November 2021 by Professional Driver Magazine

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 06 £4.95

The Joy of Six

Kia EV6 GT Line RWD QSi 2021:

Shortlist revealed p18

THE ALL-ELECT

Mpg (l/100km): Not applicable. CO2 emissions: 0 g/km. Electric energy consumption (combined): 20 to 21 kWh/100Km / 2.9 – 3 miles/kWh. The iX xDrive40 e a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

TRIC

iX QR

Search: BMW iX #bornelectric

electric range: 246-257 miles. The iX xDrive50 electric range: 366-380 miles. These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The iX is r cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the

contents

COVER STORY THE JOY OF SIX – Is Kia’s new V6 electric car a game-changer?

6-13

B usiness News The latest from around the UK private hire sector

16-17

P rofile How London chauffeur Belgraves is embracing an electric future

18-19

QSI 2021 Full shortlist revealed

26 R oad Test Self Drive Hire of PCO Licensed and Un new Licensed Exe Volkswagen’s Multivan suggests there’s plenty of Mercedes S-Class , Mercedes V-Class life in the MPV yet , Mercedes C urrent Affairs Tesla Model S30 , Nissan Leaf Our new regular column electric vehicles, 01707 649about 090 infrastructure and issues : info@chauffeurrentals.com REGULAR FEATURES 32 The Knowledge 33 The Advisor Daily , Weekly Hires 34 or The Monthly Negotiator 35 The Insider

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 06 £4.95

The Joy of Six

Kia EV6 GT Line RWD

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DIRECTOR Mark Bursa Mark Bursa 07813 320044 07813 320044 markbursa@prodrivermags.com markbursa@prodrivermags.com COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Paul COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Webb 07807 133527 Paul Webb 07807 133527 paulwebb@prodrivermags.com paulwebb@prodrivermags.com ART DIRECTOR

KevinWillis, Willis,Peter PeterPanayiotou, Panayiotou, Kevin Iain Iain Dooley, Mike Stone, Dooley, Mike Stone, Denot Nyack, Dennot Nyack, Adam Bernstein, Adam Bernstein, Dr Mike Galvin Dr Mike Galvin, Tim Scrafton WEBSITE WEBSITE M artinCoCoombes ombes 01959547000 Martin

01959 547000 COMPANY ADDRESS 5COMPANY 0BeechcroADDRESS ftManor, O50 atlBeechcroft ands,WeybriManor, dge,KT1Oatlands, 39NZ Weybridge, KT13 9NZ SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE Curwood CurwoodCMS CMSLtd, Ltd,The Barn, The Barn, Abbey Mews, Abbey Mews, Robertsbridge, TN32 Robertsbridge, 5AD, 01580 883844 TN32 5AD subs@prodrivermags.com 01580 883844

ART DIRECTOR Alan Booth 07817 671973 Alan Booth alan.booth@calixa.biz 07817 671973 CONTRIBUTORS alan.booth@calixa.biz Ian Robertson, Tim Barnes-Clay, CONTRIBUTORS Ian Robertson, Glen Holder, PhilGlen Rule,Holder, John Phil Rule, Gary JohnJacobs, Coombes, Phil Huff, Coombes, David Tim Self Barnes-Clay, Drive Hire of Gary PCOJacobs, Licensed and Un Licensed Executive Cars Wilkins, Phil Huff, Craig Thomas, subs@prodrivermags.com David Wilkins, Craig Thomas, Mercedes S-Class , Mercedes V-Class , Mercedes E-Class

profile: Belgraves

A cleaner, brighter future Mark Bursa

NE OF THE IRONIES OF THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS BEEN the fact that the companies with the highest standards were often the hardest hit. Private hire and taxi fleets could still pick up work such as transporting essential workers, and some of the more go-ahead firms opened up new avenues into delivering food, pharmaceuticals and other products. But these avenues were not open to chauffeur companies. With the best will in the world, local authorities were not going to pay S-class rates to transport nurses to and from the wards. And a luxury limousine is far harder to clean than a Prius if that lamb vindaloo spills on its carpeted floor. As a result, most chauffeur companies – even the very best ones – had no option but to hunker down and hope for a return as soon as possible. That’s the reality that faced Jason Ipekdjian, owner of Belgraves of London, when the first lockdown was imposed in March 2020. And Belgraves is

ESTABLISHED SINCE 2005 QSI 2021:

Shortlist revealed p18

undoubtedly excellent – a QSi Gold Award winner in both 2018 and 2019. As with many of us, the pandemic took Jason by surprise. He’d just bought a new Range Rover P400 plug-in hybrid, and was poised to upgrade the business’ premises from a home office to new commercial premises. “We’d put in an offer on an office, but fortunately we managed to withdraw it when this kicked off,” he says. “We managed to get payment holidays on our vehicles too – including nine months on the Range Rover.” Thereafter it was a case of keeping the overheads down through 2020, using the furlough scheme and waiting. “Coming into 2021, from January to March was very quiet,” he says. From April, Jason says “we started seeing some green shoots”. This was mainly a return of regular pre-pandemic customers, such as middle eastern and Russian families that previously were regular visitors but who had simply not been travelling – even by private jet. “Some of the families we deal with started to come back in,” says Jason. “We also won one large hotel account and we were upgraded on another but these didn’t start to deliver any work until July.”

NOVEMBER 2021

comment

No pain, no gain fter everything we’ve been through,

it’s incredibly galling to see the recovery that operators have been waiting for hampered by the ongoing – and, it would seem, worsening driver crisis. No pain, no gain, the sports coach’s mantra goes. And maybe this particular dose of pain might, in the long run, provide some sizeable gains. At least the pain won’t kill us, like Covid, so maybe we’ll have to go another couple of rounds with adversity before the industry is really set fair once again. Clearly the demand is there, and poised to return. Forecasts predict a strong comeback in the second half of 2022, and a swift return to pre-pandemic levels. This won’t happen if we’re as short of drivers as the LPHCA believes. If numbers really are down 160,000, that will take time to replenish. Councils cannot cope with the backlog of licence applications, and they certainly should not cut standards in a bid to get drivers up and running quickly. But there are things that can be done – and perhaps require some central government intervention. One is reducing the price of getting licensed, and removing stupid and pointless restrictions on vehicles – from signage to window tint restrictions to forcing drivers to repaint cars in “local” colours. The cost of re-entering the taxi and private hire trade has to be made reasonable and affordable, especially for those who did not renew their licenses during the pandemic. Those drivers should not have to jump through every hoop. If they were deemed fit and proper 18 months ago, they should be welcomed back quickly and affordably. It’s clear that we’re in a competition for “driving” jobs with lots of other sectors – anything from a pizza delivery scooter to an Amazon van to an HGV or a bus. Everyone wants drivers, and there are plenty of options. Some require more training and stringent standards; others have an almost impossibly cheap and easy path of entry. We need to find a place in this that offers drivers a sensible living from driving a taxi or PHV. Again, this brings up the need for proper national licensiong. Not piecemeal nif-naf about safeguarding or “minimum standards”. A proper national licence, administered

NOVEMBER 2021

in the same way that an HGV or PSV licence is administered. The licences (hackney or PHV, or dual) should be priced the same across the UK – no longer will local authorities such as Wolverhampton be able to undercut everywhere else. There would be nothing to stop a driver in, say, Birmingham or Manchester getting licensed in Wolverhampton, but there would be no financial benefit from doing so. The standards for cars would be the same everywhere too. Simple plating and badging, but no mandatory operator names and silly local colours for PHVs. A car is a car. If it has four seats, four doors, luggage space and meets acceptable environmental standards, that should be enough. And yes, TfL would have to obey these national rules too. Then we wouldn’t have the mess we have in the seven-seater sector, where a lack of large and affordable EVs means operators that want to clean up their fleets are sticking with their old diesel Galaxys and Sharans, as there is no incentive to upgrade to a PHEV. Fuel economy is worse, and you’ll still have to pay C-charge. COP26 has been and gone, and the private hire trade did a sterling job of moving delegates and dignitaries around. Yet there is very little for us in COP26. As a major solution to urban mobility and congestion, you’d think we might get a little more kudos. At least the industry’s efforts will be recognised somewhere this month. Not in Glasgow, but in Newport, as Professional Driver’s QSi Awards return after a pandemic-inflicted hiatus in 2020. Don’t miss out on a chance to discover the best drivers, operators and cars of 2021. It’s always a magical night of celebration, and we’ve missed welcoming you. So I hope to see as many of you as possible at the Celtic Manor on Thursday, November 25. Please turn to page 18 for details of how to book your place, and to see the shortlists. And to every one of you who has made the final cut, the best of luck! Mark Bursa Editor markbursa@prodrivermags.com

news

Taxi and private hire driver numbers down by more than half, says LPHCA Mark Bursa More than half of UK taxi and private hire drivers have quit since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the LPHCA has claimed. The ongoing driver shortage is reaching critical levels, with the industry’s driver numbers down by a staggering 160,000 out of a peak workforce of around 300,000, while a backlog in licensing and records checks leaves operators struggling to recruit drivers to fill the vacancies. Tens of thousands of drivers left the industry during last year’s Covid lockdowns when demand for taxis and private hire vehicles plummeted. Many moved into the delivery sector, swapping their licenced car for a van and doing deliveries for Amazon. Many European drivers left as a

LHPCA Chairman Steve Wright: “Perfect storm”.

result of Brexit, and those that want to return have been unable to do so because of the pandemic. The trade association said delays in licensing – handled by local councils

Southampton drivers angry as City Council rejects more flexible signage policy Mark Bursa Southampton private hire drivers are angry at the local City Council’s decision to reject a change to signage policy, which would have allowed drivers to work for multiple operators. Currently, private hire drivers must have one sign with the operator’s name on it. The rejected proposal would have allowed private hire drivers to have a choice of two signs – one with the operators’ name on it and one with the private hire licence details. Operators’ names would not have been removed completely but instead a second sign would have been added, giving private hire drivers the right to carry out work for multiple operators in practice. Officially, the council allows private hire drivers to work for multiple operators but according to private hire driver Ali Haydor, the current signage system means working for multiple operators is practically impossible. Mr Haydor has said he and other drivers are prepared to protest and take union action if the

