A Teesside Taxi Firm refuses to Take Disabled Passengers, Over Fares Row

Boro Taxis of Teesside is refusing to take disabled passengers after a string of complaints sugested that wheel chair users where being charged almost double the normal fair a non disabled person would pay

Mohammed Bashir, of the firm, said the decision had been taken on economic grounds, he said "it could not afford to send minibuses to pick up disabled passengers while charging them the same as able-bodied persons", in some cases it was found that dasabled passengers where being charged a premium of up to £10

'Morally totally wrong' "The simple fact is if you order a car and four people jump in you are charged for a taxi. If you order an eight-seater minibus and eight people jump in you are charged for a minibus. "If you order a minibus and there's only one person you will still be charged for a minibus because that's what you ordered. "But because we are charging for a minibus we are breaking the law."

Im sure this is a problem for most taxi firms but Mr Bashir seems to think he can put himself ahead of the competition by discriminating against other's but this quite simply cannot be allowed, there are ways to combat this by having more cars available which are adapted to take wheel chairs, this is what we call taking the rough with the smooth.
Middlesbrough Council is looking into whether discrimination laws are being breached, licensing officers will be checking over the next few months to see if disabled customers are indeed facing discrimination.

BBC News

Northern Echo

National Taxi Association


I would love to hear your thoughts on this ATS

reply to post by dam00


I am a taxi operator and I have my own 8 seat minibus taxi.

This is a problem area which should be addressed.

First off I don't charge any difference whether there is one person in or 8 people. The meter goes at the same rate. I could I wanted add an a £1 or so for the additional passengers but I choose not to.

My taxi is adapted to take wheelchair users. When I set up this cost me additional expense. I probably will never get that back but it was a stipulation to be allowed to start my business.

I have been hired a few times by wheelchair users and I can tell you it takes a lot more time and effort to deal with these customers. They seem to think or be under the impression that they should just pay the same as anyone else.

I do only charge them the same but I don't feel happy about it and for that reason I try to avoid taking them. Quite often you will hear them complain that can never get a taxi. I don't tell them thats because nobody wants to take them and will come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid it. If somebody called me now and said they wanted a wheelchair taxi I would probably say I was busy and had nothing available. It's a lie but quite often they are only going a short distance. Fare of maybe £3. But to get the £3 I have to move lots of things around, fold up seats, assemble ramps, push them in, strap them down, put all there shopping or whatever they have into the van. At the other end reverse procedure and take all their shopping into there house. Then they give you £3. Its just not worth it.

What I think should happen is the taxi fare should be the same. ie Once the wheels are rolling the meter goes on and they will be charged the same as anyone else. However the meter does not cover the additional time and work at each end of the journey. That part is not a taxi, it's like being a care worker and so should be charged separately. Hence the fare is the same but there will be additional charges for the other bits.

If I turned up and the wheelchair person had an assistant with them and that assistant did all the work I described and all I did was sit in the drivers seat and waited for them to get themselves into the van and get themselves out at the other end than fair enough I might be ok with the usual fare. But I don't see why I should be expected to turn into a care worker and give all sorts of assistance and not get paid for it.

Bear in mind I was a nurse / care worker before I was a taxi operator so I see it from both sides. Even when I go to a care home for somebody the care workers bring the person out in the wheelchair and then stand back and wait for the taxi driver to load the passenger into the taxi. They are getting paid to stand and watch and yet I've not to get paid for doing the work.

The disabled people need to realise they are costing extra time and effort and pay accordingly. If they don't then all that will happen is no taxi will be available.

BTW I had a similar problem with a guy who phoned me and wanted me to take a mattress he just bought in a shop to his house. After a similar amount of faffing around I got him and his stuff home. He just paid what the meter said and no more. Needless to say next time he called with a similar job I was 'busy' and not available. So it's nothing against disabled people, it's just a fact of life. People will just take advantage if they can get away with it.

No doubt the operator cited above will be taken to task for coming out and saying what everyone else is thinking.

You perform a service, you should be paid for that service.

If I go to a food cart and get a "meat-on-a-stick", then I pay one price.

If I go to a nice restaurant, I pay a different price because the level of service is different.

I agree with what you are saying but we are talking about equality, who would pay the extra for these people ? I except that many people who are disabled probably earn the same money as the rest of us, but what about those that dont we have to be fair and equal and if they are charged more for not being able to do the things the rest of us can, then that is discrimination which isnt allowed in the uk
tough tough situation
I cant see the authorities saying yes its ok, all public buildings and even newly built houses have to have disabled access now at a cost to the owner

Thanks for your interest in my thread and thankyou for your comments

beezzer
You perform a service, you should be paid for that service.

If I go to a food cart and get a "meat-on-a-stick", then I pay one price.

If I go to a nice restaurant, I pay a different price because the level of service is different.

