Manchester, August Events.

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TEESIDE

A man who demanded money from a taxi driver while threatening him with a knife, has been jailed.

Nicholas Mannion pointed the knife at the driver while saying “give me money”.

He left empty handed when the driver said he had no money on him.

Mannion, of Sycamore Avenue, Thornaby, appeared at Teesside Crown Court where he was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a bladed article.

The court heard that the incident happened in the early hours of Saturday May 3.

Mannion, 23, had ordered a taxi to take him to Laburnum Road, Thornaby.

Paul Lee, prosecuting, said Mannion remained quiet throughout the journey however when he reached the Laburnam Road, he got out telling the taxi driver he needed to get some money.

Mr Lee said: “The taxi driver asked him to leave something behind - in case the defendant didn’t return, so he left his trainers and went into a house.

“Five minutes later he returned, put his trainers on and asked the driver to drive.

“It was at that moment the taxi driver saw he had a knife. It was six inches long. The defendant said to him ‘drive where I ask you to’.”

Mr Lee said the taxi driver was frightened and worried that he was going to be stabbed and have money taken from him.

He added: “The driver was able to contact his control room and speak to them in his native language to raise the alarm.

“Mannion became suspicious and pointed the knife to the complainant and said ‘give me money’. The taxi driver told him he had no money.”

Mannion got out the taxi and left.

The court heard that Mannion has a long list of previous conviction with 34 offences and 18 convictions. His first offence was aged 15 and his first jail term was aged 18.

Mitigating Julian Gaskin said that Mannion was suffering from depression at the time and had been drinking.

He added: “Mr Mannion asked me to apologise to the victim for his horrendous actions. He has a lot of remorse for what happened.”

Judge Walford said: “To threaten someone late at night and someone who was in a vulnerable position such as a taxi driver with a knife is extremely serious.”

Mannion was jailed for two years and eight months.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/thornaby-man-nicholas-mannion-jailed-7537718
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CLITHEROE

A TAXI driver was forced to take his vehicle off the road immediately because it was unfit to carry passengers.

It came as enforcement officers in the Ribble Valley teamed up with police and other agencies in a nightime swoop on unroadworthy taxis.

In total, 22 vehicles were inspected at ranks in Clitheroe.

Of those, 17, were found to be of the required standard, four were served with advisory notices requiring work to be carried out on their vehicles within seven days and one was served with a prohibition notice requir-ing him to withdraw the vehicle from operation immediately.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/NEWS/11376254.Clitheroe_taxi_was_unfit_for_passengers/?ref=rss
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DUBLIN

A 15-year-old boy accused of holding a meat cleaver to a taxi-driver's throat during a carjacking in Dublin plans to plead guilty, his lawyer told a court today.

Gardaí arrested the boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, after the 36-year-old taxi driver was allegedly robbed at knife-point and his BMW car was seized in Terenure in the early hours of 18 May.

It was driven across the city until it collided with another taxi in Cabra, the Dublin Children's Court has heard.

The teenager was originally charged with three offences in connection with the hi-jacking: robbery of an iPhone 4, worth €400, its charger and €25 in coins; producing a meat cleaver-type knife, and theft of the taxi.

Last month, three additional hit-and-run charges were put to the teenager in connection with the incident.

These relate to damage caused to another car and failing to stop afterwards.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had recommended his case should go to the Circuit Court, which has tougher sentencing powers.

Today, Judge John O'Connor agreed with the DPP and refused jurisdiction to deal with the case in the Children's Court despite pleas for the case to be retained there.

Defence solicitor Matthew Kenny made submissions under Section 75 of the Children Act which gives the juvenile court discretion to deal with a case involving serious allegations by taking into consideration the defendant's age, level of maturity and any other relevant factors.

Mr Kenny told Judge O'Connor that the boy, who was accompanied to the hearing by his father and care workers, had a mild intellectual disability and "does not think about the consequences of his actions".

He also said his client is a teenager with impulsive behaviour, he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and his "level of maturity is less that of a normal 15-year-old".

He also said the fact that the teenager would plead guilty and the fact that he is in secure care of the State showed he was vulnerable.

Judge O'Connor held that the case should go to the higher court and adjourned the case for three weeks.

Mr Kenny said that a book of evidence will not be required as the teenager is planning to be sent forward to the Circuit Court, on a "signed plea of guilty".

Earlier, Garda Lee Hunt had told the Children's Court it was alleged the teenager flagged the taxi down in the Tallaght area and asked the driver to carry him.

During the journey it was alleged the boy took the phone and charger and "produced a cleaver and held it to the throat of the taxi-driver".

Garda Hunt had alleged the teenager then demanded money and the driver pulled his car over.

He pretended to search his clothes for cash and escaped on foot. Garda Hunt had said the man was uninjured but "extremely traumatised by the incident".

The court has heard he left the keys to his BMW in the car, the teenager then drove off "in a dangerous and erratic manner" until he collided with another taxi in Cabra.

He has been warned that it was a condition of bail that he has to continue residing in his current care placement, otherwise he could be remanded in custody to a juvenile detention centre.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0730/634066-car-jacking-court/

Deregulation Bill. October.

Manchester.

Manchester council have agreed to cut some license fee's.

The driver renewal will go down from £106 to £56.

As there were over 5400 renewals for the year ended 2012. that will see £270 grand returned to the trade.

That is not enough, we are owed around £4 mill. The external Auditors agree with us.

To reach the point we are at now, took some dedicated work with both the Hackney and Private Hire working together. The first time we have really collaborated, because of the common goal...to stop getting overcharged for a poor, very poor level of service.

We must now wait until the Public Notice goes in the Local Press,this is estimated at around 8 August.

Do not give up the fight for a measly £50 a piece. 

We want the rest of the money taken unlawfully given back.
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LEEDS... Woman who's mouth is bigger than her Tits, loses free transport.