– has hampered their efforts to bring in new drivers. LPHCA chairman Steve Wright warned that the crisis wa now worse than the HGV driver shortage, which has caused shortages

of fuel and produce in shops. Wright said: “It’s a perfect storm. A lot of drivers left the industry during the pandemic, and many haven’t come back. Quite a few went to Amazon to do delivery driving because they bought their cars on finance before the pandemic and because there was no work, they couldn’t afford them.” He added: “We are still trying to get a lot of those drivers back that left because they had to get other jobs – they have mortgages to pay and children to feed.” Wright continued: “This is a real national problem that affects everywhere. We have had calls from Inverness in Scotland, right down to Cornwall, with people saying they cannot get drivers and they cannot get licences quickly enough.”

other company on. “Trying to take these stickers off is not a twominute job, how many stickers can we keep in the boot and how much money does that cost? The council says we can work for multiple operators but trying to put it into practice is basically impossible.” Discussing the council’s consultation prior to their decision, 34% of the trade wanted to keep the current sign policy, while 64% disagreed with it. Drivers have proposed a change in the signage from the top sign “This matter was to the bottom one, without the need to show the operator’s name debated at a recent Licensing Committee meeting, where we welcomed a number council does not reconsider, as he feels their of speakers to share their views,” said a working rights have been infringed. spokesperson for Southampton City Council. “When we asked the council for confirmation “After reviewing all the representations, members can we work for multiple companies they said yes decided that vehicles should continue to display we can, but just make sure that when you turn Southampton City Council livery – something up to these jobs you have the correct signage. As that’s been in place for 20 years – so that taxi you realise the current signage is a sticker and drivers and users can have confidence in the has the name of the company. The difficulty that licensing and safety of this mode of public we have, to put this in practice is that we have to transport.” take the sticker off and then put the one for the

NOVEMBER 2021

news

Addison Lee to offer off-road charge points to drivers who cannot charge EVs at home Mark Bursa Addison Lee drivers will be able to access off-street electric car charging points close to their homes under a new partnership with parking app JustPark. Drivers will be able to find charge points via the FleetCharge by JustPark and Octopus Energy scheme, which provides low-cost off-street charging locations for Addison Lee drivers who currently cannot charge at home. For drivers who work with Addison Lee and do not have off-street parking available to them, JustPark will secure a parking location within a 5-minute walk of their home and install a conveniently placed charging unit. Drivers who rent a JustPark parking space will be given exclusive use of the charger. For those drivers who already have access to offstreet parking, FleetCharge will be available to support the installation process at their homes. The FleetCharge points, which are powered by 100% renewable energy, are being installed by Octopus Energy. The idea is to reduce time spent searching for an available charger on the public network. Drivers are expected to save on average 16 hours of their time each month than if they solely relied on

[from left] JustPark CEO Anthony Eskinazi with Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin, and EV director Mike Strahlman

the public rapid charging network. The scheme is available to drivers from November 2021, in line with Addison Lee’s roll out of electric vehicles on to the fleet. The plan is supported by Addison Lee’s £3.5m Future of Mobility Fund. Addison Lee announced last month that it plans to transition its standard fleet to fully electric by

2023, with the Volkswagen ID.4 becoming the mainstay of the car fleet. Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said: “Many vehicle owners in London and UK cities lack access to off-street parking, and the adoption of electric vehicles will only succeed if drivers have access to a mix of charging options. “We hope that our partnership with JustPark encourages businesses and consumers to take similar, innovative steps to help our city rapidly shift to EVs. We therefore welcome further co-operation between TfL, London boroughs, energy companies, charging providers and businesses as we work together to bolster London’s charging infrastructure at pace.” Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said: “I am delighted to hear about this forward-thinking partnership, with Addison Lee leading the way by supporting its fleet drivers to make the all-important switch to cleaner vehicles.” Anthony Eskinazi, founder and CEO of JustPark, said: “Our FleetCharge solution knocks down barriers to EV adoption and will enable and encourage more fleets to electrify faster than they ever thought possible, and this partnership is just the beginning.”

Addison Lee offers £5,000 first month guarantee in bid to recruit 1,000 new drivers Addison Lee is offering new drivers a guaranteed £5,000 for their first month with the company in a bid to recruit 1,000 new drivers. The payment will be made if the driver completes at least 140 jobs during the month. It is also offering a competitive vehicle rental plan, and drivers do not have to meet the cost of either the Congestion Charge or the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). The package also includes a pension and holiday pay. Addison Lee said its London business was recovering strongly from the pandemic. Between August and September passenger car journeys grew by over 40%. The company expects to see continued growth throughout the Christmas period. Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have put drivers first, and as London recovers, we’re delighted to be able to grow the

driver community with market-leading rates of pay and benefits. Drivers will have a huge role to play in helping people getting around the city as safely and reliably as possible. Our latest recruitment drive is designed to ensure we continue to support existing drivers and meet future demand.” The news follows Addison Lee’s announcement last month that its

standard fleet would become fully electric by 2023, after 86% of drivers said they would be keen to shift to an electric vehicle. The transition builds on Addison Lee’s existing carbon neutrality. Individuals with a PCO licence can apply to drive with Addison Lee at: www.addisonlee.com/private-hiredrivers/register —Mark Bursa

NOVEMBER 2021

news

Bolt to let drivers set fares in bid to win drivers from Uber Mark Bursa Bolt’s UK drivers will be allowed to set their own fares as part of a new initiative from the Uber rival. The move is seen as a way of attracting drivers to work for Bolt rather than its competitors as ride-hailing apps battle to recruit enough drivers to cope with recovering demand. The move is also seen as a statement from Bolt in response to demands from Uber that all ride-hailing app drivers should be classified as “workers” rather than self-employed. Uber has already given worker status – including pensions and holiday pay – to its drivers, But by giving control of fare-setting to the driver, Bolt could be seen as

exercising less control over how a selfemployed driver goes about the job. Estonian-owned Bolt app said it hoped the move would help drivers ensure any journey they make will be profitable. The app also hopes it will help tackle a rise in frequent cancellations seen by passengers in recent months, as drivers cancel jobs at the last minute to avoid a less profitable booking. Customers using the Bolt app will be able to pick from a list of drivers offering various prices. Until now, the drivers had to use set prices decided by a central algorithm. The new model will be trialled around the UK in the coming month, and rolled out in London by Christmas.

Sam Raciti [above], Bolt’s manager for western Europe, said: “Drivers have consistently asked us for the ability to set their own prices so they can ensure a journey is profitable enough before it’s accepted. These changes are part of that philosophy and will create a better functioning marketplace.”

Bolt’s announcement comes just days after rival Uber revealed it would be raising its prices in London by 10%. This is the first Uber price rise since 2017, and is seen as a bid to lure more drivers back to the platform. The move means Uber’s minimum fare in London has risen from £5 to £5.50. Peak time fares for airport trips have also risen by 25%. Both Uber and Bolt are short of drivers, having lost many thousands during the pandemic to delivery firms. The driver shortages have led to an increase in “surge pricing” across all apps and an increase in waiting times. Uber said recently that it needed around 20,000 more drivers to return to usual service levels.

Global taxi market on track for recovery by second quarter of 2022, according to Taxi Butler report The taxi sector is well -placed to bounce back strongly from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report published by Amsterdam-based booking terminals maker Taxi Butler. The company’s Global Industry Trends Report, a comprehensive paper that highlights dynamic trends in the taxi industry across the globe, shows growth of 72.69% is likely by the second quarter of 2022. The report is subtitled “A 3-year impact analysis on the taxi market: before, during and after Covid-19”. The report concludes that global B2B taxi bookings will almost double (+72.69%) by Q2 2022, as compared to January 2021, signifying that the industry will be back on track and almost fully recovered from the pandemic, providing that there are no new COVID-19 restrictions in the future. Taxi Butler co-founder Steven Blom said: “Having partnered through this pandemic, we wanted to understand how it impacted our industry, how to get out of this situation together and what we can expect in the near future. We are positive about the future of the in-

NOVEMBER 2021

B2B taxi bookings, 2019-2021

dustry, and according to the numbers, the B2B taxi market should be back on track somewhere around Q2 2022, if all goes well”. The present findings also look at the toughest period for the industry from February 2020, the last ‘normal’ month before COVID-19 restrictions, to April 2020, when restrictions were in full effect, where the industry saw a 91.35% collapse in bookings. The report also analyses taxi booking trends in four major regions: the UK & Ireland, North America, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. The UK and Ireland saw the most significant de-

cline, from February to April 2020, losing 96.48% of their B2B taxi bookings, followed by Europe at 94.83%, Australia and New Zealand at 85.30%, and North America at 81.21%. Laurence Docherty, head of sales at Taxi Butler, said, “Since the pandemic, the industry has been able to bounce back and adapt and will continue to thrive in the future. The resilience and the strong urge for business stability has seemed to become a reality. 2022 holds a very positive outlook for the industry as a whole, and we’re hoping that this report can help businesses understand

the global taxi industry even better.” The report estimates the global taxi industry contributes considerably to the world’s economy, and was valued at $159.6 billion in 2020. Furthermore, Taxi Butler estimates it will almost double to $327.54bn by 2026, at a rate of 8.95% over the forecast period (202126). The report says 2021 has witnessed a bumpy yet steady rise in taxi bookings worldwide. As the lockdown eases and the travel sector reopens globally, the taxi booking industry is more robust than ever, the report states, and the global taxi industry should be back on track by around Q2 2022. The expected demand for global B2B taxi bookings is expected to increase by 138.85% in December 2021 compared to December 2020, more than double. The report acknowledges that the UK is currently struggling with a driver shortage, where drivers moved to other services or sectors, and if it persists, it will hinder the projected growth of the industry in the coming months. —Mark Bursa

news

Take Me brings together Plymouth rivals Taxifirst and Tower Cabs Mark Bursa Take Me Group has made a second acquisition in Plymouth, adding local operator Taxifirst and its owner David Trace to the group. Taxifirst joins former rival Tower Cabs in Plymouth, which was added to the growing Take Me portfolio in July 2021. David Trace has been running Taxifirst for more than 30 years and has built his fleet of vehicles up to more than 160. He has overseen a dramatic change in automation and systems within the business since starting, and the company’s dispatch is now more than 80% automated using the Autocab system. David Trace said: “It has been an emotional journey here in Plymouth but let me reassure all my team and customers that it is very much business as usual for us all here at Taxifirst. We are all looking forward to the benefits of being part of a larger group and using their resources to offer a better service to our customers and to ensure our drivers have the latest technology and systems to help them.” Take Me is a national group of taxi companies, with sites in Brighton, Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool, Crewe, London, Farnborough and Cambridgeshire. Take Me Managing Director David Hunter said: “The company has more acquisitions in the pipeline to be announced in the near future, following the additions already this year to the group of ADT Taxis, Steve’s Taxis, VGT Taxis, Westside Taxis, Intercity Private Hire, Tower Cabs and TC Cars. He added “It is exciting times at Take Me as we keep expanding and adding brilliant local