Totally agreed.

The only people here that are being discriminated against are the owners and operators of the taxi service.

Discrimination is a slippery slope.
Using this vague and nebulous concept to enforce certain priorities is a scam that was used by the Bolsheviks in the USSR to foment unrest.

So not discriminating against a disabled person is discriminating against somebody else?
the way I see it is this taxi firm have taken the law into their own hands to get ahead of the competition it is also reported that this is a firm not just a single cabbie so rather than making cuts or organising his fleet of vehicles better he is just going to refuse to pick up disabled drivers putting the pressure on other firms or single self employed cabbies or maybee just leaving all wheel chair users in that area stranded

dam00
So not discriminating against a disabled person is discriminating against somebody else?

My comment was more tongue in cheek than opinion.

As I said, discrimination is a slippery slope.
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
That is the point behind a constitutional republic.
Live and let live. The only laws that are broken are when a victim can charge someone and the law is created by the jury under trial.
NOT statute, which is what you seem to be referring to.
And in the states, our state governments take care of public transportation for the disabled. They do not pass the buck onto businessmen who will only stand to lose money by engaging in this practice.

the way I see it is this taxi firm have taken the law into their own hands to get ahead of the competition it is also reported that this is a firm not just a single cabbie so rather than making cuts or organising his fleet of vehicles better he is just going to refuse to pick up disabled drivers putting the pressure on other firms or single self employed cabbies or maybee just leaving all wheel chair users in that area stranded

Why should we become responsible UNDER LAW for someone else?
Someone whose situation we have no responsibility in creating?

This smacks of bolshevik communism, IMHO.

I presumed all taxi firms operated in this same manner as all the taxi firms I have used do...and I actually think it's fair.

My young daughter was in a wheelchair on and off for a couple of years and I always payed more for the use of a mini bus. Because she was disabled and needed help getting around I got DLA mobility payments. The mobility payments where a premium paid each month with the express purpose of helping her get around and because of this I never grumbled or felt hard done by paying more for a mini bus to accommodate her wheelchair than for a standard taxi. I am presuming that most of the disabled people who are wheelchair bound are likely to be eligible and receiving DLA payments.....

The way I see it a minibus will cost more money to purchase and run with presumably less MPG and greater insurance premiums and road tax??
And as the saying goes " time is money". A good taxi driver will ensure a disabled passenger gets on and off safely and that all safety straps for a wheelchair are attached and fastened securely. The time spent on this service means a minibus taxi driver will be able to do fewer jobs over the day.

So again I actually think it is fair to pay more for a minibus ....I think it's less of a case of discrimination and more a case of prices fairly reflecting the service and extra costs and time. This said if there are taxi firms who take advantage of this and charge way over the odds of what is reasonable then they should be looked at.
Maybe it's a case of local authorities should put their hands in their pockets to ensure disabled wheelchair users can get about without incurring extra costs if they feel so passionate about it rather than it being the burden and responsibility of taxi firms?

Im not trying to wind anybody up, all the comments I have read have all made very valid points, and you all seem to have some level of experience to contribute, which is making for interesting debate, I will however keep asking questions

if the shortfall in this case was subsidised by local authorities, where do you think the extra money would come from ?
Obviously the local tax payer so I go back to what I said earlier is not discriminating against one group discriminating against another or at the very least putting another group under preassure ?

is this fair, is this what equality is all about ?

I know the country is in a mess and money is short for most people, equality, discrimination are a subject I am quite interested

I have never been a fan of the whole everybody is equal attitude because I just dont beleive it

I am quite aware of how comunism works and its goal to destroy the western way of life

Ok so you want to make disabled pay more because its a hassle' ok lets agree that it ok to charge less able bodied people more because its more of a hassle.

Well Im disabled but dont use a wheelchair.

But what about the hassle I have to put up with.

Mohammed Bashir, how many drivers straight from Pakistan have you working for you.

You know the type, can't speak English and I have to spend the journey showing him the way, concentrating on the road while I want to relax,
getting there late because he took a wrong turning.


What about all the times I have to keep phoning the taxi company because the driver that cant speak English or read English is in the wrong street.

So late taxi, stressful journey where I have had to be navigator, had to repeat and repeat myself over and over, now I just write it on a piece of paper so it can be put in a sat nav.

You want to charge disabled more or refuse to take them, I want n English speaking driver or a discount.

Seems fair to me.

Mohammed Bashir. wants more for taking disabled passengers ok.
So the taxi drivers that answered here let me ask this.

How many local authority contracts do you have, you know the type.

10 trips a week 2 times a day taking disabled kids to special schools maybe 30 mile hire bringing you in several hundred pounds a week, dont hear you moaning about that, and you with the minibus.

I bet you bought the mini bus to land a few of these contracts.

You would be happy taking someone 30 mile each trip paid for the local authority but then the same person phones and you would say your busy.