Britain’s favourite person Josie Cunningham has had council-funded taxi rides stripped from her, it has been reported.

The 23-year-old model from Leeds had boasted about getting the free trips at £150 a week because using public transport gives her anxiety attacks.

At the time she tweeted: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but tax payers will always fund me.’
But it appears Leeds City Council has stopped the luxury.

The mum of two originally told The Sun: ‘You wouldn’t see Katie Price get a bus – and I’m much more hated than her.

‘The amount of hate I get makes it impossible to get public transport.’

But speaking to The Sun today, she is reported as saying: ‘I refused to let my kids get into a car with someone I’ve never met. I kicked off and they said the taxis would stop.’


http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/28/boob-job-mum-josie-cunningham-loses-council-funded-taxi-service-4812983/
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SUNDERLAND

A taxi driver who killed a 17-year-old girl while driving down the wrong side of the road had been given a cab licence by the council despite having been banned from driving nine times before.

David Baillie, 40, was overtaking a car in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, when he ran down Sarah Burke, 17, who was crossing the road on her way home from college.

She was hurled 65ft by the impact, suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma. After five days in hospital she died of her injuries.
After a trial Baillie was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven years.

But now Miss Burke's family has taken the council to task for approving his licence despite the   despite his string of previous convictions.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2708763/Reckless-taxi-driver-killed-teenager-driving-wrong-road-given-council-cab-licence-despite-banned-roads-NINE-times.html
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Uber.

Taxi-hailing app Uber employs just 3 persons in each city to run operations

It takes two to tango and just three to run the city-wide operations at taxi-hailing app Uber, one of the world's fastest-growing startups. The San Francisco-based company employs just three people in every city when it launches operations — that is less than the number of people their typical taxi can accommodate.

"We treat each city as a startup entity and let the local team make most of the city-based decisions," said Pradeep Desu, who heads recruitment for Uber in India. The company typically employs a general manager who is responsible for strategy, a community marketing manager and a head of operations who manages relationships with the taxi drivers signing up.

The teams get support from the San Francisco headquarters mainly for tech operations. "We do expand the team once operations scale but at the heart of it, keep the employee count as minimal as possible," said Desu.

Uber, which has disrupted the taxi market in the US and the world over, is backed by Goldman Sachs and Google Ventures, among others, and is reported to have clocked over $1 billion (Rs 6,000 crore) in gross bookings last year, with revenue estimated to be doubling every six months.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-07-29/news/52186700_1_taxi-hailing-app-uber-operations-taxi-drivers

Rossendale.

Rossendale who have over 1420 hacks, for a population over only 60k, obviously license vehicle which they know are never going to work in their area, they actually work around the Country,  but mostly in Manchester and West Yorks.

Licensing officer's are said to be furious at Rossendale's actions and lack of respect for public safety.

Imagine my surprise and disgust when I found out who the North West director of the 'Institue of Licensing' was.

EDINBURGH

TAXI firms are opposing plans for higher fares at peak times on Friday and Saturday nights, warning it could deter people from taking a cab to make sure they get home safely.

Council chiefs have floated the idea of charging up to £2 extra for journeys between midnight and 5am in an effort to encourage more drivers to work past the witching hour.

But taxi bosses say there is no need for the proposed “party tariff”.

Trade representatives met at the City Chambers as part of a council review of fares at peak times and holidays and made their views clear.

Central Taxis, City Cabs, Comcab and the Edinburgh Taxi Association, representing independent drivers, were unanimous in rejecting a suggestion that fares should be increased after midnight at weekends.

Les McVay, director of City Cabs, said: “There’s no shortage of taxis out at night and the town isn’t as busy as it has been in the past.

“We don’t want to discourage people from getting out on the town and then home safely in a black taxi at night.”

The trade also recommended that the usual holiday increases at Christmas and New Year should be simplified and even reduced.

Mr McVay said: “We don’t want to put people off travelling safely in a taxi during the holidays because they may believe that the fares have greatly increased.”

Tony Kenmuir, director of Central Taxis, echoed his point. He said: “Most workers would expect to receive double time or more for working the likes of Hogmanay and actually our meter rates only increase on average by a little over 50 per cent during the holidays, which is a lot less than people might think.

“However, if we can encourage more people to get out and about over the holidays it’s good for the taxi trade, good for the public and good for businesses all over in the city.

“We’re very pleased to unite with the other black taxi firms in Edinburgh and recommend to the council that the holiday tariff should be simplified and reduce the rate at peak times.”

The party tariff was first suggested a year ago, but shelved for further discussion after complaints the move would penalise women in particular, when they are often encouraged to take a taxi home for safety.

Lothian Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale said: “Women have the right to feel safe and if that means choosing to get a taxi home, they should not have to pay a high price for it.”

Consultants are now taking soundings about the idea and studying the experience of other cities throughout the UK which already operate such a scheme.

One example cited is a £2 flat rate surcharge imposed for late-night taxi journeys in Glasgow.

A report on the proposals is expected to be submitted to councillors in four months.

A council spokesman said: “Taxi fare structures are reviewed regularly.

“Consultations are under way with members of the taxi trade about several proposals including the introduction of a late-night tariff.

“A report on their recommendations is due to be heard by the council’s regulatory committee in November.”

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/taxi-firms-oppose-late-night-party-tariffs-1-3489538
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A Burnley taxi driver and dad-of-six who tried to rape a schoolgirl after forcing her into his car has failed in an appeal against conviction.

Tamur Yaqub (33), of Waterbarn Street, was caged for eight years at Manchester Crown Court in May last year after a jury convicted him of trying to rape the teen.

Prosecutors claimed Yaqub grabbed the victim and forced her into his cab after spotting her walking home in Oldham in January 2012. He drove her to a secluded spot where he pinned her down in his car and tried to have sex.