Uber adds Mansfield and Stockton operators to Local Cab network Mark Bursa Uber has extended its Local Cab service into two further UK towns. Mansfield and Stocktonon-Tees are the latest places where passengers can book a trip with a local taxi company via the Uber app. Anyone opening the Uber app in Mansfield will be presented with the Local Cab option, which connects them with local taxi firm ACE-ABC Taxis. Uber said its app was opened more 6,500 times per month on average in the

TAKE US: [top row, from left] Tony Harris , David Hunter and John Gardener of Take Me Group. [bottom row, from left] David Trace of Taxifirst and Peter Bresland of Tower Cabs.

businesses to our network fleet. Together we can bring our skills and infrastructure from being a national brand but build on the local expertise of these amazing well established taxi operators.” Trace said “The group offers driver incentives, including cheaper insurance, car replacement, finance. This collaboration will enable us to reach new heights and take Taxifirst to a new level while re-establishing our position as one of the finest in Plymouth. There will be lots of exciting developments taking place in the next few months

and we want you all to be part of the journey.” One of the first initiatives that Take Me will be helping Taxifirst with is to develop a taxi academy in Plymouth, which will train the next generation of taxi drivers. The taxi academy is open to anybody aged 21+ with a driver’s license and the team will help people of all ages retrain and get them Taxi Driver’s licences and a vehicle, as well as offering them plenty of work from the Taxifirst and Towercabs workload.

town. And in Stockton local taxi firm Skyline Taxis is the Local Cab partner. Uber, claims almost 7,000 monthly app hits in the town. The Local Cab service is a result of Uber’s acquisition of dispatch systems provider Autocab in August 2020. In order to extend the use of its app beyond the 40 UK towns and cities in which it currently operates, Uber is looking to work with local operators, and it is accessing these via Autocab’s iGo network, which has the potential to connect passengers with 80,000 private hire and taxi drivers in the UK. Roger Krishan, managing director of ACE-

ABC Taxis, said: “For anyone visiting Mansfield that already uses the Uber app, Local Cab will make it easy for them to book a ride with a local operator.” And Tahir Mahmood, managing director of Skyline Taxis, said: “This provides another way for customers to book with us.” Ash Kebriti, UK General Manager, Uber, said: “The Local Cab pilot has proved to be a success for local operators, riders and local economies. Local operators have seen increased demand for trips and are now actively recruiting new drivers, which is having a positive impact on the local economy.”

NOVEMBER 2021

what3words address for demonstration purpose only

Innovative taxi operators are using what3words for smoother rides Companies across the UK have integrated what3words through their software providers to help drivers find exact pick-up and drop-off locations. A what3words address is a unique combination of three random words that identifies a specific 3 metre square. It’s an easy way to find and navigate to precise locations anywhere in the UK.

Get what3words enabled by visiting what3words.com/uk-taxis Software partners

news

Abellio plans to expand Catalina-based managed taxi service following successful Welsh launch Mark Bursa Transport giant Abellio is planning to expand its managed taxi service following a successful launch on a major train crew contract with Transport for Wales. The system, which uses Catalina Software, has been running for several months without missing a single pick-up, according to David Bloomfield, taxi contract & operations manager for Abellio Rail Replacement. “It’s been very stable since the day it went live, and the team really likes using it,” Bloomfield added. “Our plan is to use Travel Connect brand to offer managed travel solutions to anyone that wants them. We started in rail as that’s what we know, but work with any sector.” This could include airlines, cruise lines, and even other rail companies. Abellio Rail Replacement had been using buses and coaches to move passengers when rail services were disrupted, but had been using third-party suppliers when it needed to use taxis for train breakdowns, disrupted or disabled passengers and train crew movements across its five rail operations in the UK. But the Transport for Wales tender meant it had to offer a managed taxi service as part of the tender. “We decided it was time to branch out into taxis – so we could do everything from 1 to 10,000 seats. It was a glaring gap in our offering,” said Bloomfield. So after talking to a number of suppliers, Abellio selected Catalina’s Freedom software to set up its own managed taxi service. Bloomfield said Abellio chose Catalina as the software was already proven in this type of application, and it offered the freedom to decide exactly how it wanted to run the new business. Despite lockdown restrictions, Catalina installed

the system and trained Abellio’s nine newly recruited employees, all remotely. The Transport for Wales rail replacement contract, means Abellio had to manage 400 taxi bookings over the first weekend and 4,000 in the first month, with not one taxi wrongly booked or late. Already more than 200 taxi operators – many of them smaller companies – have signed up for the system, and some are reporting they are doing several hundred jobs a month. Abellio also has seven train operating businesses in the UK, and it plans to use the system to transport its own train crews from job to job in different locations, or between home and work at the start and end of shifts – usually early in the morning or late at night. Catalina founder Graeme Whiting said: “This is probably the most innovative application of our

Freedom system as there were no legacy systems or existing processes to configure it around.” The Freedom system interfaces easily via API with almost all taxi dispatch systems, so operators using any software can access the work that Abellio has on offer. The system also offers a ‘mini Freedom’ dispatch system and a direct-to-driver app. “When a job is allocated it is either sent out via an API interface to the taxi company’s dispatch system or sent out as an email confirmation. Drivers can see the job details via the Freedom mobile app,” says Whiting. Bloomfield added: “The beauty of working with Catalina was that they had done something similar before, so their system was tried and tested. If we’d taken a different path there would have been question marks about whether it would work on day one. I didn’t have any of those concerns.”

Audi reveals mid-life facelift for A8 range Audi has revealed a facelifted A8 flagship, with the latest versions going on sale from December 2. Prices start from £73,375, with long wheelbase models starting from £77,375. Customer deliveries are expected in in the second quarter of 2022. Audi says it has sharpened the design of the car, making the base of the grille wider and adding new side intakes. New LED lights front and rear include a cus-

tomizable tail light signature. There is also a new chrome exterior package and a new S line exterior package, designed to give more of an S8 look to the car. There are numerous detail changes to the interior, but the main powertrain change of note is a bigger capaci-

ty Lithium Ion battery in the A8 60 TFSI e quattro plug-in hybrid model. This mates an electric motor to a 3.0-litre petrol V6 engine, and the rear-mounted battery can now store a net 14.4 kWh of energy – significantly more than before. The latter gives the front a dy-

namic touch and differentiates even more from the basic model: a distinctive blade in the area of the side air intakes augments the frontal view – very similar to the S8. The look is even more defined with the additional black appearance package. The colour swatch for the A8 includes eleven colours, among them the new metallic district green, firmament blue, Manhattan grey, and ultra blue. Also new in the Audi A8 are five matte colours – Daytona grey, florette silver, district green, terra grey and glacier white. In the Audi exclusive program, the car is painted in the customer’s chosen colour.

NOVEMBER 2021

news Bedford PH operators raise fares; add 50% late night surcharge Mark Bursa Five Bedford private hire companies have announced large fare increases as a result of the ongoing shortage of drivers and rising fuel prices. The five firms – 24-7 Cars, A1 Cars, Key Cars, Direct Cars and Anglia Cars – also said in the statement that they apply a 50% rise on all fares on Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm and 5am. Abdul Khalid of 24-7 Cars, said: “During the busy late-night periods, it is very difficult to get the self-employed drivers

to work the unsociable hours, meaning even longer wait times at these times as well.” He continued: “We’re experiencing a massive shortage of drivers in Bedford after the pandemic. The issue is so serious that for the first time, all the five operators met to discuss the issues and it was unanimously agreed that the main reason for drivers not coming back to the trade was that the trade was not profitable for the self-employed drivers anymore.” Khalid said: “A lot of drivers have

Portsmouth asks for more WAV funding before CAZ launch Senior officials at Portsmouth City Council have written to government to request that more funding is made available to help drivers of wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles upgrade their vehicles ahead of the launch of Portsmouth Clean Air Zone (CAZ). Portsmouth City Council submitted a full business case for the CAZ in December 2020. As

packed up or gone into other businesses. The taxi trade was at a complete standstill because people weren’t moving around. Now the demand is back to normal, but we’ve got fewer drivers. A lot of drivers are now working as delivery drivers for the likes of Just Eat or Uber Eats, who pay the drivers more than our fares to most places. We’re having to give hourlong waits, which is something we’ve never had to do before.” He said fares in Beford were “way below” those in other nearby towns, and the increases were designed to attract

part of this, the council requested £15,000 per WAV to help all drivers of these affected vehicles to upgrade their vehicles with cleaner, greener ones. But only £4,000 for WAVs has been provided by the government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU). Around 10% of licensed vehicles in Portsmouth are registered as WAVs. However, these vehicles face disproportionately high upgrade costs when compared to standard taxis. In some cases, upgrade costs for WAVs can cost £15,000, which is more than double that of upgrading a non-WAV vehicle. Those operating larger WAVs cannot afford to replace like for like using the grants currently

more self-employed drivers back into the trade. He added that fares would in future have to rise in line with increases in inflation. “Obviously this cannot be done in one go and would have to be a gradual increase. We can all confirm that customers should expect to see increases slowly across all the companies from now on.” Khalid added: “Drivers have to take into account that living costs for an individual or family have increased drastically, and whether the business will pay enough for them to make ends meet.”

being offered, so are forced to upgrade to smaller WAVs. Portsmouth City Council’s preferred approach is to receive £15,000 per WAV to make sure that all wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire vehicles have enough funds to upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles. However, if this is not granted, there are additional plans to award grants of up to £7,500 for each non-compliant WAV in Portsmouth. This could be achieved by reallocating funding that has already been supplied, but would need to be agreed to by JAQU.

