...COVID CONSCIOUS COMPANIES
tem, which again puts me in a much better place than some of my other colleagues. So the 80 per cent on the furlough scheme is obviously better than nothing – but there is zero provision for all the overheads that I, as with every other business, am expected to carry on an ongoing basis: eg. the business phone line which is under contract. The car payment can be put on a payment holiday, but I still need to pay the insurance and other overheads.
“I feel very blessed that my loved ones are all well, and we have somewhere safe to live. Everyone is trying their best to help, and the story is changing all the time.”
PORTSMOUTH
Bruce Hall, General Manager of NPHTA member Aqua Cars in Portsmouth, clari- fied the situation for us as regards their council being top of the ‘league table’ of authorities making concessions during the lockdown.
Bruce told us: “During this very strange time you are correct: they have extended by one year all hackney carriage licences, as they would all have had to stop work- ing because all Portsmouth hackney licences expire at the end of April. This does not affect the 1,200+ private hire vehicles as they were all renewed in Jan- uary 2020.
“This extension of the hackney carriage licences of course will not be free; it will only be delayed until PCC can recoup the outstanding monies. There will no doubt be a few trials along the way but hopefully PCC will continue with their flexible approach to all HC and PHV vehicles as well as the drivers. For example they might – but I doubt it – let PHVs use the bus lanes as there are no buses running???
“Aqua Cars has seen a 79 per cent drop in work across the fleet, and a drop of 66 per cent in drivers who decided to contin- ue to work. Those who are still working in these strange times are finding they can get about without sitting in traffic, which means less stress; fuel prices are reason- ably low, no long queues at the pumps. Sounds too good to be true? It is – the customers vanished overnight too. Some shoppers are still relying on private hire for their weekly shops; some schools are
MAY 2020
open for key workers which means chil- dren still need to attend schools.
“Some of our drivers are being trained by ambulance crews in the wearing and dis- posal of PPE equipment safely, so that we can help out with patients going to and from medical facilities – which takes some of the pressure off the highly trained NHS workers, allowing them to go to the front line where they are much needed.
“With hope and a prayer I hope all of my colleagues in our industry come out of the other side of Covid-19 safe and well and unscathed, and I look forward to meeting up at the PHTM Expo.”
THANET
In the easternmost tip of Kent you will find Thanet District Council, in which three of the largest taxi and private hire compa- nies in the area make up the Thanet Private Hire Association. Representing approximately 400 vehicles and spanning decades of experience, these companies all have had to shut their office doors but have managed to keep a reduced fleet of around 50-60 cars working both day and night, with a reduced staff and manage- ment remotely working from home.
PHTM spoke at length to Andy Doody, General Manager of Thanet Taxis in Mar- gate, who told us: “I have written to the council to register our grave concerns and disgust with the attitude of their licensing department. Our drivers, staff and manage- ment have been acknowledged and thanked locally by NHS staff, front line crew, carers, the general public as well as some other community and national businesses.
“We have between us managed to get to and from work every one of the NHS staff who has needed us, transferred medical staff and medicines between the three main hospitals; we have guaranteed these services 24 hours a day and the drivers have done many of these runs for free or discounted of their own volition. We have ensured that bus drivers, carers, GP surgery staff and patients all get where they need to be with no complaints.
“I managed to contact an officer from the licensing department (who are all work- ing from home) to find out what extensions or help they would be giving
all the private hire drivers whose vehicles are due to have their compliances com- plete and monies paid by 31st May. Being self-employed they will have no monies until June and then not large amounts, as drivers as a rule do not enjoy large profits to show on their tax returns.
“I was told that there are no concessions and everything must be done as normal including payment of the licence fees of £202 – and if not paid on time then this would rise to £282 the following day, 1 June.
“I tried to point out that the country was experiencing a pandemic and only a small percentage of drivers were working, and that they were taking 70 per cent less income but by helping to keep front line staff moving [they were] generally keep- ing the community safer by collecting shopping, delivering meds etc. The reply I got was that “it doesn’t matter; the rules are on the website and compliances and fees must be in on time.”
[Get this:] “I questioned the practicality of drivers such as myself who are on the vulnerable list of self-isolating for medical reasons, and was told to ‘get a friend or another driver to take the car and get it done.’ I then questioned the insurance implications of doing that and the response was, ‘It’s got to be done by the date shown on the website.’ Great help!”
So, you can see the tremendous varia- tions amongst licensing authorities as to their approach to the industry during this horrendous situation. It really is a lottery as to whether you are in one of the “good guys” council areas, or patently are not.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of our par- ticipants in this survey; it has provided quite an insight as to the effects not only of the lockdown but of the approach and behaviour of the individual licensing departments.
Wherever you are, we hope that you all stay safe and well.
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