TALK IS CHEAP: IT’S TIME TO
Article by Dave Lawrie, Director NPHTA 0161 280 2800
info@nphta.co.uk DRIVER SHORTAGES!
We have all seen the articles over the last two years about the driver and vehicle numbers dropping. This may have a lot to do with the Covid pandemic, it may be the costs to enter the industry or it may be the length of time to complete the application process. Whilst lack of drivers may result in higher earning potential for those who remain in the industry, the downside is that it also leads to more cold, impatient, angry customers having to wait far longer than usual for a trip home and as a result, the number of attacks and assaults on drivers is rapidly on the increase.
But there could well be an additional issue, the elephant in the room; the lack of safety and protection, plus the lack of support from police, government, CPS, courts, and councils.
Driving people around is a high-risk role. In every other walk of life there is CCTV and signage saying “abuse will not be tolerated” but for the taxi and PH sector, we hear: “it is just part of the job, get used to it”; not exactly fair, reasonable or proportionate is it? Would you see any job with such risks as being desirable, a role on which you would spend a fortune and wait months to enter?
DRIVERS ARE DYING OUT THERE
It is horrendous that we still see reports of our drivers being attacked, robbed, abused and killed every single month - those being the ones that actually make it to press, yet nothing is done to even try to stop it. “Several incidents suggest taxi drivers were being abused and threatened by passengers. However, despite the 176 reports made between February 1 and August 22 this year, council bosses believe there is not enough evidence to warrant CCTV cameras being installed in taxis for the benefit of drivers and passengers.”
Whoever said that clearly doesn’t understand the key role of “protection” or understand that drivers are far more at risk than the public in a licensed vehicle.
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In most cases, nothing: we see those who do get caught, which are few and far between, deny it, the police then dismiss the matter due to a lack of evidence!
Even in cases where they do take action, the CPS decides to dismiss it. Those that do actually appear in court end up with a slap on the wrist because they have children who would suffer if the attacker was sent to prison, or because they were drunk; and then we wonder why drivers believe calling the police is a waste of time. I have published several articles on this subject, the time to change is NOW!
WHAT MESSAGE IS THIS SENDING TO THE ATTACKER!
What about the family of the victim? What about the family who have lost a parent, a child, a spouse, a sibling at the hands of these lunatics?
The justice system is flawed, the message this sends out is that drivers’ lives are worthless, their protection doesn’t matter to anyone, not the council, police, courts, nobody! Is this really the message you want to send out to your licensees? Is this how you want to encourage new blood into our industry?
THE RISK IS NOT JUST PHYSICAL!
Now let us have a look at everyday risks, drivers are regularly accused of things that are obviously a complete fabrication for nothing more than a refund. But those are taken very seriously, leading to drivers being logged off platforms, losing their licences, their homes, their previous long-standing good character and reputations, and in many cases their freedom!
FALSE ALLEGATIONS
Some of the allegations made are so far-fetched, they would make a good script for a comedy show, and yet we have seen drivers convicted and sent to prison based on nothing more than the allegation, with the driver having no defence against it.
JANUARY 2023 PHTM
WHAT ACTION IS TAKEN AGAINST THE ATTACKER?
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