The defendant denied any wrongdoing, telling the jury there was “consensual sexual activity” between him and the teen at his home.
He challenged his conviction at London’s Appeal Court claiming the judge should have thrown out the case for lack of evidence.
But Mr Justice Green, sitting with Lady Justice Macur and Mr Justice Supperstone, said there had been “more than ample evidence” to condemn Yaqub.

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/crime/jailed-taxi-driver-s-jail-term-stands-1-6750697
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Scouse Scam

Dad and son cabbies who fleeced drunken passengers in a “remarkably simple” debit card scam were jailed.

Raymond and Michael Clark were part of a wider con where cab drivers would target vulnerable customers – often visitors to the city – and fleece them of their cash cards and valuables.

They would demand debit cards be handed over to them for payment and while their intoxicated victims waited they switched them with fake cards and passed them back.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how they would note the PIN number being entered and later use those confidential details to withdraw money from cash machines.

The scam also saw people taken to cash machines where a similar con was carried out.

The pair admitted stealing £7,265 between January 2012 and February last year.

Some 27 victims were affected with Raymond found in possession of 19 debit cards upon his arrest.

Judge Mark Brown condemned them both for breaching the trust of their customers through the “remarkable simple and straightforward” ruse.

He told them: “You were working as licensed hackney taxi drivers in the city centre. As such, you owed a duty of care to your passengers. But you targeted individuals who were very drunk and stole their bank cards, mobile phones and money.

“Many of the passengers were visitors to Liverpool and were unfamiliar with the area. You have not only tarnished the reputation of taxi drivers but have also affected the reputation of the city.

“This city enjoys a fine reputation. When visitors come to the city and are treated in this disgraceful fashion it is bound to have an effect on the reputation the city enjoys.

“Your victims were vulnerable individuals who were relying on you, relying on your integrity and honesty.”
The court heard how one victim was left “embarrassed” after being fleeced of all his money while on a stag weekend in Liverpool.

Another victims, who lost £1,300 in assets including a mobile phone that was stolen, spoke in depth of the lasting impact of the crime.

In a statement, he said: “I no longer trust taxi drivers and have not used black cabs for two years.

“The impact has resulted in an entire lifestyle change. My faith in human behaviour is at an all-time low.”

Raymond Clark, 61, was said to be more heavily involved than his son, 38, who admitted being involved in three specific incidents.

The court heard they were working as part of a wider conspiracy.

Simon Driver, defending, Raymond Clark, said he was not the architect of the scam and was remorseful.

He told the court: “He is a man who has showed great kindness to others over the years and is held in high regard in his social circle.”

Jeremy Hawthorne, defending Michael Clark, said financial pressures and drug use led to his involvement.

He said his client had worked to a high-standard as a taxi driver over many years.

Raymond Clark, of Stormont Road, Garston, admitted conspiracy to steal and two charges of having counterfeit currency totalling £100. He was jailed for 21 months.

Michael Clark, of Rickman Street, Kirkdale, was jailed for 10 months having pleaded to conspiracy to steal.

Both men can no longer drive taxis.
AN extensive police probe revealed more than 30 thefts from hackney cabs in Liverpool linked to the scam.

Victims were from all around the UK with a Swedish tourist also affected.

Detective Sergeant Jed Ferguson, said: “In 2012 we were made aware of a number of instances of passengers of a black Hackney cab having had their bank card swapped with another person’s bank card. The incidents generally involve victims who have consumed a lot of alcohol and when they have got in the taxi they have asked to stop at a cash machine, or paid by card in the taxi.

”When the victims stopped at the cash machine the taxi driver accompanied them to a cash point and put the card in on their behalf and withdrew the cash, the card was then given back to the victim, and generally it was only the next day that they discovered they had actually been given a card belonging to another person.

“Other frauds took place through the use of a chip and pin machine in the cab, the victim hands over the card to taxi driver and puts the pin in the machine and again when the card is given back it is not the card belonging to that person.

“Throughout these incidents the offenders communicated with each other, via their respective Bluetooth mobile phone headsets, to target individuals, swap stolen debit cards, swap pin numbers and access accounts.

“Our investigation led us to arrest and subsequently charge both Raymond and Michael Clark with these offences.”

DS Ferguson added: “I would also like to take this opportunity to remind people to take care of themselves and their possessions when out socialising.

“One of the most important things to remember is when using your ATM card be aware of your surroundings and look for any suspicious persons or activity near the ATM machine. If you see anything that looks suspicious, go to another machine or return later. Never let anyone else use your card.”
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Northern Ireland

CHANGES to the way taxis are operated in the North could spell bad news for Fermanagh taxi users.

The taxi reform bill is expected to see the introduction of a number of new laws for taxi companies – including the adaptation of a meter for all taxis.

The meter issue appears to hold the highest bone of contention for both companies and users here – with Fermanagh taxis traditionally operating without a meter.

The addition of a meter means that there will be a set fare for a taxi, which will increase based on the time of journey.

Taxi companies in the county generally operate with a set cost for distance.

Owner of Star Taxis in Enniskillen, Eamonn Garrity, said that there’s been a mixed response from taxi companies here.

He said that it is difficult to assess what the impact will be – but was fearful that increased prices could see a decrease in those using his service.

The changes are set to come into play in around 12 months time.
“At the minute some people use taxis at their leisure – but they’ll be thinking a lot more before they order a taxi. I think people are going to be using taxis less,” Eamonn said.

“Every run will be affected. With the meter you could be sitting in traffic and this town can get quite congested – while your meter is still going.

“Someone getting a taxi in the morning from Silverhill Manor (around three miles from town centre) into town, when you come to Portora gates you could be sitting there in traffic for ten minutes before you get to the Brook. There’s 10 minutes that you’d have to pay the driver for just sitting in it.

“The like of that could go up to £6 – nearly double the price.”
The department responsible for the changes, the Department of the Environment (DOE), has outlined changes in the form of: A specific taxi driver test for new taxi drivers only; People being able to hail all taxis in the street, black or otherwise; Powers of Seizure against illegal taxis; A new specification for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis which will ensure that users with disabilities will be better served by the taxi industry; Periodic training for all taxi drivers; All taxis to have taximeters and printers and adhere to maximum fare regulations.

Eamonn said that taxi companies here are unsure of the impact it will have on their business.

“They are annoyed. It’s mixed because they don’t know what impact it’s going to have. You don’t know what’s going to happen until these changes come into place, whether people are going to use the taxis or not.

“The ordinary person, it’s going to be costing them in their pocket.”


http://fermanaghherald.com/2014/07/new-taxi-charges-could-spell-bad-news-for-travelling/
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Manchester

Girl, 2, critical after taxi accident in Wythenshawe
A two-year-old girl has been critically injured in a collision with a taxi in south Manchester.

Police said the girl suffered a head injury in the collision earlier with a Ford Focus estate in Crossacres in Sharston, Wythenshawe.

She was taken to Manchester Children's Hospital.

Specially-trained officers are providing support to the family and police have asked for anyone who witnessed the accident to get in touch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-28475984?

Letter from the Law Commission

UNDER the current law, a taxi licensed in one area can do pre-booked, or private hire, work in any other area. The problems this causes where a taxi is licensed in an area with low standards and then does pre-booked work in an area with higher standards for its own private hire cars are graphically illustrated by your article ("City cabbies hit out as 100 exploit loophole", Post, July 15).

The Law Commission's proposals for national standards for taxis and private hire cars would, as the spokesman from Bristol City Council, whom you quote, said, stop one area's standards under-cutting those in another. But I am afraid these proposals are not contained in the Government's current Deregulation Bill. We are awaiting a response from the Government on all of our proposals.

Nicholas Paines QC

Commissioner, Public Law team

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Reader-s-letter-Proposals-taxi-standards-missing/story-21739496-detail/story.html?
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What made Milwaukee Famous.

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — The Milwaukee Common Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, July 22nd to completely lift the cap on the number of taxi cabs that are allowed to operate in the city of Milwaukee. The vote was 15-0.

The new law requires taxis to comply with basic health and safety requirements such as inspections and minimum insurance coverage.

The law also offers a path for services such as Uber and Lyft to be recognized and licensed, increasing transportation options in Milwaukee.

Before Tuesday’s vote, the city of Milwaukee only issued 420 taxi cab permits. Now, there’s no such limit.

Uber and Lyft had been operating illegally, but now they’re welcome — but with a set of requirements those companies aren’t happy about.

After every alderman voted on Tuesday, a crowd of cab drivers cheered the unanimous passage of the ordinance that allows Milwaukee to issue an unlimited amount of taxi cab permits.

http://fox6now.com/2014/07/22/common-council-votes-unanimously-to-lift-cap-on-taxi-cab-permits/
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DUBLIN

A taxi-driver and accountancy student has avoided going to jail after he was caught accepting a delivery of fake travellers' cheques valued at €150,000.

Morgan Obiukwu (44) told gardaí he knew the counterfeit cheques were being sent from Nigeria but didn't expect such a large amount and was surprised at the weight of the package when it arrived.

The father-of-three pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to impeding the prosecution of another person who had imported false instruments on May 5, 2010.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring gave Obiukwu a 12-month suspended sentence, taking into account his otherwise good behaviour, hard work and early guilty plea.

Gardaí and customs officials were tipped off that a parcel of counterfeit cheques were being sent to Obiukwu's home address at Oak Avenue, Royal Oak, Santry, Dublin 9.

Garda Barry Griffin told Maurice Coffey BL, prosecuting, that a controlled delivery was set up.

After Obiukwu was seen accepting a parcel at his door and signing for it gardaí used force to gain entry to the house. During the entry Obiukwu was spotted through a back window trying to hide the package behind white bin bags.

Gardaí found an envelope in the kitchen containing three bundles of American Express travellers’ cheques worth a total of €150,000, addressed to Jerry Mugitsu.

Obiukwu was arrested and admitted using a false name to accept delivery of the cheques, and also seeking to hide the cheques from gardaí.

The court heard he is in his final year of studying accountancy at Dublin Business School and drives a taxi. He has three previous minor convictions, including road traffic offences.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/dublinbased-taxi-driver-avoids-jail-sentence-after-accepting-150000-worth-of-fake-travellers-cheques-30451300.html
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Taxi app Hailo is “actively” looking into allowing its customers to pay with bitcoin, according to company CEO Jay Bregman.

The company, which lets users hail taxis via its own app, could even allow bitcoin to be sent directly to drivers, he said in an interview with CoinDesk, a move that would set the company apart from other bitcoin-accepting businesses.

To-date most merchants have chosen bitcoin payment solutions that convert bitcoin directly to fiat currency.

“We have [always] sought to find independent ways to provide benefit to our drivers and our passengers. I believe strongly that bitcoin is one of these ways. Absolutely, like many other things, we actively looking into it,” said Bregman.

Payment option

Stressing that his comments were made in a personal capacity, he said that bitcoin could become an optional way of settling your bill with Hailo, but that it wouldn’t replace the current user-authorisation process, which requires a credit or debit card.

http://www.coindesk.com/hailo-ceo-bitcoin-benefit-customers-taxi-drivers/
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San Francisco

DeSoto Cab Might Leave Taxi Game to Compete with Uber, Lyft

DeSoto Boss: "I'd be a big hypocrite ... But I have to survive."

It's July, smack in the middle of tourist season, supposedly one of the hottest months of the year for San Francisco taxis.