—Mark Bursa

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Delivery Point

profile: Belgraves

A cleaner, brighter future undoubtedly excellent – a QSi Gold Award winner in both 2018 and 2019. As with many of us, the pandemic took Jason by surprise. He’d just bought a new Range Rover P400 plug-in hybrid, and was poised to upgrade NE OF THE IRONIES OF THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS BEEN the business’ premises from a home office to new commercial premises. the fact that the companies with the highest standards were “We’d put in an offer on an office, but fortunately we managed to withdraw often the hardest hit. it when this kicked off,” he says. “We managed to get payment holidays on Private hire and taxi fleets could still pick up work such our vehicles too – including nine months on the Range Rover.” as transporting essential workers, and some of the more go-ahead firms Thereafter it was a case of keeping the overheads down through 2020, opened up new avenues into delivering food, pharmaceuticals and other using the furlough scheme and waiting. “Coming into 2021, from January to products. March was very quiet,” he says. But these avenues were not open to chauffeur companies. With the From April, Jason says “we started seeing some green shoots”. This was best will in the world, local authorities were not going to pay S-class rates mainly a return of regular pre-pandemic customers, such as middle eastern to transport nurses to and from the wards. And a luxury limousine is far harder to clean than a Prius if that lamb vindaloo spills on its carpeted floor. and Russian families that previously were regular visitors but who had simply not been travelling – even by private jet. As a result, most chauffeur companies – even the very best ones – “Some of the families we deal with started to come back in,” says Jason. had no option but to hunker down and hope for a return as soon as possible. That’s the reality that faced Jason Ipekdjian, owner of Belgraves of London, “We also won one large hotel account and we were upgraded on another but these didn’t start to deliver any work until July.” when the first lockdown was imposed in March 2020. And Belgraves is

Mark Bursa

O 16

NOVEMBER 2021

profile: Belgraves Jason reckons Belgraves’ turnover fell 50% through the 12-month financial year from April 1, 2020 – better than a lot of rivals. The fleet fell from 10 cars to seven, but that trend has now been reversed, with the addition of new electric Mercedes-Benz EQV MPVs taking it back up to 11 – with more cars on order. “It seems at long last we are coming toward the light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. “We took the decision to increase the fleet to meet the new demand we are experiencing.” For Belgraves, the V-Class has proved even more favourable than ever, so this has been the main area of the fleet on which Jason has concentrated. “As we are regulated by TFL the only new V-Class we can licence is the EQV. But erring on the side of caution, we wanted to dip our toes into the EV pond before jumping in headfirst. So, we opted for one vehicle to start with.” Belgraves’ first Mercedes-Benz EQV300 arrived in mid-August, just in time for the release of lockdown. And Jason says he was pleasantly surprised by the vehicle’s capability and acceptability. Only detail trim changes distinguish the EQV from the diesel V-Class. “What I really liked about the EQV was the design of the rear cabin with the grey pinstripe panelling and 5-seat configuration complete with table between the two split armchair seats, which gives the EQV a more refined feel inside,” Jason says. “Furthermore, to our delight, we discovered how much smoother the ride was in an electric vehicle. Gone is the vibration and noisy churn of the diesel engine and we are saying hello to a quiet, effortless and tranquil ride, and this is in the Sport Premium model which doesn’t have the air suspension!” “The feedback we received from clients was extremely positive. Everyone loved the smoother, quieter ride and the benefit of the two armchair seats, set up at the rear of the cabin facing forward providing a more comfortable ride in the event there are only two passengers with a lot of luggage.” “We were so pleased with the EQV we purchased two more almost immediately,” says Jason. These arrived at the end of September and proved to be a real boon during the October fuel crisis – no need to queue for diesel!” What has really surprised Jason is the range of the EQV, which in real-world use is regularly much more than the quoted range of 213 miles on a full charge. “Initially we were very concerned with the practicalities of running these vehicles but, with everything that is going on in the world, we really wanted to start making the transition to a zero emissions fleet,” he says. “As you can appreciate with a range of only 213 miles and tank that can’t be filled up in a few minutes we have had to make a few changes to ensure we run these vehicles as efficiently as possible for not just ourselves but also for our drivers.” In practice, the drivers are regularly getting 250

NOVEMBER 2021

miles out of a single charge – and surprisingly as much as 294 miles in circumstances where heating and air-con are not being used. And the drivers who have been allocated the cars love them. One driver has had a 7kW charge point installed at his house, so the car can be charged overnight. Another driver has made himself into an expert on the locations of all the charge point networks in London – including finding a commercial charger just minutes from his home on which he can book charge slots. A third driver is based in Reading, and happily drives in to London, recharging to full in Hammersmith before starting his shift. “The driver factor was a big concern with the inevitable search for an available charging point and then long charging times eating into their day. But our drivers really took the bull by the horns and were amazing at scheduling charging times around bookings, locating the rapid charging points close to their pick-ups and creating a map of the most reliable, cheapest and fastest points which they shared with each other,” Jason says. “In addition, we started to get the infrastructure in place quickly to ensure vehicles are easily able to be recharged overnight. We have had two EV chargers installed at our office and one at the house of one of our drivers with another being installed at another driver’s house within the next few weeks. With charging points at driver’s houses there is very little effort and no disruption when it comes to refuelling.”

He adds: “The three drivers that are currently using the vehicles are extremely happy with them and with how easy it has been to run the vehicles, so much so we have other drivers asking when their electric vehicle is coming. It did help all round when we told drivers that they get 4 hours parking in Westminster for the cost of 10 minutes!” Belgraves has restricted the EQV use to London and the home counties. “There is no point in trying to use a 200-mile range vehicle to go to Manchester and back and risk the job going sideways,” Jason says. But the EQVs have been happily ferrying bookings as far afield as Oxford, Colchester and Portsmouth from Central London. “Until a longer-range version is released, we are retaining some diesel V-Classes on fleet to carry out long-distance bookings but as around 80% of our work is within London and the home counties the EQVs have been ideal machines for the job,” Jason says. Jason wants to electrify the fleet as far as possible – a BMW 745Le plug-in hybrid is on the fleet, and two Mercedes-Benz S580eL PHEVs are on order. He’d like a proper electric S-Class rather than the EQS, but says he will reserve judgement until he’s driven the new electric Mercedes flagship. So Belgraves is emerging from the pandemic wounded but still kicking- the losses of 2020 are quickly being erased. And the fleet is getting a major upgrade so the company’s future is not just brighter – it’s also cleaner.

QSi Shortlist 2021

Professional Driver QSi Awards 2021 – the finalists

ur judging panel has spent the past week going through all the

entries for the Professional Driver QSi Awards with a fine-tooth comb. And we’re delighted to reveal the final selection for all 10 categories. If you’re on the list, many congratulations – getting this far is a mighty fine achievement. Now we’ll convene the panel to choose our Gold, Silver or Bronze QSi Award winners. But the only way to find out if you’ve won is to book your place at the Professional Driver QSi Awards dinner on Thursday, November 25 – when we’ll announce the winners. It’s a great party and networking opportunity, and we’ll also be revealing the winners of Professional Driver’s 2021 Car of the Year Awards on the night.

The Shortlist Private Hire Company of the Year (1-80 vehicles) u Cabs Smart, Ipswich u Castle Cars, Tonbridge Private Hire Company of the Year (81+ vehicles) u 001 Taxis, Oxford u AAA Taxis, Potters Bar u Cam Cab, Cambridge u DG Cars, Nottingham u Need-A-Cab, Plymouth u Radio Taxis, Southampton u Street Cars, Manchester u Take Me Birmingham, Birmingham u Veezu, Newport

Chauffeur Company of the Year (1-10 vehicles) u Door 2 Door, Cirencester u Driven by Liberty, Manchester u Herts Executive, Welwyn Garden City u JRA Chauffeur Drive, Camberley u MET Chauffeur Services, Erskine u NI Chauffeurs, Belfast u Oracle Chauffeur Services, Westcott u Parkers Executive, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Chauffeur Company of the Year (11+ vehicles) u A irport Lynx, Cambridge u A Z Luxe, London u B elgraves of London, Sutton u D riven Worldwide, London u i Chauffeur, London u W heely Technologies, London New-start Operator u C abs Smart, Ipswich u C habe, London u L uxstar, Newport u N I Chauffeurs, Belfast u T ake Me Group, Leicester u T ake Me Birmingham, Birmingham

NOVEMBER 2021

Community Award u 001 Taxis, Oxford u C abs Smart, Ipswich u C astle Cars, Tonbridge u ComCab, London u D G Cars, Nottingham u JRA Chauffeur Drive, Camberley u Need-A-Cab, Plymouth u Radio Taxis, Southampton u S treet Cars, Manchester u Take Me Group, Leicester Marketing Award u 001 Taxis, Oxford u C am Cab, Cambridge u Castle Cars, Tonbridge u DG Cars, Nottingham

NOVEMBER 2021

u u u u

Radio Taxis, Southampton Street Cars, Manchester Take Me Group, Leicester Veezu, Newport

Environment Award u Belgraves of London, Sutton u Cabs Smart, Ipswich u GLH, London u Parkers Executive, Newcastle-uponTyne u Street Cars, Manchester Business Diversification Award u 001 Taxis, Oxford u Cabs Smart, Ipswich u DG Cars, Nottingham

u u u u

D riven by Liberty, Glossop H yride, London N eed-A-Cab, Plymouth T ake Me Birmingham, Birmingham

Professional Driver of the Year u K enneth Bond u D erek Cole u T om Hill u P eter Mangion u S tephen Philpot u J oe Tranter Details of how to buy tickets and tables, please visit this address for details: www.prodrivermags. com/qsi-awards-home/

road test

Kia EV6 GT Line RWD

The joy of six...

NOVEMBER 2021

road test

LECTRIC CAR SALES HAVE INCREASED SHARPLY OVER the past two years – one unforeseen outcome of the Covid pandemic has been a speeding-up of the switch to electric vehicles. At the forefront of developments have been the Korean car makers. Like everyone else, Kia and Hyundai have been playing catch-up with Tesla, but now, as they reveal their first ground-up EV designs, it’s clear that the gap has been closed. continued on next page

Mark Bursa

NOVEMBER 2021

road test

Kia EV6 GT Line RWD

continued from previous page

data price as tested warranty insurance group ved

£43,945 84 months/100,000 miles 34A A

performance powertrain transmission system power system torque

0-62mph top speed battery capacity recharge (0-80%) recharge (0-80%)

CO2 emissions electric range (WLTP)

Electric motor Single-speed, RWD 226PS 350Nm 7.3sec 114mph 77.4kWh 18 mins (350kW) 7hr 20mins (Type 2) 0g/km 328 miles

dimensions length width height wheelbase loadspace

4,680mm 1,880mm 1,550mm 2,900mm 490l (rear) + 52l (front)

The EV6’s flat floor provides rear seat occupants with 990mm of legroom, while front seat occupants have up to 1,078mm of legroom. Despite the EV6’s The EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated EV design. relatively compact exterior dimensions, no longer Earlier models such as the e-Niro and Soul EV than a compact saloon, its 2,900mm wheelbase is were electric adaptations of conventional cars, but longer than that of the Sorento SUV, the largest car there are no ICE options on the EV6. It’s the first Kia sells in the UK. This results in cabin space on dedicated EV of 11 new battery-powered models a par with a mid-size SUV. planned to be launched by Kia by 2026. The Kia EV6 shares its platform with Hyundai’s And with a combination of greater range, rapid charging, interior space and executive-level comfort, recently launched Ioniq 5, and the basic powertrain is the same. This means the EV6 has the same EV6 is an impressive next step for Kia. impressive rapid-charging ability as the Hyundai. EV6 comes with a choice of two powertrains: It’s capable of using the very fastest rapid chargers 226bhp RWD single motor or 321bhp AWD dual available – 350kW units – so it can recharge from motor. AWD models have two electric motors – 10-80% range in just 18 minutes. This puts the a larger 165kW electric motor in the back, and EV6 on a par with luxury EV supercars such as the a smaller 74kW motor up front, And there are Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, which are the three trim grades available from launch: Air, only other cars on the market at the moment that GT-Line and ‘GT-Line S, with a high-performance can recharge at 350kW. GT version to follow. There aren’t that many 350kW chargers yet – Being an electric car, it has been designed mainly on the Ionity network, in which Hyundai/Kia without the need for transmission tunnels or large has a financial stake – though more are being added engine bays. So the 77KwH battery pack is fitted to the network, principally on motorway services. under the floor, while the cabin can be optimised In context, these chargers are 100kW faster than with a relatively short nose. The overall look is of a Tesla’s 250kW Superchargers and around 15 times crossover, and this sort of profile – a taller stance faster than an old 22kW Ecotricity charger from the thanks to the low battery pack – is very much “the last decade. look” for a modern electric vehicle.

NOVEMBER 2021

road test For home charging use, a 7kW station will recharge the EV6 from 10% to 100% in 7hr 20min; a regular domestic three-pin plug will do the job in a painful 32 hours and 45 minutes. If you can only find a 50kW rapid charger on the road, that will charge the car from 10-80% in 1hr 13min. Adding 100 miles or so should take about half an hour. Performance on paper looks very impressive. The RWD EV6 can travel up to 328 miles on a single charge (WLTP combined cycle). With a power output of 226bhp and maximum torque of 350Nm, it can sprint to 62mph in 7.3sec and reach a maximum speed of 114mph. The AWD EV6 wipes a further 2sec off the 0-62 time, though it’s hard to see a justification for the extra power and torque for private hire purposes. The underfloor battery pack means there is no compromise on boot space either - EV6 has 490 litres of boot space with the second-row seats in place. The EV6 also features extra storage at the front – a front boot provides an additional 52 litres of storage space for RWD models and 20 litres for AWD models, which is big enough for a small bag or, perhaps more importantly, gives you somewhere to stash the charging cable without it getting in the way of the main luggage bay. The EV6 marries this practicality with a very stylish and modern interior. It’s minimal – though not quite into Tesla/Polestar territory. The dashboard comprises two 12.3in screens, with a slight curvature. Buttons are minimised but not totally replaced. Many of the systems, including the adaptive cruise control, can be controlled by steering wheel switchgear, but happily there are separate heater/aircon controls, so you don’t have to delve into the infotainment system to turn the heat up a notch. The EV6’s Shift-By-Wire rotary selector button is placed alongside the EV6’s starter button on the centre console. On the road, the EV6 feels a substantial, heavy car. Handling is extremely solid as you’d expect from a low centre of gravity and wheels at all four corners. It’s a very competent motorway cruiser, with almost no powertrain noise and a firm ride, with a slight tendency to pitch on bumpier surfaces. You can optimise your EV range by using the smart regenerative braking system. Operated by paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, you can turn up the level of recuperated kinetic energy across six levels. (the range is none, 1 to 3, ‘i-PEDAL’, or auto mode), depending on the desired level of energy recuperation. The ‘i-PEDAL’ driving mode allows the car to harvest the maximum amount of energy from its brakes, enabling the driver to bring the car to a gentle halt without needing to use the brake pedal. At any time, and in any mode, you can also hold the left paddle to initiate the maximum level of brake energy regeneration, slowing the car or bringing it smoothly to a stop.

NOVEMBER 2021

verdict

T’S EASY TO CALL NEW EVS GAME-CHANGERS, BUT SOME CARS SEEM TO DO MORE than others to move the game on and remove the nagging anxiety motorists feel about making the switch to electric. Kia EV6 – and its Hyundai sibling, the Ioniq5, are cars that fit the bill. We’re reaching the time when EVs are an integral part of manufacturer strategies, not an add-on. Indeed, the technology is already very robust in terms of motors, and how to package the vehicle. Battery technology is moving on, though, and the important parameters – range and recharging times – are going to be crucial. And this is where EV6 ticks the right boxes. Its recharging technology is as good as anything – 18 minutes for a 10-80% recharge on a proper 350kW supercharger. And 328 miles of range is enough to get you from London to Newcastle without stopping. On top of that, it’s a very attractive and well-made car, with bags of room for passengers and luggage. And with on-the-road prices starting at a shade over £40,000, it’s in the slot as a replacement for a decent diesel saloon such as a Passat or Mondeo.

road test

Kia EV6 GT Line RWD

EV9 next up as Kia looks to roll out more EVs Kia wants to electrify its range in double-quick time. EV6 is the first of 11 new electric cars – seven of them using the “EVx” branding – to be launched by 2026. By 2030, Kia hopes 40% of its annual global sales will be BEVs, PHEVs and hydrogen electric HEVs – that’s 1.6 million cars a year, and around 880,000 will be BEVs. The next EV model will be the EV9 – Kia has teased an image of the car, an MPV-shaped vehicle aimed squarely at the “mobility” sector – that means taxi and private hire is in its sights. It’ll break cover at a trade fair in Los Angeles later this month. Kia’s UK managing director Paul Philpott believes the company has already taken a lead over its main rivals though having three EV models in its range already. “Many of our competitors have only one or none at all,” he says. He believes the success of e-Niro will mean EV6 is taken seriously and will further enhance Kia’s credibility as an EV maker. “No-one questions e-Niro’s 282 mile range and we’re building on that with 328 miles on the EV6,” he says.

Kia has had strong demand for EV6 with 1,500 sold prelaunch with no existing user base. Philpott believes it’s a good option for private hire operators looking for a larger car than the e-Niro. “As a product with its capabilities it will be a great proposition for private hire users’ needs,” he says. Kia is a supplier to Uber via specialist suppliers such as Ottocar and Splend, using a number of dealers that are geared up to supply to the sector. “We’re not going to hold back, but it’s all about supply and demand. This year is all about supplying to the order bank – I’d encourage users to think long term and plan ahead,” he says. In 2022, Kia will be able to offer around 17,000 EV models across the e-Niro, Soul and EV6 ranges - about 18% of the total UK sales mix, with e-Niro taking about two-thirds of it. Doing the maths, that will mean somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 EV6s, so the supply situation should become clearer as the year progresses.

Kia Charge subscription brings down the cost of recharging Kia EV6 buyers can buy an EV charging subscription to a service called Kia Charge, giving widespread access to large numbers of charge points at discounted prices. Kia has introduced a new Ionity bolt-on to this service, opening the door to lowcost high-power charging for Kia EV6 owners. Kia Charge provides access to more than 20,000 UK connectors accessible from a single account – and more than 200,000 connectors across Europe. It provides access to several major charging networks, including BP Pulse, Pod Point, Ionity, Source London, Instavolt, Shell NewMotion, Osprey, Char-gy, and ESB. Several other networks, including certain regional services, are also available. Being able to access these networks via a single platform negates the need for drivers to sign up to separate accounts with multiple charging point operators. Once signed up, EV6 owners can start a charge via the Kia Charge smartphone app or radio-frequency identification (RFID) card. Instead of numerous individual transactions, payments are made via a single itemised monthly invoice. Kia Charge offers a choice of two fully flexible tariffs for all customers: Easy and Plus: EASY: u I deal for light users u O ne-off £1.99 charge to access the service and obtain RFID card u N o monthly subscription, £0.49 ‘session fee’

on most chargers (excluding BP Pulse and Pod Point) u U sers charged per kWh PLUS: u I deal for those who rely more heavily on public charging u £ 2.99 monthly tariff, with no up-front charge or session fees u U sers charged per kWh, but with 15% discount per kWh from most networks (except BP Pulse, Pod Point and Ionity) Every user can also add a BP Pulse bolt-on subscription to their Kia Charge account, costing an additional £7.85 per month. This subscription provides users with a discount of up to 40% when charging within the BP Pulse network, compared to the ‘instant’ charging rate. An Ionity bolt-on also enables Kia EV owners to access discounted rapid charging via Ionity’s high-speed 350kW charging network. With this bolt-on, Ionity’s 400 high-power charging points across 24 European countries offer the same discounted charging rates, facilitating low-cost rapid-charging on cross-continental drives. Available to Kia Charge users on either of two tariffs, the Ionity bolt-on costs £11.25 per month. The bolt-on reduces the standard charging rate from 70p per kWh by 64% to 25p per kWh. It also eliminates the 49p session fee, meaning a 10-80% EV6 recharge can be done in just 18 minutes and for just £13.55 when plugged in to Ionity’s ultra-fast charging network via Kia Charge.

NOVEMBER 2021

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road test

VW Multivan Style eHybrid L2

Seventh heaven

NOVEMBER 2021

road test

ne of the last new vehicles we travelled abroad to

test in those dimly-remembered pre-Covid days was a new version of the Volkswagen Caravelle, in VW parlance the “T6.1” version. This was an extensively facelifted version of the familiar Transporter-based MPV – the closest market rival to the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, but still very much a panel van derivative, for all its two-tone paint and well-appointed interior. continued on next page

Mark Bursa

NOVEMBER 2021

road test

continued from previous page

VW Multivan Style eHybrid L2

But the T7 we’re driving here is not part of that collaboration. This is a pure VW product, with a distinct identity and a new name – Multivan. Two years later, we’re in Frankfurt, looking at a What it doesn’t have is a van version. Multivan is a “T7” Volkswagen MPV – but all is not as it seems. The Caravelle T6.1 had a very short run in the range, passenger vehicle through and through, and its role is to provide a large MPV for the Volkswagen brand. as the T7 replaces it – though the T6.1 Transporter In this respect, it’s more of a replacement for the van will be around for some time yet, until it is now-defunct Sharan and Touran MPVs rather than replaced by an all-new van range co-developed a Caravelle successor. And it’s not the only MPV with Ford. lurking in Volkswagen’s future, with the ID.Buzz allFinally, the need for joint ventures and scale electric, retro-styled van due next year. economies have caught up with the two monoliths Volkswagen certainly sees some life in the MPV of the European van market – VW Transporter and concept, which in the past decade has been eclipsed Ford Transit – and from 2024, the two vans will by the SUV as the main high-volume family transport share a platform. Already the VW Caddy and Ford in most car ranges. But VW’s board member Transit Connect are built on shared mechanicals. responsible for sales and marketing Lars Krause said he thought the move toward electric vehicles data would see a return to less aggressive shapes on the price as tested £TBC road, with the familiar MPV providing a “softer” warranty TBC environment. ved TBC Krause also believes the internal combustion engine’s demise has been overstated. The UK’s performance decision to end petrol and diesel sales by 2030 is seen at VW as political grandstanding, and only powertrain 1.4-litre Petrol-electric PHEV the Netherlands has adopted a similar stance. transmission 6-speed DSG, FWD “This is not happening in Germany,” Krause said. system power 218PS “Volkswagen’s policy is to keep a foot in both system torque 350Nm camps. We will have a full electric range and a full 0-62mph 11.6sec conventional-engined range.” top speed 118mph Indeed, Krause feels the 2030 deadline might end combined fuel economy TBC up being extended, as the practical difficulties of an CO2 emissions TBC all-electric future become evident. He also points to electric range (WLTP) 31 miles developments in fuel technology, which could see “clean” petrol/diesel replacements that would give dimensions the IC engine a new lease of life. Indeed, VW is still length 5,173mm working on Euro 7 petrol and diesel engines, to meet width 1,941mm a standard due to be introduced in 2027. This work height 1,903mm would be pointless if the technology is only going to wheelbase 3,124mm have a three-year lifespan. Krause believes Euro 7 loadspace 763 litres engines will be around for a lot longer than that.

Which brings us to the Multivan. It comes with petrol and diesel engines, but the model of interest to the UK private hire world is likely to be the plugin hybrid. PHEV means London-licensable, though sadly TfL’s intransigence over seven-seaters means even something as clean and modern will still be landed with a £15-a day-congestion charge bill. Nevertheless it provides a high-quality sevenseater alternative, and one that can legitimately claim not to be a “van derivative”. It’s substantially lower than a T6.1 Caravelle – with an overall height of 1.90m, it’ll fit inside most multi-storey car parks, as well as offering much easier entry and egress for driver and passengers. At launch there are three trim levels: Multivan, Multivan Life and Multivan Style. There are three powertrain choices: two petrol and one petrolelectric PHEV. The petrol choices are 1.5-litre 136PS or 2.0-litre 204PS, both with a 7‐speed DSG gearbox driving the front‐wheels. A 2.0-litre 150PS TDI is scheduled for 2022, though it’s probably not going to come to the UK. The PHEV uses the powertrain of the Passat GTE, mating an even smaller 1.4-litre petrol engine to an electric motor, giving a 218PS system output, using a 6‐speed DSG box, again with front‐wheel drive. Pure electric range is around 30 miles on a full charge. The PHEV has a 13kWh lithium-ion battery mounted under the Multivan’s flat floor, saving interior space and lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity to improve handling. The charging point is located on the right-hand side of the front wing. The attractive two-tone paint that has been a feature of the Caravelle range for some time is carried across to the Multivan, and enterprising operators could actually adopt a “fleet” colour by specifying one of these – we particularly liked the black-over-red of the vehicle tested in the pictures. The “signature” launch colour is a silver-and-orange combo, and even single colour Multivans have a

NOVEMBER 2021

road test strong chrome trim line down the side, which has the effect of elongating the body. The Multivan has three powertrains and comes in two lengths, both built on to the same wheelbase. The 200mm longer body extension is all loadspace behind the rear axle, though it also allows the third row of seats to be positioned further back, giving more legroom if the vehicle is being used as a shuttle without the need to carry lots of luggage. Luggage capacity, roof-high aft of the third row is boosted from 469 litres on the short-body Multivan to 763 litres on the stretched version. While it’s not billed as a van, you can remove all the seats, which in long-body guise gives more than 4,000 litres of loadspace, giving flexibility to offer deliveries of bulky items if needed. The seats are all individual captain’s chairs – there’s no rear bench option. Everything is mounted on sunken rails in the floor, leading to a very flexible interior that is simple to reconfigure – second and third-row seats can be set in conference layout, and there is a new version of the VW sliding table that we’ve seen in the Caravelle. This slides back and forth and opens up into a full-width work surface, allowing two passengers to run laptops at the same time, for example. The flat floor has been made possible by dispensing with manual gearboxes and handbrakes – everything is now “by wire”. The driver’s position is a big advance on previous VW MPVs, with a crystal-clear digital dashboard comprising two 10in screens. There’s also a headup display, a first for a VW commercial vehicle. The gearshift takes some finding – it’s a simple DRN switch placed high on the fascia between the screens. This allows easier access across the front cabin without intrusion. The front cabin is a pleasant piece of styling too, with options including a “skater’s trails” formicastyle insert reminiscent of a 1950s diner, coupled with a choice of lighter, more airy colours rather than just the usual charcoal grey. An optional twopart panoramic glass roof allows plenty of natural light inside the car too. It’s a surprisingly nimble drive for a relatively large vehicle. While there’s not a lot of steering feel, the turning radius is tight, great for narrow city streets. Multivan is based on the VW MQB platform, so in terms of footprint, it occupies roughly the roadspace of a Passat: 5,137mm long for the stretch-body version and 1,941mm wide, excluding wing mirrors. The lower stance makes for a more comfortable driving position, and especially on the PHEV, the low centre of gravity gives a feeling of stability at motorway speeds. Fuel economy is decent if not earth-shattering. We achieved 36.7mpg on a mainly urban, 80-mile test route at an average of 21mph. Not bad for a heavy MPV, though this did include an 80% battery charge. As there was still 275 miles of petrol range in the tank, the figure for a 350-mile drive would be worse unless you could top up the charge en route.

NOVEMBER 2021

verdict

N VOLKSWAGEN’S EYES, TALK OF PETROL AND DIESEL’S DEMISE IS PREMATURE. THE UK’S decision to end sales of standard ICE engines cars in 2030 is seen as an outlier, not an indicator of pan-European policy. It’s certainly not on the agenda in Germany, and VW is bound to pay more heed to its domestic market than what it sees is Boris Johnson’s grandstanding in Brexit Britain. Thus vehicles such as the Multivan are still being developed and launched, as indeed are new Euro 7 petrol and diesel motors. Governments might make precipitous decisions, but car companies are more cautions, with good reason. And who’s to say that something won’t come along to force a U-turn on ICE? The government is no stranger to such manoeuvres. It’s a shame that the T7 wasn’t launched a little earlier – London operators are desperate for clean 7-seaters. However, TfL’s continued failure to listen to the industry about the need for a different approach on people-movers means this ultra-clean vehicle will be subject to C-charge if licensed as a London PHV. This might encourage London operators to wait until VW’s full-electric MPV hits the showrooms next year. But outside London, Multivan PHEV might offer a better bet, especially if you’re routinely doing longer daily mileages. It’s certainly a versatile and attractive vehicle, and we particularly like the availability of distinctive two-tone colour schemes. It’ll be available for UK delivery next March, and prices are expected to be in the £45,000- £55,000 region. Not cheap, but significantly less than the prestige market leader in the large MPV sector.

current affairs

Going electric is a part of the COP26 solution

OVEMBER HAS SEEN THE UK HOST the pivotal Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. It’s here that the world’s governments hoped to come up with new agreements to prevent a global climate catastrophe. The event was drawing to a close as we went to press, and nothing earthshaking was yet forthcoming… Decarbonisation of transport is a factor that is high on the agenda: According to the International Energy Association (IEA), transportation is responsible for 24% of direct CO2 emissions from fuel combustion globally, and the UK is higher still at 29%.

Nissan Leaf from almost a decade ago. And because of the surge in EV uptake – not only is the existing infrastructure now becoming oversubscribed, most EVs have a far larger battery capacity capable of much further range, (and needing to therefore charge longer) – which is why they also have higher rapid DC charging capabilities from 75kWh to more than 200kWh. Tim Scrafton So although new EVs are capable of both Founder and COO higher ranges and rates of charging, which should reduce 100+ mile top-ups and dwell of The Connect times down to around 30 minutes or less, they Consultancy still need suitable infrastructure to support this. Many local authorities are still struggling to IS NOW THE TIME TO SWITCH TO EVS? coordinate available funds into chargers on the ground in With record fuel prices continuing from the panic-buying urban areas in time to service your needs – ahead of their induced fuel shortage in October there was a huge surge in own CAZs. When it comes to charging infrastructure, all online searches regarding EVs. However many of you might options need to be explored, including work and depot still be asking yourself about whether energy costs will be charging, and this presents fleets with challenges but also affecting EV charging also? many opportunities. The fact remains that while both energy and oil prices A CHANCE TO DEFINE YOUR MARKET have spiked, the cost of charging an EV reflects much more favourably towards the total cost of ownership (TCO) in A new and developing market provides great opportunities comparative costs between EVs and ICE vehicles. to set new market standards and consumer expectations. EVs with ranges of more than 200 miles have now entered No longer being dependent on forecourt fuel pricing allows the market at mainstream prices, after which the running a more democratised consumption of energy and an ability costs remain in their favour, with zero road tax, 1% BIK tax for creating new innovative business and tariff solutions, (then 2% from 2022-24) and minimal maintenance schedules including options for customers to choose a green form of cab. and costs. Charging them at home can be done on off-peak But to achieve this, it will be advantageous for Courier tariffs from as little as 5p per kWh – and they crucially won’t and Taxi/PH fleets to develop partnerships and relationships incur daily clean air zone (CAZ) charges. with organisations such as ours that can design, deliver and While many might agree that the UK’s spending on green manage what is essentially an entirely new public mobility initiatives doesn’t quite match our ambitions, the urgent proposition. need to lower toxic emissions in congested urban areas in the WHICH FLEET STRATEGY SHOULD YOU EMPLOY? UK has already seen the implementation of CAZs in several major cities with more to follow. This leads to other key Commercial taxi/PHV fleet operations can mitigate the risk of considerations for those of you needing to consider the shift sole reliance on public charger reliability, availability and per to EVs. kWh cost with a tailored in-house strategy to minimise the need for public charging facilities. PUBLIC RAPID CHARGING EVs are fast approaching the moment where they redefine INFRASTRUCTURE – IS IT SUFFICIENT? your market. For fleet operators, it’s a great time to reThe punitive measures to dissuade polluting vehicles entering establish your name, presence and commitment to the cities and surrounding areas will expose the current amount environment and contribute to offsetting the climate crisis. of urban public-facing rapid charging infrastructure to a new It’s worth knowing for example that the 2021 budget level of use – including professional drivers using EVs. introduced a ‘super-deduction’ tax relief of 130% for company Many professional drivers – couriers, taxis and PHVs – investments on plant and machinery (available until the end would enter the CAZs daily, covering considerably more of March, 2023) supporting charging infrastructure, and miles than average drivers and therefore requiring rapid installation costs will also be eligible for this. charging top-ups every day. If planned smartly, EVs will become an increasingly more This demands reliable, available, and speedy public cost-effective and smart option. (or other) charging infrastructure. Unfortunately however, n Tim Scrafton runs the Connect Consultancy, providing more than 80% of public rapid chargers are still the same end-to-end strategy, insight, supply of EVs, chargers and installations. hello@theconnectconsultancy.com 50kW speed that was deemed sufficient to charge a Mk1

NOVEMBER 2021

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the knowledge

Do we want to be victims or victors?

HE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE most things is no, we don’t like it, it will never government is to invest £6.9 billion work, it’s not fair that is assumed to be our in local transport is welcome news in standard position. my view. A sea change from billions If Whitehall mandarins were to even being invested in roads and millions in transport consider involving the cab trade in a is long overdue. transport revolution don’t they think that this There is no point talking about moving people is just going to be hard work with no tangible out of cars and into public transport if fiscal benefits at the end? While that doesn’t make action indicates otherwise. But what is the it right, it is what happens. Dr Michael Galvin taxi and private hire industry’s response? Whereas the bus, freight, rail and other “Bah, humbug!…why not us?” industries go with proposals, with ideas, https://mobility That is a simple question to answer – how lobbying, persuading and generally bringing serviceslimited many papers, how much lobbying, and what costed solutions. You can be quite sure .com plans did the industry carry out or produce in they don’t get all they ask for but £6.9bn order to be included in the investment? Personally, I have is none too shabby! seen none. If I am wrong, I will apologise unreservedly So, the industry if it unhappy with being excluded has but my conclusion is that there has been zero effort exerted to ask itself – what do we want to be? Victims or victors? in this direction. The old maxim of “if you don’t ask, you Do we want to moan about what has happened and try don’t get” should not be ignored. and influence what will happen? Is the day-to-day trivia, admittedly many people’s comfort zone, more important LACK OF STRUCTURE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY than actually looking at how serious investment can be I make no apology for making a point I have made many made in this industry? How this industry can be sitting at times. This industry is not set up to be proactive, to horizon big tables talking about what will happen and what part we scan, to position itself as a solution provider. It operates on will play? the basis of fighting battles for lost causes. Battling against A STRUCTURE OR SOMETHING TO MOAN ABOUT? changes that have been considered, policies developed, consulted-on and quite properly made are what the industry The choice is very clear for this industry. Either the likes. This is an outrage, we are not standing for this, they industry puts something in place that will enable us to can’t do that, this is not fair. develop our policies, our proposals and our solutions and That’s the meat and veg of our representation. And the then to be able to professionally lobby to get the industry success rate by the way of overturning properly made four square on policymakers’ agendas or do we enjoy the decisions is pretty much zero! The adverse impact on age-old joy of having something to moan about and continue the industry’s credibility is immense. You don’t need to doing so? be Einstein to recognise that doing the same thing over Is it that simple? I am afraid so. Buses, rail, freight and over and expecting a different result to materialise is and community transport don’t have a divine right to madness. government money – they have to fight for it. Look at The bus companies, the light railways, community the freight industry and the amount of air time they got transport and other beneficiaries of the £6.9bn have not sat regarding the shortage of lorry drivers and the reaction of around at conferences listening to how their representatives government. No government agency is tasked with thinking have been arguing with the local council about the siting of about how taxis and private hire fit into public transport, a bus stop, whether the transport commissioner knows the what solutions we can provide, and how much we need to difference between a bus and a minibus and similar trivia. bring some of these ideas to reality. No, that is for individual No! They have developed draft policies, proposals, ideas industries to do. To champion their corner, to provide and costed solutions that Government can pick up and solutions, to stop thinking about the past and start to think implement. about where the cab trade should be in 5, 10, 20 years. There is a cost to getting a DO WE WANT TO CHANGE share of £6.9bn but there is OR DO WE WANT TO also a cost to not even trying. JUST MOAN? If you don’t believe me, it’s not Bellyaching, snivelling and a problem but please don’t waste moaning is probably therapeutic your time or mine moaning about for some but for policy makers, the lack of fairness, not governments, ministers and the to mention the lack of fares! like it is just plain boring and a n www.mobilityservices waste of their time listening to limited.com it. If the cab trade’s response to

“Balancing the needs of customers who want ad hoc services with drivers who want to provide services on an ad hoc basis is the secret of this industry...”

NOVEMBER 2021

the advisor

Do drivers still need accountants?

RE WE ACCOUNTANTS NEEDED? When this was discussed as the subject of my column this month, I was tempted to say “no”, retire and go fishing. But then I remembered that I don’t know how to fish. And secondly, we definitely are still needed. Once again, I am going to refer to the oncoming Hidden Economy Conditionality Laws. There have been a few industry get-togethers in the past few months, and of course as I write this I’m looking forward to catching up with you at Professional Driver’s QSI awards on November 25th. However, as I’ve spoken with many operators at these industry events, it’s clear that only a few have grasped the potential problems relating to drivers having to declare their tax status. Every tax pundit who knows anything about the taxi and private hire trade is pushing operators to offer tax solutions to their drivers, normally in the form of software. I want to speak out for accountants and explain why not using a proper accountant will be bad for your drivers and bad for you. THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH…

Firstly, from what we know, there will be five questions. Two of them will be: n Are you registered for tax? n How long have you had your license?

Compliance Check – Non-filing penalties HMRC says you’ll get a penalty if you need to send a tax return and you miss the deadline for submitting it or paying your bill. Sounds bad, no? But as they say in the films: “don’t panic!” Even HMRC’s own guidelines say you can also ask someone else to deal with them on your behalf, for example, a professional adviser. Gary Jacobs Obviously, guys, you know I love you lots, but I am not going to share in this forum, the strategies Gary Jacobs that accountants like us, use in these sorts of enruns Eaziserv, an quiries. That’s my tradecraft in the same way you accountancy firm have yours. specialising in However, there is a simple rule that any driver the taxi and private can follow to make sure the process is low impact: n HMRC are much nicer to deal with if you introhire business duce yourself to them than if they must come eaziserv.co.uk looking for you. n There are two states that a naughty taxpayer (or non-taxpayer) can be seen as. Let’s call it negligent or malicious with intent. Basically, it’s better to be mad than bad in the eyes of HMRC. So, with the right approach and a little forward planning, people like us can ensure low impact and full compliance. I can’t tell you the number of times a driver leaves our office after going into this process by saying; “it’s like a weight of my shoulders”. It’s all about the appropriate measures for the appropriate problems.

So Here are My Quick Tips on Conditionality Compliance: I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that n Build tax training into your onif the answers to those questions boarding. are: EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a sneak peek at the prototype of n Communicate to all your drivers n “I registered last Thursday” HMRC’s Conditionality page, showing the questions about their tax status. Some will be n “Yes, I have had my license for three drivers will be asked – and for which only straight resistant but use the right people to and honest answers will suffice. years” share the message. HMRC will be wondering why anyone n Bring in specialist HMRC enquiry would get a license and then not use it! back duty and failure-to-notify speThere are of course drivers where this cialists to make sure it’s ‘No Bigis genuinely the case, but for many drivgie’. ers, they would leave the trade rather n Be a helping hand and a listenthan go through what comes next. ing ear, their problems are mostThis is the process that a tax-unregly based in tax fear (which isn’t a istered driver goes through: thing). Compliance Check – Failure to notify HMRC says there are certain circumstances that affect your liability to tax that you must tell us about, and you must do so within certain time limits. If you do not do this, HMRC will call this a ‘failure to notify’. The circumstances that you must tell HMRC about include when you first become liable to pay tax.

