key road junction into a “place” and reducing vehicles to improve road safety so it is not at all clear whether even the third option would support taxi movements.

Another subject briefly discussed was the proposal to close Moor Lane to all vehicles other than zero emission ones. Apparently there was a majority of respondents opposed to the scheme in a public consultation (see the Committee Report mentioned above). Confusion between that and TfL’s ULEZ scheme was one objection. What was the response of the City Corporation? They are not dropping the proposal, but intend to either go-ahead of simply postpone it. As I commented in the meeting, will the City Corporation and its elected members actually take account of responses to the public consultation on the City’s Transport Strategy? To date they have not shown any willingness to listen. Is Sadiq Khan responding to the air pollution concerns that he spends so much time talking about? Amusingly there was a report on the Guido Fawkes web site (which is usually accurate) saying that his official vehicle is a 4.4 litre BMW on which the MOT has expired. Not exactly environmentally friendly as Guido pointed out. Meanwhile the Mayor continues to spend money as if it’s going out of fashion on public relations and social media consultants. That includes promoting his views on Brexit very vigorously and Guido also revealed that the Mayor had given £20,000 to a group called “The3million” representing EU citizens in the UK who want to stop Brexit. The Mayor continues to waste money while interfering in national politics rather than sticking to his job of Mayor of London.

January 20, 2019 at 08:16PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Roger Lawson - ABD THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Glasgow cabbies trial defibrillstor initiative which they hope will save lives

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Defibrillators have been installed in 15 taxis in Glasgow as part of an initiative to help save lives by getting fast treatment to patients suffering heart attacks.

Glasgow Taxis, Scotland’s second biggest taxi firm, have installed the machines, which stop a heart of someone in an ‘unstable rhythm’ to try to get the heart to pump properly again. The company and Defib Machines, their partner in this initiative, have pledged to roll out more of the devices if the initiative is successful. The drivers will be trained to use the AEDs to assist with any incidents of cardiac arrests near to their cabs as they travel around the city. Stephen Flynn, chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd, said: “We don’t just drive taxis and take people from A to B, we are committed to giving back whether that’s through charitable support, fundraising events or this latest initiative. “By introducing 15 potentially life-saving defibrillators to our taxis we are utilising the very natural willingness of our drivers to help people along with a test of the benefits of having these machines available in our vehicles, not only for driver use but to the wider communities of Glasgow. “It’s a modest outlay which we have committed to over a three-year period and if even one machine helps one person in that time, it will have been worth it many times over.” One of the drivers who will be part of the trial himself suffered heart problems. Stephen Lalley told Express and Star, “I was thinking about it when we got our training, quite often when we pick people up on a dark night and in the rain they’ll say to us: ‘Aw driver, yer a lifesaver.’ “Well that phrase could take on a whole new meaning now. “I think it’s a brilliant idea and we’re all very proud to represent an organisation which wants to help the people of its city in ways such as this.” Trixy Sanderson from Zoom.taxi who also works as a first aider said the move “was a positive step towards more people being trained in first aid.” “Research has shown that the best way to help someone recovering from a heart attack is to start effective chest compressions as soon as possible and deliver a shock via an AED. “People don’t need to be worried about them – they talk you through what to do and won’t deliver a shock unless it is needed but having them in vehicles like taxis and minicabs means they can get to people more quickly. “I hope more companies will look towards this pilot scheme and perhaps licensing authorities could consider first aid training as part of their requirements before they hand out a license to taxi and private hire drivers – or offer drivers courses because their freedom of movement makes them ideal people to be able to assist in an emergency.” David McColgan from British Heart Foundation Scotland welcomed the move, saying: “A cardiac arrest is the ultimate medical emergency and every minute without CPR reduces a person’s chance of survival. “When someone has a cardiac arrest every second counts and evidence shows that an individual is considerably more likely to survive discharge from hospital, and with favourable outcomes, if shocked by a bystander rather than having to wait for an ambulance.”

January 20, 2019 at 07:42PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Fareed Baloch - zoom.taxi THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Drink driver facing jail after ploughing into taxi

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A drink driver is facing jail after ploughing into the rear of a taxi at a set of traffic lights in Greenock.

22 year old Shaun McInnes was discovered to be more than three times over the legal limit on July 22 2018.

The incident left the taxi driver needing hospital treatment for whiplash injuries, after McInnes smashed into the back of the taxi, at speed, and at a Red traffic light, pushing the taxi onto a junction.

It was revealed that McInnes was recently banned from driving for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work for a another major road traffic offence.

The Greenock Telegraph reported that the accused pleaded guilty to careless and drink-driving, but pleaded not guilty to failing to stop and give details.

Sentence was deferred by Sheriff Derek Hamilton until February 6 and McInnes was allowed bail.

January 20, 2019 at 11:42AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT