Author Topic: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%  (Read 4036 times)

Online watty

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Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« on: February 11, 2020, 07:55:26 pm »
Taxi driver fined after passenger complained of urine smell in vehicle (Irish Times)

Quote
A taxi driver was fined last year by the National Transport Authority (NTA) after a passenger complained of a smell of urine in the vehicle.  The driver was issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) by the NTA over the failure to comply with vehicle standards.

New figures show 1,600 fixed penalty notices in total were issued against drivers last year by the NTA resulting in cumulative financial penalties of €76,930 on drivers.  The penalties cited on the notices ranged from €40 to €250.  In response to a Freedom of Information request, the authority confirmed that the number of complaints made by customers concerning taxis increased by 5.5 per cent to 1,383 last year.

Overcharging complaints were the most frequent at 529 [Me: FreeNow?] while complaints over driver conduct numbered 496. 

Some 78 complains concerned the condition of taxis.  In one case, a customer complained a taxi driver told the passenger not to talk to him as “he had a long night” and “to leave him alone”. In response to the complaint made in December, the NTA issued the driver with a caution.  The authority fined a taxi driver in August after the driver refused to allow a passenger bring a guide dog into the taxi.  In September, a passenger flagged down a taxi and stated that the smell in it was rotten “and he had to travel with the windows open”. The driver “did not welcome any advice about the smell” when the passenger mentioned it. The driver was issued with a caution by the NTA.  In July a passenger complained that a taxi was “dirty and in bad condition. The seats were stained. The floor of the car was badly dented”. The NTA issued the driver with advice.  A passenger described the smell inside another taxi in August as “disgusting” and said they should have got out of the vehicle.  Concerning another complaint in November, a passenger stated that a taxi “smelled of stale cigarettes and alcohol”. The NTA inspected the car and advice was given to the driver.

Online watty

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2020, 07:59:03 pm »
Quote
New figures show 1,600 fixed penalty notices in total were issued against drivers last year by the NTA resulting in cumulative financial penalties of €76,930 on drivers.  The penalties cited on the notices ranged from €40 to €250.
€76,930/1,600 fines = €48 and 8 cent

Offline U Wha

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2020, 08:15:24 pm »
Sort of annoying that the dramatise the number of complaints against taxi drivers and fail to clarify that it probably equals one complaint for every 4000 taxi journeys.   0.00025% Almost nothing.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2020, 08:24:34 pm by U Wha »

Offline Shallowhal

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2020, 08:17:15 pm »
Had a guy in last week who i should have made a complaint about,i knew when he got in,the smell of deo over BO....when he got out i had to open all the windows and then i get a hail 100m up the road at the Ha'penny bridge.....most of it was gone,maybe it was still up my nostrils.....or the fuks wearing runners that smell like cats piss.

Offline stonethecrows

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2020, 09:40:29 pm »
Had a guy in last week who i should have made a complaint about,i knew when he got in,the smell of deo over BO....when he got out i had to open all the windows and then i get a hail 100m up the road at the Ha'penny bridge.....most of it was gone,maybe it was still up my nostrils.....or the fuks wearing runners that smell like cats piss.
More than likely sitting too close to yourself
He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because he fears.

Offline Rat Catcher

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2020, 12:21:58 am »
Dublin Airport licensed drivers usually top the table for overcharging... and complaints in general, Watty. Surely Free Now clients just complain to Free Now and get a voucher or whatever?

Offline Rat Catcher

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2020, 01:14:45 am »
From the latest SPSV Industry Update (feb 2020):

Discuss!

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/SPSV_Newsletter_Issue_47.pdf

Complaints regarding the application of the ‘soiling charge’ continue to be made.
• A fee may be charged where a passenger either soils the vehicle or damages it so much that the driver has to take it out of service or has to pay to have it cleaned or repaired.
The maximum such fee is €140, but the actual fee charged may be lower – it should reflect the costs reasonably incurred by the operator. Drivers are advised to retain any receipts for cleaning the vehicle in the event of a complaint being received.

Offline vandriver

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2020, 07:38:30 am »
I don't think €140 comes close to the actual loss you may incur.
Say a Welsh bloke heaved up in your cab at 4 o'clock in the afternoon last week,and put you out of action for the night.
You're easily 3 ton down.(plus the cost of a valet)

Offline mercenary for hire

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2020, 08:33:45 am »
If the NTA ever found out drivers could potentially earn that much they'd have dumped the harder taxi test years ago and released another heap of hackney plates.

VD this may come as a surprise to you but drivers publicly bragging about earnings online is a relatively new phenomenon.It would have been frowned upon by old timers.As a group we are particularly vulnerable to more competition.

Picture yourself and another 500 Vandrivers in rentals fighting over the same patch this time next year with a 10% reduction in work.Wont be long before you need to put another 20 hours a week in.Best to say we earn fuk all so were not flooded with more competition.

By the way 140 is a very good day for me nowadays.So were not all the same.

Offline Belker

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2020, 09:09:12 am »
.........• A fee may be charged where a passenger either soils the vehicle or damages it so much that the driver has to take it out of service or has to pay to have it cleaned or repaired.
The maximum such fee is €140,.............
I'm not understanding the DAMAGE bit, if a passenger pulls out a sharp object and cuts up the seats or maybe breaks a window is the maximum fee €140. ?

I had a passenger kick in my door and smash my windscreen with an umbrella a few years back, I was awarded €400 fer repairs in court.

Offline stonethecrows

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2020, 09:24:28 am »
If the NTA ever found out drivers could potentially earn that much they'd have dumped the harder taxi test years ago and released another heap of hackney plates.

VD this may come as a surprise to you but drivers publicly bragging about earnings online is a relatively new phenomenon.It would have been frowned upon by old timers.As a group we are particularly vulnerable to more competition.

Picture yourself and another 500 Vandrivers in rentals fighting over the same patch this time next year with a 10% reduction in work.Wont be long before you need to put another 20 hours a week in.Best to say we earn fuk all so were not flooded with more competition.

By the way 140 is a very good day for me nowadays.So were not all the same.
Agreed MFH, but I'd say that was VERY VERY much the exception being a rugby day in Dublin city , normal takings would not come near that figure
He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because he fears.

Offline Belker

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2020, 09:42:50 am »
Excerpt from Taxi diaries 2;
Be Careful out There !
 
It's Halloween weekend and I'm ranked across the road from the base
on Douglas street at 1.35am on Fri night/Sat morning. A big stocky lad
walks in to the base and the base operator directs him over to my cab.
He exits the base with arms flailing and Two girls following him over to
my cab, they are all aged about Twenty-five, he sits in the front seat and
the Two girls sit in the back.
The Two girls seemed OK, one was short in stature and the other was tall,
the fella now sitting in the front was Pissed as a coot and it took him a full
minute to get his seat belt buckled, while the girls in the back asked;
"Would Thirty Euro get them up to Grawn and then back out to Blackrock ?",
I agreed to the fare and we drive on, as soon as we Turned the corner on
to White street, Langer Dan now slouched in the front seat turns up the
radio full blast, I turn it down and say to him; "Don't do that".
Next he starts haggling the agreed fare saying; "I've only 27 or 28 on me"
and again turns up the radio to full blast, I turn it down again and turn
looking at him and tell him; "If ya do that again I'm gonna put you out",
we turn on to Georges Quay and he again turns up the radio, I pull in by
the kerb and shout at him; "THAT'S IT !, FOOK OFF !, GET OUT !",
he looks stupid at me and says; "Wadda mean ?",
I again shout at him; "I MEAN FOOK OFF OUTTA MY CAB"
and I open his seat belt for him and he opens his door and exits,
I say to the girls in the back; "It's Him that I'm putting out, ye are welcome
to stay if ye wish"
  but they follow the drunk out of the cab, as the girls are
just finished exiting yer man now out on the street is up with his boot and
kicks up against the side door and window of the cab.
 
The Two girls drag him away and I'm hoping/praying that he hasn't left a
dent in the car. I'm outta the cab and over to inspect what damage has
been done as the Trio head off up Georges Quay.
As I'm out of the cab I see a nasty little dent that his boot had taken on
my passenger door and decide it's time for the Gardai.
 
I turn only to see yer man coming back along at me and shaking off the Two
young ones trying to restrain him. As he shakes them off, I think to myself
'Bollicks, I'm Caught, Fight or Die !' as I'm on the wrong side of the cab
with no escape route, he Wobbles on his legs and his arms are flailing
all over the place. In a Split-Second I reckon that I could 'Take him' and
bring back my leg in to Fight stance, I pick my spot 'Lower Right jaw' as
he was on the footpath which was giving him a big height advantage.
He stops about Two meters in front of me and I wait for him to take just
one more step, but the girls again come to my rescue and pull him away.
 
As soon as they pull him backwards, I nip across in front of my cab and
in to the safety of the drivers seat. I immediately ring the Gardai telling
them the tale and whilst on the phone yer man comes charging back at
the cab, I accelerate away and he sprints the length of Georges Quay
chasing the cab. As I'm on my Bluetooth Loudspeaker phone to the Gardai
I tell her that; "I'm now turning on to Parliament bridge and yer man is
on foot chasing me on the road"
,
She says to me; "We need you to be in a stationary position so as we can
send a vehicle to you".