And yet, at any given time of day, you'll see about a quarter of every cab company's fleet idling in its lot.

That's a sad state of affairs, says Hansu Kim, co-owner of DeSoto Cab Co. and vociferous critic of predatory practices within the industry. He's long bemoaned the liberties bestowed on so-called "TNC" services like Uber and Lyft, which seem to operate in a deregulated environment. He also decries new rules for state-regulated livery vehicles, which allow any driver to apply for a limo license, slap it on an ordinary Prius, and turn the car into an on-demand "rideshare" service.

"Here's my dilemma," Kim says. "I see a driver pool that is shrinking fast. I see the city has a completely deregulated industry. And I see 'limousine' vehicles acting like taxi cabs." Kim adds that because he's playing by a stricter set of rules, the competition is threatening to put him out of business.

So now he's adopted a different credo: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

"I'll give my medallions back to the city and put TCP [charter transportation] licenses on all my vehicles," he says. That's $250 per cab, as opposed to $2,500 per medallion, per month."

The $2,500 per month-per cab cost difference translates into a savings windfall for DeSoto. Since DeSoto currently operates 200 cabs, that's nearly $6 million over the course of a year. (The cost of medallions may decrease to $1,800 per medallion per month in September, Kim says, but even then, he'll come out winning.)

By recasting himself as a limousine sedan service, Kim would also be regulated by the state, rather than the city. His company would be based in San Francisco, but his drivers could pick up fares in surrounding cities -- like Oakland or San Mateo -- with impunity. If they tried that as regular municipal cab drivers, they'd get cited by the SFMTA.

Kim says he'd use the same DeSoto brand name and the same two-toned blue color scheme. He'd gut his fleet of taxi lights and meters. He'd become a livery service that looked like a taxi fleet.

He believes that longstanding brand recognition will help DeSoto perform well in a deregulated market. "I will never go out of business," Kim insists. "I will just transform."

He may transform in as little as 90 days. And he thinks other companies will follow suit.

"I'd be a big hypocrite," Kim says, "because I don't believe in this loophole. But I have to survive."

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/07/facing_pressure_from_uber_and.php

Deregulation Bill. Amendments July 21.

Amendments made yesterday July 21.

God knows if they help us, as usual the whole thing is as clear as mud. Have a butcher's.

Manchester

Kabx launches new taxi app

Kabx promises users that they will  be able to “jump the queue” and track their taxi on a smartphone’s GPS as it makes its way to its location.

A new taxi app means you can hail a cab anywhere within the M60 ringroad – and it will be with you in five minutes...

Kabx promises users that they will  be able to “jump the queue” and track their taxi on a smartphone’s GPS as it makes its way to its location.

The company boasts that 2,000 taxis, from the region’s biggest and most trusted cab firms, are already signed up and promises that from now on “we’re round the corner” will mean exactly that.

Kabx works by matching the caller with the taxi nearest to their location via GPS.

Unlike its rivals, Kabx says it has partnerships directly with private hire companies, so has a much bigger fleet of cabs available to its users compared to similar taxi apps.

The Kabx app tells customers  instantly how many minutes away the nearest taxi is. If they then decide to book, they can watch the taxi make its way on a map in real-time.

Customers can book the closest cab to them in 2-3 taps and get a quote of the cost plus the option to pay by cash or card.

“The key differentiator of our app is the size of our network,” said James Kelly, Kabx marketing manager.

“Having so many cars allows us to pick up most customers in under five minutes, far faster than the nearest competitor.

“Our coverage in Manchester is over 2000 cars, which allows us to provide an almost ‘on demand’ service anywhere within the M60 area.

“We have strong partnerships with the biggest taxi firms here in Manchester so it is an ideal place to launch.

“We estimate our average time to pick up in this area as under five minutes even at busy times, which we will soon be able to replicate in all the major towns in the UK.

“Our response time will often be as quick as three minutes. Additionally, our prices are the same as they would be should you call for a taxi, so are usually cheaper than many of our competitors.”

The Kabx taxi app is available on both Apple and Android app stores.

Kabz follows hot on the heels of Uber, which launched in Manchester in May.

The San Francisco-based firm is purely-app based and does not take phone bookings.

Its creators says the software offers a number of innovative features, such as the ability for passengers to easily share their current location and ETA with others.

The privately-owned firm, whose investors include Google, says its rates are 30% cheaper than a black cab.


http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/enterprise/kabx-launches-new-taxi-app-7448121?
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Ajab Khalil jailed for trying to murder his own brother in Southampton

A Hampshire taxi driver was savagely attacked by his own brother with a knife in an attempt to murder him.

Ajab Khalil has repeatedly refused to explain the reason for the unprovoked attack in Southampton and has been jailed for 14 years.

Sangar Khan, a self-employed cabbie, told a court of the desperate struggle as he tried to fend off Khalil before housemates saved him.

Mr Khan suffered several wounds in the frenzied assault by Ajab Khahil, 30, a heavy cannabis user, the trial at Winchester Crown Court heard.

The six-man and six-woman jury took three hours to unanimously convict Khalil of attempted murder.

Sentencing, the judge, Mr Justice Royce, described Khalil as a very dangerous man.

He said: “Why you did what you did remains a mystery. When you were a child he (Mr Khan) played a prominent part in bringing you up after your father died early. He showed you nothing but kindness and help.”

Khalil, an illegal immigrant, refused to speak to police, give instructions to his barristers or evidence at the trial. He did finally concede to his counsel Matthew Jewell that he was drunk and had been heavily using cannabis.

The court heard that Mr Khan, who works in Winchester, is now anxious, scared and suffers occasional nightmares. He can only work six hours a day because of ongoing pain.

The judge said: “He is worried about his brother coming back even if he is deported and not knowing why his brother should attempt to kill him.