Snip

reply to post by pavmas


[T&C removed quote Snipped]

YOU STAY CLASSY MATE!!

You know... you could have made a entire page worth of quality arguments, but this one sentence deduces your entire perspective to worthless.

I don't plan on alerting anyone.
Mainly because any readers with an ounce of dignity will dismiss anything that you say from this point forward.

Businesses are here to make money.

If it doesn't make money then they disappear.

If they are forced to engage in any business practice that does not benefit them then they lose and we lose because the services that they are offering will disappear.

This is econ 101.

Anyone that refuse to take any passenger or charges more than the meter says will have his hackney license removed.

You cant charge people more because the take longer or have walking aids and anyone that thinks this is ok is fking mad.

With that thinking Tescos can charge a premium if you are slow at the till because of disability, doctors can charge them because their appointments are longer,shop keepers can charge extra to cover the rent on larger premises that accomodate whelchairs.


Charging disbled people more because they are more work, dirty fking bastards. you are paid by milage thats what you are paid for so how the fvk can you charge more because they are disabled.

reply to post by kyviecaldges


A guy on here says he bought a mini bus to accomodate wheelchairs.

Ask the fcker why. then he says he ignores disabled calls saying he is busy.

This clown does not mind leaving disabled people waiting and stranded when they are just going local, but why buy the van
for the premium work thats why, to make cash from disabled contracts.

He knows and I know what he is doing is illegal and if he is caught he will loose his hackney license.

I could not care what you think of me, that is one of the lowest things i have ever read.

When you apply for the hackney badge, you cant pick and choose hire because a person is disabled.

Mohammed Bashir will lose his hackney license and if not i want to know why.

reply to post by dam00


This is simple. If a cab firm wishes to charge them more then charge them more. It's his business.

Wheelchair uses DO take far more time and effort and therefore this eats at the profit of the company due to time lost and effort applied.

Why do disabled think they can get away with anything? They already get the best parking spots at the supermarket!!

reply to post by pavmas


What puzzles me is why the local authority have to investigate weather this is equality or not, of course it is anyone can see that

equality it too lobsided these days, everybody is equal, its just some are more equal than others

acouple of links for you Boycott Boro Taxis Facebook 10,24 likes


Taxi driver told to remove St George's flag sticker by council 'because it puts those who aren't English at a disadvantage

Taxi driver in flag ban row

Taxi driver defiant in St George's flag row

Taxi driver to appeal in St George's sticker row

Newton Abbot taxi driver removes St George flag stickers

In short

A Newton Abbot taxi driver has been caught up in a row with the council after being banned from having a St George’s Cross sticker in her cab. Denise Said, 56, has three English flag signs stuck on the doors and boot of her vehicle and has been asked to remove them because they could be interpreted to discriminate against foreigners.

Equality is a very fickle thing

And as for getting a ban I think ATS would honour freedom of speech

projectbane
reply to post by dam00

 

This is simple. If a cab firm wishes to charge them more then charge them more. It's his business.

Wheelchair uses DO take far more time and effort and therefore this eats at the profit of the company due to time lost and effort applied.

Why do disabled think they can get away with anything? They already get the best parking spots at the supermarket!!

Because its illegal, its immoral . Taxis are paid by the mileage, the meter goes on when the car arrives at the address whether you are loading suitcases or wheelchairs of shopping they are paid the same , to single out disabled people is so wrong.

We are talking about drivers who purchase vehicles that take wheelchairs and then ignoring calls for £3. £3 is for the first mile regardless of who they get.

They dont want small fares and lose their position in the rank or que, so they want to charge disabled people more, its a poor excuse uusing disabled people, tell the truth you dont want to do hires under a mile as thats the problem and the fact that someone might be disabled they want the right to charge more, then next comes the pensioner who is taking ages to get in and out of the car for her pension who is also only a £3 hire.

I live in the Uk and Im going to demand an answer from my MP.

I had my licence removed because of medical grounds and have to rely on taxis.
Now a lot of times I have been late for appointments because the taxi never arrived.

Now if taxi drivers are ignoring disabled,
Then Im going to buy a car and just drive.
I cant walk
no one will come for me unless I pay more.

I have a right to get to A to B and if the law wont protect my rights then fck the law.

They cant complain when I make my own arrangement if they fail to protect my rights to the same services as any one else.

The hackney rules are clear very clear.

projectbane
reply to post by dam00

 

This is simple. If a cab firm wishes to charge them more then charge them more. It's his business.

Wheelchair uses DO take far more time and effort and therefore this eats at the profit of the company due to time lost and effort applied.

Why do disabled think they can get away with anything? They already get the best parking spots at the supermarket!!

Wow Your post is just oozing with tolerance and understanding

Are you a cab driver? PM me your number so I can be sure to never use your services