I tell her; "I can't stop because yer man who kicked my door in is running
after me on the road".

Eventually yer man gives up the chase half way down the South Mall and
I reverse trying to get him to take the bait and chase me again as I knew
the Guards were on the way.
 
In my rear view mirror I see him meet up with the Two girls again at the
junction of the South Mall and Parliament street and the trio heading in
the direction of the Taxi feeder rank for the Grand Parade.
I leg it down Father Matthew street and miss the unmarked speed bump
which on exiting over it at speed crashes the nose of my cab noisily in to
the road, Thankfully no damage done.
I speed over Father Matthew Quay and over to the feeder rank where the
trio are just getting in to a Taxi. I pull up beside their taxi blocking his exit
and I roll down my window and Beep at the driver, the Irish driver rolls
down his window and I shout at him; "YER MAN THERE JUST KICKED IN
MY DOOR AND THE GUARDS ARE ON THE WAY"
.
The Taxi driver puts them all out straight away and I stand out to watch
where they go, still waiting for the Gardai to arrive.
Yer man heads off over the pedestrian bridge from the Grand Parade on
to Sullivans Quay and the Two girls hug each other on parting as the
smaller girl heads off back along the South mall and the taller girl goes
after yer man over the bridge.
 
The Gardai ring me and I tell them the situation whilst driving up the
Grand Parade and along Tuckey street, South Main street after yer man.
I drive around Cove street, Mary street, Etc, but no sign of either of them
or the Gardai.
Just as I was giving up all hope while driving back along a very narrow Cove
street, here is yer man walking along the footpath toward me after
acquiring a Golf Umbrella from somewhere.  I see him ! He see's me !
I can't reverse at any kind of speed because the street is too narrow, so I
decide to try and simply drive by him, just as I approach him he turns his
umbrella and catches it by the end and whacks it off my front windscreen
as I pass shattering the glass on the lower passengers side.
 
He legs it along Cove street and on to Mary street, I reverse the car trying
to turn it hastily and catch the corner of the footpath with my exhaust pipe
causing an awful bump, Thankfully again with no damage done.
 
I chase after him and see himself and the taller girl run off through the
pedestrian bollards at the top of Mary street and on to Douglas/Abbey
street, where I can't follow as it is a One way system.
Again I drive around waiting for the Gardai and trying to spot them.
As I drive along Sullivans Quay I see a squad car coming over South Main
bridge and I follow it in to Cove street and up in to Mary street.
 
I see the tall girl walking down Mary street in floods of tears and covering
her face with her hands. I flash my lights and Beep my horn at the squad
car in front of me, they stop and I shout over to them;
"THAT'S THE GIRL WHO WAS WITH YERMAN".
The Two guards exit their squad car and run after her and apprehend her.
I'm asked to stay by my vehicle, which I do as they question her trying to
coerce her to give up the name of her 'Friend', she is bawling her eyes out
screaming out loud how she had never been in trouble with the guards and
she had no money and she didn't know yer man, Etc..
 
As I'm stood there by my cab at the top of Mary street, yer man walks down
through the pedestrian bollards still with umbrella in hand toward my cab
and the parked Garda squad car.
I shout over to the Guards; "THAT'S HIM, THERE !",
Yer man, totally pissed/stoned eventually evaluates the scene and legs it off
over past Red Abbey, one of the Guards Jogs back to his squad car (Not half
fast enough for my liking)
and drives after him. He stops at the corner of
Dunbar street and I can hear noise down the road as seemingly yer man had
run in to the waiting arms of Two Garda officers walking on the street.
 
After yer man was arrested by the Gardai on Dunbar street I was asked to
come over to identify him, which I did from a discreet distance and then
returned to where my cab was parked, the tall girl was still in floods of tears
being interviewed on the roadside by the Lady guard, I walked over to them
and told the Guard; "Actually she didn't do anything, it was the other fella
who caused all the damage to my cab, if anything then this young lady
helped me by trying to restrain him from attacking me on Georges Quay".

 
The arresting Guard walks over to me to take my details and tells me that
yerman put up a fight before being arrested and that he has a job working
for one of the national creameries, so it seems that I might actually get a
few quid off him for the damage to the car.
The Guard tells me that he will ring me later on in the morning and adds
that I can work on if I liked.
 
The tall girl is released by the Lady Guard and the Guards walk off back to
their squad car, I sit in to my cab and reverse down Mary street to where
the girl is still sobbing and walking in toward town, I roll down the window
and ask her; "Are You OK ?",
She sob's; "I've no money",
I tell her; "Don't worry about it, Jump in, I'll bring you home".
There was an Icy atmosphere in the cab and most of the journey out to
Blackrock was in silence and pleasantries on departure were brief.
 