“He regards you as a very dangerous person. He fears that if you are released it will not stop you coming after him as you have demonstrated ability to get back into this country notwithstanding you have been deported.”

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11349317._/?

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TWO men have been arrested over allegations that a taxi driver was held against his will and forced to drive around County Durham.

The cab driver was allegedly threatened by his passengers before he finally managing to escape in Newton Aycliffe and raise the alarm.

He banged on a house door in to get the householder to call police.

The car is then believed to have been driven off, and crashed into other vehicles.

The incident is thought to have started in Durham city centre shortly before midnight when the taxi driver picked up a fare on the slip road near the Gala Theatre at the bottom of Claypath.

Police said that initially, the pair asked to be taken to Consett.

The driver, thought to be from the Tyneside area, told officers that the passengers had taken over his vehicle.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “Police received calls from residents in Moore Lane, Newton Aycliffe shortly after 2am today reporting a white Ford Focus taxi was being driven erratically up and down the street.

“Within minutes other residents from adjoining Mellanby Crescent contacted police to say the taxi had collided with a number of parked vehicles.

“A further call was then received by a resident who said a man had knocked at their door claiming to be the driver of the taxi.

“He stated he had picked up a fare in Durham consisting of two men who after initially asking to be taken to Consett had then taken over his vehicle, made threats against him and his family and had forced him to drive to various locations over a period of nearly three hours before eventually finishing in Newton Aycliffe."

At least three cars were damaged as taxi was driven through the streets, one of which was hit with such force that it was shunted around ten feet into two other vehicles.

One of the owners of the vehicles affected, said: "I only had the car four months but the insurance will sort it out. I am a bit gutted. At least no-one was inside."

Another added: "My car is a write-off. I don't think it can be repaired. I took all the impact and was pushed into the other cars."

Two men were detained near the scene and were last night being questioned at Durham City police station.

The arrested men, a 22-year-old from Spennymoor and a 24-year-old from Trimdon, were being questioned on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking, robbery and false imprisonment. They are currently in custody at Durham city police office.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11350124._/?
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HAILO yesterday announced its taxi app would be integrated into Citymapper, the travel app for Android and iOS.

Users will now be able to book and pay for Hailo’s fleet of 14,000 black cabs using Citymapper.

It is the first time Citymapper users have had the option of booking travel, and the first time Hailo has been integrated into another app. The rollout will cover London, New York, Barcelona, Madrid, Washington and Boston.


http://www.cityam.com/1405645190/hailo-taxi-app-join-citymapper?
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Carlisle.

A taxi driver accused of sexually attacking a passenger has denied inventing a string of lies to cover his alleged crime and continued to insist it was the woman who made an advance on him.
Dariusz Kowalczyk, 48, was giving evidence at Carlisle Crown Court where he denies orally raping the woman.

Speaking through an interpreter the Polish national said that he had driven the woman at the centre of the case to Scotby after picking her up outside a nightspot in the city centre on March 18 last year.

He said: “I’d been working for almost 12 hours I was exhausted.

“I was on my way back from Currock, I drove past the vicinity of my house, I said to myself ‘one more job and I will go home’.”

Kowalczyk said that when they arrived in Scotby the fare was around £8 or £9 but when he asked her for the money the woman changed her mind and said she wanted to go back to Carlisle.

Prosecuting barrister Timothy Brennand suggested that Kowalczyk had “wanted something different” rather than money.

The cabbie replied that they did not have sex in Scotby and during the journey back to Carlisle the woman had climbed into the front passenger seat and started touching him while he was driving.

Kowalczyk said that the woman had been talking in a sexualised manner throughout the journey and he thought she was a prostitute he had met in December 2012. He said: “When she changed seats I did recognise her – it was her [the prostitute].”

The prosecutor suggested that he had switched off both his radio and taxi meter was because he did not want the controller to know where he was.

Kowalczyk said: “I was tired and I wanted to go home. It’s a common way of doing it among taxi drivers – you just switch your meter off so there’s no conversation needed.”

Mr Brennand said that Kowalczyk’s evidence amounted to a “set of lies” but he said: “No it’s not, it’s true, all I’ve said is true.”

He added that he had felt ashamed over the whole episode, especially when his wife found out and he later lost his job.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.1148898?

A taxi driver was arrested following a series of taxi licensing checks in Aylesbury town centre yesterday.

The driver of the private hire vehicle was taken into custody after he failed to provide a private hire driver licence.

Five vehicles were stopped during the operation and four drivers were issued with warnings. 

The cautions were given for not wearing their private hire driver badge and having an expired first aid kit while one vehicle was displaying an expired private hire vehicle licence plate.

The new plate was later found in his boot.

The checks were jointly carried out by the Aylesbury town centre neighbourhood policing team along with officers from the licensing department of Aylesbury Vale District Council.

http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/crime/taxi-driver-arrested-in-licensing-operation-1-6182342
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TEESIDE

A taxi driver’s life was ruined after he was robbed at knifepoint by a night-time passenger.

Karl Andrew Barnes was jailed for more than four years after he heard how his crime affected its vulnerable victim.

The cabbie said it left him a “changed person”, so scared he had to give up his livelihood.

The dad’s wife wants the family to leave the UK because she no longer feels safe.

Barnes, 23, grabbed his keys, turned off his car’s ignition and said: “Give me the money.”

He held a knife to the taxi driver’s chest, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

The drunken passenger was picked up from Dovecot Street, central Stockton on January 30.

He asked the driver to stop on Coulthard Court, South Bank then emerged from a home and came to the driver’s window.

The taxi driver thought he’d be paid as he wound his window down, said prosecutor Peter Sabiston.

Instead Barnes demanded his cash and his phone and spouted racial abuse at him.

He robbed the driver of £130 and the phone before he ran off at about 12.40am.

