INDUSTRY EXPERT
cross border hiring is complete nonsense – don’t regions have borders? Don’t operators operate either side of borders – aren’t they just bigger than current borders? All this system does is take accountability (remember that word) away from elected councillors and hand it over to unaccountable regional quangos. Call me old fashioned but before we are handed a solution… could we know what the problem is that we are trying to solve? Maybe generate a few options and then justify the final choice?
A MEETING FEAST AND A LEADERSHIP FAMINE
It is probably a personal failing that I don’t have the time and in all honesty often the inclination to attend every industry meeting these days. The explosion in the number of events is fascinating. Even more fascinating is how elaborate they are becoming. But where do all these panels, discussions, earnest questions and answers go? I’ll answer that - they go nowhere. I don’t knock the organisers as there is clearly an almost insatiable appetite for some kind of group therapy sessions where we can all kick the policy makers, the licensing authorities and babble on about the need for common sense and fairness. We can even engage in some sabre rattling about judicial reviews and get really enraged and red faced and demand resignations of elected politicians.
My real question is: what is the outcome? I guess happy attendees is one, although no one I listen to speaking sounds very happy, they normally have a laundry list of moans and whinges. Where are the policies? Where is the leadership that takes said policies forward into proposals that lobby government, civil servants and policymakers? Come and have your say, enjoy the buffet, join the after party and let’s do it all again next month at another elaborate venue - sorry to be a party pooper but that is not going to take this industry anywhere fast.
SO, LET’S LOOK AHEAD….
The tin gods of autonomous vehicles and MaaS have fallen off the agenda recently…why? In the case of MaaS it’s a solution (of sorts) searching for a problem and autonomous vehicles (AV) are a problem seeking a solution. The business case for 5G (essential for AVs) is nowhere and a few cabs are not going to pay for it. Multi-apping has led the
PHTM JANUARY 2023
industry into the wild west with drivers increasingly enabled to gamify the system. It has done nothing for customer service although I guess we could argue that it has given customers choice albeit superficially. Cross border remains controversial but that is nothing new. And driver shortages show no sign of easing So, what will 2023 and beyond bring?
Well, I certainly hope it brings no more piece meal regulation. Enough is enough. Maybe we will see clarity on VAT on fares, perhaps the ever-present irritation of employment status will dissipate as fares continue to rise as shortages and inflation play their role and the few drivers who have been hitherto convinced finally resile from any thoughts that the minimum national wage would be good for them. There is little doubt that the industry will continue to shrink in size but almost certainly will be more profitable for all involved.
Looking at the bigger picture could the industry unite around a self determination agenda? Surely the industry is best placed to know what is best for it, so rather than continue to vent spleens at meetings about what has been done, the industry actually decides what should be done. Are such thoughts really so fanciful? Isn’t the industry a bit of a ‘nobody’s child’ not fitting comfortably in the public transport pigeon hole not really self-employed contractors and not really very manageable? And yet when things go wrong and there are no ambulances, taxis and PH are called on to fill the gap.
The London Taxi Board never quite got to self- determination but it made a significant step towards it and presided over the industry during its most successful period ever. The combination of policy maker, regulator, operator, fleet owners, vehicle manufacturer and drivers’ organisations meant that decisions and proposals were well rounded and balanced. Costs were shared and proper representations to government were made. Laws were actually changed where those changes completely aligned with the industry’s wishes. So next time you are sat at a meeting listening to colleagues ranting on about the latest domestic issue just think…should we really be getting up on the hill and working out how we run this industry ourselves?
Whatever happens in 2023 and beyond, I wish all readers and everyone within the industry and those on the edges and outside who support us, good health, good luck and peace.
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