I hadn't come to realize fully at the time that this young lass had probably
saved my life by restraining yer man on the roadside, when I had taken the
decision to fight him, I was under the impression that he was incapable of
throwing a coordinated punch, but after watching him sprint the length of
Georges Quay, Parliament street and half of the Mall and then taken Two
Gardai to arrest him, I think that I was wrong in my original presumption.
If I had fought him then I would have Lost and Lost big time.
I'm Fifty, he is Twenty-five, he is Bigger and Stronger than me and also
pissed/stoned enough not to show any mercy in a street fist fight.
I might have been Killed or taken life threatening injuries or disabilities.
It was only the next day before I realized that I had dodged a Bullet !
 
The Guard rings me at 4.30am and tells me; "As soon as we got to the
station and I heard yer mans name I knew him as a 'Right Boyo', he has
a bit of Previous and he is up in court again in mid November for other
charges".

So that seemed like my chances of getting a few quid off him for the
damage to my cab were gone flying out of the window.
 
As it turned out financially I didn't do too bad, the insurance company
covered the cost of the windscreen replacement without affecting my
No Claims Bonus and my panel beater guy hammered out about 90% of
the dent for nothing saying; "Don't worry about it, I'll catch ya another time".
Very nice of him, (Paul Sheehan, Marina Terrace just off Albert road.)
 
So all in, I lost an Hours work on Fri night, spent a few hours on the phone
and drop off's to panel beater in getting all the repair work done and just
left with a very small dent in the front passenger side door which thankfully
passed the Taxi suitability test on Wednesday morning.
 
And most importantly, I Live to Fight Another Day !

Offline mercenary for hire

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2020, 09:51:53 am »
We're already in a dangerous place with Freenow.They are on the Taxi advisory council and no doubt are sharing our data(maybe anonymously) with the NTA.They are calling for the geography test to be relaxed further and I'm fairly certain they were looking for saloon licences to be sold again at some point a couple of years ago.

I'm not making this up...this is what your 15% commission is paying for.

Offline Belker

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2020, 09:59:12 am »
Further excert from Taxi diaries 2;
Be Careful out There, Part 2.

I got a court date months later for this incident.
I hate Court with a passion, but at least this time I will be
in the witness stand rather than in 'The Dock' !
 
It didn't go too bad at all, I only had to wait an hour in court before
yerman pleaded Guilty, the arresting guard told me that he only
pleaded Guilty after seeing me in the courtroom.

The prosecuting Garda inspector only read a very brief bit of my
statement to the judge saying about; "Him being drunk and turning up
the radio and me putting him out and how he then kicked the cab"
.

He only had 35 previous convictions and his lawyer laid it on thick
to the judge telling him all the 'Old Chestnuts' of how he has been
sober ever since and attending rehab, he has 2 courses on the go
and has 2 job interviews upcoming.

The judge wasn't having any of it and declined application to have
sentencing put back to a later date, he sentenced him to 5 months
in prison suspended fer 2 years IF he pays the taxi driver 400Euro
in compensation and does a 100 hours community service.

The judge laid it all out to the young man; "Pay the Fine or their
will be a Bench warrant issued and you will go straight to jail".


After the case I went over to yerman and shook hands with him
wishing him the Best on his rehab, he apologised to me fer kicking
the cab and I patted him on the shoulder as I departed.
(I didn't mean any of it but I knew we would cross paths again someday).

The arresting guard thanked me sincerely for Showing up.

It seems like this was a 'One Up' fer the Taxi drivers,
The scrote paid the 400Euro fine/compo a few weeks later.

john m

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Re: Congrats on Trying Harder! Complaints up 5%
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2020, 09:59:53 am »
If the NTA ever found out drivers could potentially earn that much they'd have dumped the harder taxi test years ago and released another heap of hackney plates.

VD this may come as a surprise to you but drivers publicly bragging about earnings online is a relatively new phenomenon.It would have been frowned upon by old timers.As a group we are particularly vulnerable to more competition.

Picture yourself and another 500 Vandrivers in rentals fighting over the same patch this time next year with a 10% reduction in work.Wont be long before you need to put another 20 hours a week in.Best to say we earn fuk all so were not flooded with more competition.

By the way 140 is a very good day for me nowadays.So were not all the same.

POST OF THE YEAR SO FAR but sort of incorrect .The next move from Metaxi and none of ye spotted it .Look at the time frame offered to get the last bonusus did it exceed the legal 11 hour maximum shift ? Now metaxi have the data to put before the Taxithingey to show health and safety are real issues for drivers and over working is rife .They will look to have the meter chipped to prevent over work and that will encourage drivers to work the app to gain as much work as possible per shift .Greens and Save the earth dont want more taxies they want efficiency from existing ones .

 


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