He’d fetched the knife from an acquaintance’s home on that street, the court was told.


http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/karl-barnes-ruins-taxi-drivers-7437661
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Woman, 18, in court over knife attack on Telford taxi driver

A teenager appeared in court today to face charges after a taxi driver was cut in a knife attack in Telford.

Chloe Louise Watts, 18, of Sutton Hill, Telford did not enter a plea at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

She and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were originally charged with attempted murder.

They were arrested following an attack in Mossey Green, Ketley Bank, after which a taxi driver in his 40s needed 11 stitches to his hand.

But today Watts faced lesser charges of attempted robbery, wounding and possession of a blade in a public place.

Her co-defendant appeared at the same court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possessing the knife.
He pleaded not guilty to attempted robbery and the crown prosecution service dropped the charge.

Watts' case was adjourned until Friday, July 25 for the crown to add a charge of assisting an offender.


http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2014/07/16/woman-18-in-court-over-knife-attack-on-telford-taxi-driver/

Millionaire taxi driver jailed for £51,000 benefit fraud

A former taxi driver who said he was penniless and claimed £51,000 in benefits has been jailed after it emerged he had £1.2m in savings.

Richard Albert Cocks, 65, from Jersey, who lived in a government-funded flat, pleaded not guilty to fraud offences and declared he had no money in any bank accounts.

Cocks's defending lawyer said in mitigation that he had saved every penny he had.

He was jailed for four years.

Prosecuting, Richard Pedley said Cocks arranged to get his income payments in cash to hide his bank accounts.

He said Cocks was very unapologetic when confronted with evidence of his fraud, and felt betrayed by the banks for disclosing the information.

James Bell, defending, said Cocks had worked hard all his life, saved hard, and lived a modest life. He had never bought property, married, had children or gone on holiday.

He was ordered to pay back £51,000 to the social security department, and the Crown's legal costs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-28294102
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Taxi numbers in Cambridge could be capped in response to congestion and violence concerns

A limit could be put on the number of hackney carriage taxis in Cambridge amid fears about congestion on the city’s streets.

Action is set to be taken by the city council in response to complaints about long queues of vehicles at ranks and warnings that competition between cabbies could boil over into violence.

On Monday the licensing committee is recommended to approve the first steps towards carrying out a survey to establish whether there is no significant unmet demand for more hackney carriages – the only circumstances under which the council can consider capping the number of licences it issues.

Cllr Jeremy Benstead, who chairs the panel, said: “We think it’s worth looking into this again and we are open-minded about it.

“If we have too many taxis all going to the same place, it can cause friction.”

There are currently 308 hackney carriages vying for trade in Cambridge.

This put numbers of the vehicles – which can be flagged down in the street or hired at a rank – at an all-time high.

They are up against 180 private hire vehicles, which cannot be regulated by the council, and another 800 registered in south Cambridgeshire.

Concerns have been expressed about the impact on highway safety of ‘over-ranking’ and taxi drivers have complained they have been forced to work ever longer hours.

A study commissioned by the council last year estimated that hackney carriage drivers now spent 51 per cent of their working time waiting, rather than on a job.

David Wratten, the chairman of trade association Cambridge City Licensed Taxis, welcomed the move.

He said: “We should put a cap on numbers – we need sensible management involving the councils and the trade. Drivers are having to work longer hours to make money.”

A cap on the number of hackney carriages was last in force in 1995, when there were 120 hackney carriages.

The committee is also recommended to approve an average increase of 2.2 per cent in hackney carriage fares, slightly lower than the 2.5 per cent rise requested by the trade.

There was no across-the-board fare increase last year in response to the economic downturn.

http://tinyurl.com/lhe5th3

Uber’s Search for Key Comms Hire Shows Just How Serious It Is About Fighting “Asshole” Taxi

In an interview with me at the Code Conference in May, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was pretty clear that one of his key goals for the year was to hire a big-gun communications and public relations strategy person for the transportation logistics juggernaut.

The reason? “It’s not Pinterest where people are putting up pins. You’re changing the way cities work, and that’s fundamentally a third rail,” he said in his typically forthright manner. “We’re in a political campaign, and the candidate is Uber and the opponent is an asshole named Taxi.

Thus, the company has been aggressively seeking a senior executive who has run political campaigns, or who has run cities, to battle the entrenched forces mustered by Kalanick’s dreaded taxi industry.

“Nobody likes him, he’s not a nice character, but he’s so woven into the political machinery and fabric that a lot of people owe him favors,” said Kalanick about the adversary such an Uber exec would be up against. “We have to bring out the truth about how dark and dangerous and evil the taxi side is.”

As it turns out, the pugnacious Uber leader was not kidding. He has taken the lead in talking to a series of high-profile political operatives over the last months to take over perhaps the most important position at the company right now as it battles cities like Miami, Austin and Las Vegas to enter those markets.

That includes, perhaps most interestingly, well-known Democratic strategist Howard Wolfson, who sources said has been perhaps the candidate who has gotten furthest along in the job search.

According to several people with knowledge of the situation, the talks between Wolfson and Kalanick — who apparently had developed a good rapport — are over, in part due to Wolfson’s need to stay in New York, where his wife holds a major new job at the Clinton Foundation.

But the aim at someone like Wolfson is interesting nonetheless, since he is a very heavy-duty political player. Most recently, he worked for former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, replacing Kevin Sheekey as deputy mayor for governmental affairs. The move to Bloomberg was unusual since Wolfson — who appears all over cable shows and is a regular blogger — was the co-chief strategist and communications director for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

His wife, Terri McCullough, was chief of staff to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and has been director of “No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project,” a major women’s effort spearheaded by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, since January.

Kalanick is still looking, having talked to other political players such as former Obama White House press secretary Jay Carney (whose name is also being bandied about for the other big job opening in tech PR, at Apple). In addition, said sources, Uber is looking at big corporate names.