NOVEMBER 2021

n Gary Jacobs is a director of

Eazitax, an industry specialist accountancy practice. He sat on the original HMRC Conditionality panel and is currently involved with the major trade bodies in The Conditionality Campaign. Eazitax.co.uk/conditionality #conditionalitycuppa

the negotiator

Dara’s flying visit

N NOVEMBER 2021, UBER’S BIG CHEESE have had to live with the effects of the hard graft Dara Khosrowshahi, flew into London. involved in minicabbing, have concluded “I will not He was apparently here to hold talks with put up with this”. Even delivering Amazon parcels is London Mayor Sadiq Khan over drivers’ less stressful than working for ride-hailing companies. rights and to pledge a 10% pay rise for drivers. As a trade union representative for drivers working Was this the real reason for this trip? Or did he have in this profession I am close to the situation that they other motives? I will attempt to answer. It is difficult face. Despite the earlier victory of the GMB against to know the ins and out of Uber, but the following can Uber (Uber BV v Aslam), the situation for drivers has, Dennot Nyack be gleaned from the financial traffic that I have come if anything, got worse. across: I have seen evidence of drivers being paid much The union view Uber has borrowed billions from a variety of venture less than £1 per mile on long trips. Obviously, this from our GMB capitalists, hedge and sovereign wealth funds across amount is halved as they have to return empty. representative the globe. Its ride-sharing division – minicabs to Uber had, even before the Uber BV v Aslam case you and I in the UK – continues to lose significant used some cute mechanisms to squeeze more money amounts of cash. from drivers, such as the Uber Pool. Uber is now using fixed fares for Many of their founders and early managers have already cashed in journeys instead of the historical distance and time calculations. their options and walked away with lot of moolah. Those remaining This means that, for example, a journey from New Cross to are looking for a return on their bet. Heathrow might be flagged by Uber as £x with a calculation that Uber’s punt on autonomous vehicles has hit a roadblock, very it would take 2 hours. If the driver encounters heavy traffic that much like their real life experimental vehicles. So, the plan for causes the journey time to be lengthened there is no increase in driverless vehicles is as dead as the proverbial Dodo. the fare. They still get £x. Likewise, if the driver decides to take a Covid has also brought about changes to driver recruitment and route that is longer by distance but shorter by time they still get the retention, as it appears that one effect of Covid is a driver shortage. original fare. This is not yet a perfect storm but must be causing concern to the A number of drivers have also told me that the fare that Uber venture capitalists’ fund managers. After all, their bonus depends quotes the passenger is not the fare given to the driver. So, Uber is upon them making money for their bosses. believed, for example, to quote a fare of, say, £10 to a passenger but When I worked for one of the “newly minted” technology platforms quotes £7 to the driver, and then has the cheek to take 25% from this (minicab companies to you and I), I was too busy to consider what lower figure as well. I was doing. I did not have the head space to think “how much Dara, plase clean up your act. Be transparent in your pricing, am I making from this?” or “where will all this lead?”. It was only don’t try to finagle the drivers and increase your rates by 100%. No after some time, when I had to sit down to consider my situation, amount of charm offensive at Soho House for Uber drivers (where following some health issues, that I calculated my financial was my invite?) will cut it. situation. He was quoted as saying at that meeting: “We need more of you, Taking into account the initial hire and subsequent purchase of so tell your friends!” He should have gone on to say, “...and we have a vehicle; the eye-watering cost of insurance; medicals; licensing; increased the fares by 100% and reduced our commission to 10%.” fuel, etc, that I realised that I was earning below the national I will also say to Sadiq “my father was a bus driver” Khan, our minimum wage. I was effectively subsidising a US multi-billion dollar esteemed Mayor, do not change the regulations to comfort Uber. If corporation. anything, bring about changes, through Parliament if necessary, This is a modern version of Robert Tressell’s The Ragged to the rates charged by minicab companies including Uber so that Trousered Philanthropist and I was Robert Noonan. I turned off there is a level playing field. the app, sold the car and returned to reality. I was lucky as I had —Dennot Nyack alternative sources of income. n Dennot is a AGM trade union member and was a former The Covid lock-down has forced many to reflect on their work representative of the GMB’s professional drivers. He is also an situation and life choices. This is true for the majority of ethnic author and broadcaster with a strong knowledge of the private minority drivers working for Uber and other companies. I can assure hire industry and an equality and diversity specialist. you that they, and their spouses/partners who have observed and email: dennotnyack@yahoo.com — mobile: +44 0740 625 276

NOVEMBER 2021

the insider

Work, drivers and gaffer tape

HE LAST TIME I WAS AT THE WONDERFUL fewer drivers means less competition, so more work for those Celtic Manor Resort I, along with nine other of us left in the game, undoubtedly. Except, we haven’t just V-class drivers, was waiting for President Obama’s lost poor or average drivers, have we? beast of an Osprey helicopter to land on the golf Within my small enterprise we have lost seasoned course, just as I was trying to hear someone on the other end professionals who represented our business as carefully of my phone telling me how they were about to kick me out of as if it was their own. So the choice is whether we are now my hotel room because it had been commandeered by some prepared to lower standards just to get the work covered with American journalist. drivers we do not know. Not on your nelly! “Don’t worry, we will move your stuff for you, you’ll now be Nicola and I sat down and discussed this and decided we Kevin Willis sharing with three other drivers,” she cheerily informed me. wanted to pare back our operation to enable us to keep our “Ok, what about the sex worker I’ve left gaffer-taped to the standards up where we felt they belonged. We put our prices bed?” Everyday problems up and even turned work down for the first time in over “Excuse me, it is hard to hear you?” she nervously from the operator’s twenty years. Quality over quantity! persisted. As an industry we should all be looking at this new dawn point of view... Anyone who was on the G20 shit-show back in 2014, as a great opportunity to overhaul the business. Rewrite and there were around 800 of us, can appreciate that this the licensing rules and make it tougher to gain a badge but impending hotel intrusion I was about to undergo would be have it more streamlined to operate within. We should be putting up and the straw that broke the hardiest of camel’s backs. I continued. “Normally I standardising prices, not cutting each other’s throat; if punters can’t afford pay by the hour but I’d managed to negotiate a daily rate which you are going our services or are reluctant to pay the correct price then let them catch a to totally screw up if you try to move her!” bus. Why should your pocket suffer? The poor girl panicked: “We couldn’t possibly move a sex worker , sir…” We need to formulate an industry body that sets the bar for driver service, I’d had enough. “Exactly, you don’t even know our safe word!’ I bellowed, etiquette and safety (including mandatory first aid training) and we need that “so don’t touch my stuff or I’m driving straight home to Kent and taking my across the spectrum of all professional drivers, from taxi to private hire to passengers with me as hostages…. kapish?!” chauffeurs and even those “bloody Uber drivers”. Many of you, I know, have recently ventured north of the border to assist Fresh eyes and ideas are needed to push this floundering trade through the with the COP26 climate change conference which, ironically, produced more next 20 years, a time when change is going to come as fast as at any time since hot air than a coal fired Beijing launderette ever could. I hope things ran a the invention of the motor car. These changes will be led by technology and, little more smoothly this time round? Currently I am a little out of touch with like it or not, the impact we have on the climate. the world of transport so missed the Scotland trip, having committed to work Our trade is crying out for more youthful minds to lead this revolution so on a film production until the end of January. what better time and place to find like-minded people (without the need to The work is consistent, paid weekly and so it was hard to turn down after swipe left or right) than at this year’s QSi Awards? the last year or so, especially as they feed me. Also, I’ve met some great This standout event returns after an enforced hiatus to the grand Celtic drivers on set as well as bumped into a lot of faces from the past who had long Manor Resort, Wales. You cannot miss the joint, come off the big bridge and since taken the decision to leave the corporate life behind for good. So, being look to your right for the massive H-Block prison like building perched up detached from the norm, it feels a little hypocritical of me to write under the above the M4. It does though contain one of the finest hotels in the country. heading of Insider being that, well, I am not…presently. Fully applauding the decision to relocate this year’s event away from the The other side of my business is returning thick and fast, both from UKcongestion of the south of England I want to wish all nominees a successful based clients and from overseas. Chirton Grange (me) has seen a sharp evening, whether that be with trophies or fresh connections made. upturn in minibus and coach enquiries as well as chauffeur bookings from The QSi Awards really are the biggest and best at celebrating our industry, those things we used to refer to as ‘tourists’ - a demographic we hadn’t heard a night to don the Tuxedo or ball gown (no one will judge your decision) and from in over 18 months but who now dare to fly back toward dear ol’ Blighty. party the night away. Above all, the QSi rewards those who have stood above To date, we are just about managing to balance both unit driver work and the rest in their particular field and, at the same time, brings together people the corporate side but only just as many guys, most of whom we have known who wouldn’t ordinarily have the chance to meet up face to face. and worked alongside for between 10 and 20 years, have gone. Lost to our That said, unfortunately I will not be attending this year for no other reason industry due to retirement or having to move into other avenues of work. than I committed to a work project and will look to honour that commitment. Though it has been a genuine pleasure to chat with the retired guys about Have fun, connect, share ideas and don’t forget the gaffer tape! their plans to now enjoy their grandchildren and the garden it has been as Kevin Willis co-owns Chirton Grange Ltd. Sex workers are real people too equally hard to hear how others have had to hand back vehicles, or worse, and should be respected or, if not, paid extra following mutually beneficial faced repossessions due to the pandemic. Tragic. negotiations. Gaffer tape condone the misuse of their product. Safe word is Listening to a news report last week on how the ‘taxi’ industry has lost Banana. around 160.000 drivers coming out of the Covid crisis I wondered as to how our industry goes forward after the crisis? Sorry, that is it, I wondered about it n Kevin Willis runs Chirton Grange, but failed to come up with any of the answers! contact@chirtongrange.co.ukw Well OK, deploying a cold, hard business brain to this issue could argue that

NOVEMBER 2021

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Articles inside

November 2021

Abellio plans to expand Catalina-based managed taxi service following successful Welsh launch

Uber adds Mansfield and Stockton operators to Local Cab network

Take Me brings together Plymouth rivals Taxifirst and Tower Cabs

news Bolt to let drivers set fares in bid to win drivers from Uber

Addison Lee to offer off-road charge points to drivers who cannot charge EVs at home

Taxi and private hire driver numbers down by more than half, says LPHCA

Profile

COVER STORY

QSI 2021

Road Test