While he is not listening to me in any way, there are lots of other names that would fit, including the well-connected Sheekey (who doesn’t know Kevin?) and perhaps Google’s top comms exec, Rachel Whetstone (who doesn’t know Rachel?). The idea, said sources, is to get someone in the mode of Facebook comms and public policy head Elliot Schrage, but stepping up the volume to 11.

Which, for anyone who knows Elliot, would be very loud indeed.

Uber has already made a move in this direction with the recent hiring of Ashwini Chhabra, who was deputy commissioner for policy and planning at New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. He is now in charge of policy development and community engagement at the company.

In addition — like Airbnb, another company with regulatory challenges — Uber has hired a number of top lobbying firms in various cities it has been moving into.

The move to get a top PR honcho is in keeping with Uber’s recruitment of top-level execs for other key jobs.

That has included over the last year an impressive lineup, including former Googler Brent Callinicos as CFO; Emil Michael, formerly COO of Klout, as SVP of business; longtime Amazon exec Jeff Holden as chief product officer; and Ed Baker, who previously ran international growth at Facebook, as head of growth.
“Kalanick needs a counselor, a manager and an executor of his intention to grow everywhere,” said one person close to the situation. “The person he picks will say a lot about Uber’s future.”

http://tinyurl.com/k358pyc

LONDON

Thousands of black cab drivers could be forced to take payment by card within two years.
Around half of the capital cabs currently do not have the facility for debit or credit payment and many drivers are opposed to making such payments mandatory due to the cost of installing card readers.

But Transport for London wants to launch a consultation on making acceptance of cards mandatory from 2016.

If compulsory card payments for cabs are agreed, it will be a further step towards cashless transport after buses went cash free this week According to TfL, 88 per cent of black cab users want card payment as an option.

It is claimed is more convenient and safer as drivers and passengers using cash will not be prey to robbers.
New York made the fitting of card machines for cabbies compulsory in 2008 and has seen card payment increase from 20 percent to 55 per cent as a result. 

Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “We are always keen to utilise technology to improve the experience of our passengers. Currently around half of the 23,000 taxis in the capital can already accept card payments. We are exploring a proposal to make this a mandatory requirement across the entire taxi fleet from 2016. 

"The proposal would also see card transaction fees considered when we calculate overall taxis fares - meaning that passengers would pay the same fare regardless of how they chose to pay. The proposal will be discussed at the TfL Board in September and would be subject to a public consultation.” 

For private hire taxis such as Addison Lee, some have adopted smartphone apps or use accounts. Some private hire offices may have card acceptance but there are no official requirements regarding card acceptance in their vehicles.

The proposal comes amid a row between taxi drivers and TfL over their decision to give a license to taxi app Uber. TfL insist that Uber does not operate on a taxi meter , which only can drivers are entitled to do, but this is being challenged in the courts by taxi unions. Drivers blockaded central London in protest at Uber on 11 June

Yesterday the London Assembly’s transport committee heard from one international expert that London was lagging behind in the adoption of new technology.

Matthew Daus, President of International Association of Transportation Regulators and former Commissioner, New York Taxi and Limousine Commission said: “London’s taxis are the gold standard, but London is on the verge of squandering that gold due to its poor record in adopting new technology.”
According to TfL, only three per cent of journeys are booked through a smartphone app such as Uber or Hailo.

The committee heard that London is seventh most expensive out of 72 world cities, with a three mile fare costing £13.53 compared to £5.52 in Paris and £4.99 in New York.

http://tinyurl.com/nl4epsv
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Sydney.

 Four men were charged and arrested for card fraud offenses conducted through card skimming devices placed in taxis in Sydney, Australia.

 The detectives from Strike Force Hereford 2 were investigating the activities of several men who were believed to be part of a well-organized credit card skimming group, and on July 1 they arrested four of them at a motel in Chullora.

 Upon executing the search warrants, they found about 800 blank cards, a card encoder, a laptop and the necessary connectivity cables for downloading the stolen information on the computer.

 The police says that the skimming device looked like a legitimate payment system, which would not raise any suspicion to a taxi customer. 

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Four-Charged-and-Arrested-In-Taxi-Credit-Card-Skimming-Operation-450401.shtml

France is to ban car-share start-ups from using mobile phone apps to attract fares in an attempt to resolve a dispute between taxi drivers and companies like US-based Uber, which they claim are threatening their livelihoods.

After months off strikes and protests by taxi drivers, the French parliament on Thursday voted for a bill that aims to establish ground rules for what it terms “transport cars with driver” – previously referred to in France as “tourism cars with driver” – and “modernise the taxi profession”.

Angry cabbies have tried to stop the spread of Uber and other companies, which allow customers to locate and order cars through apps, in France and many other countries.

A Europe-wide day of action saw traffic blocked in several European countries last month and New York’s cabbies have been fighting the development for months, with car-sharing start-up Lyft being banned from operating in the city on Wednesday.

The bill, moved by Socialist MP Thomas Thevenoud who was named mediator in the conflict by previous prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in February, would ban non-taxi paid cars from being traced on apps, while allowing registered taxis to be, and forbids them from park near airports or stations while waiting for a fare.

The modernisation drive includes proposals to allow local authorities to decide a colour that would identify taxis in their area and to oblige taxis to instal terminals for bankers’ cards.

It would also stop the sale of licences, which are issued free by the authorities but may currently be sold on for as much as high as 200,000 euros.

The right-wing UMP and the hard-left Left Front abstained on the bill, which must now go to the Senate.
"To ban a technology in 2014 is absurd," commented UMP MP Lionel Tardy.

The development of app-inspired car-sharing companies is partly due to a flood of cheap credit issued by central banks in an effort to revive American and European economies

http://www.english.rfi.fr/americas/20140711-france-ban-car-share-start-ups-using-apps-after-taxi-protests