MountviewNews Easy as ABC How Roger, our editor, easily signed up to Gett
Autumn 2016
Welcome to our Gett Readers By Roger Sligo WELCOME to our first fully online issue of Mountview News, where we are joined with our new family of Gett drivers for the very first time. If this is the first you have seen of Mountview News then a warm welcome to you. Mountview News was first published many years ago; the name comes from Radio Taxis earlier telephone number MOUntview 3232 and the “Mountview” name has stuck to us ever since. Mountview News ceased publications for a few years in the early 2000s and was re-launched as a printed quarterly publication back in is 2010, when I then h t n i e t e p became the editor. and com “To survive dern world, the taxi As a taxi driver many years mo ng else, for i h t y r e v e I found other e k industry, li ove forward and publications to must m ology.” be full of doom n h c e t n r e d o and gloom, in embrace m fact many drivers avoided reading trade papers because they found them depressing. I was keen to help produce a magazine that was full of interesting things about the taxi trade and our workplace – London! I wanted a magazine that your family could also enjoy reading – in short a magazine for everyone, even for some of our clients to enjoy. Every driver on both Radio Taxis and Xeta would receive the latest copies through the post. We now have over 11,500 within the Gett family so we thought we’d try doing an online version. So here we are experimenting with our first online only production, although most of our publications have already been available online for some considerable time. If you go to: https://issuu.com and search “Mountview News” you will find many of our backdated issues there. We also have a monthly online news sheet called E-View Magazine: http://eviewmagazine.com which goes all the way back to the first issue in August 2009. Whether you’re one of our regular readers, or one of the new first time ones, I do hope you have an enjoyable read. If you would like to add feedback, then please email: MVN.online@eviewmagazine.com
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THINGS HAVE CHANGED Sometimes we all need to look around us to see how quick things are changing. Just when we think we can’t possibly advance any further something else is invented, which normally makes our lives that much easier. I remember when I first got into photography in the early 1960s, buying expensive rolls of films, going into a cupboard, processing the negative film, into another darkroom with a red light because of the sensitivity of the paper to light, and with the help of an enlarger printing off the pictures. If you got it wrong – out of focus or camera shake that was it! Today we can take our pictures on mobile phones and digital cameras and instantly check on the results. We can send images around the world in mega seconds with almost zero costs.
Talking about phones, how many people under the age of twenty even remember dialling a number instead of tapping one? I remember in the 70s renting (yes you could only rent from General Post Office GPO in those distant days) a new trim-fit phone, just like the ones in the now cult TV programme “The Prisoner.” For many years things were slow to change, but all of a sudden we seem to have leaped forwards at an amazing pace. Nowadays people are not prepared to wait, they expect an instant service. To survive and compete in this modern world, the taxi industry, like everything else, must move forward and embrace modern technology. I will admit that I was slow to get started with taxi apps and I only got slightly interested when Gett acquired Radio Taxis, but also felt a little left out when I discovered that my own iPhone was incapable of downloading the Gett app.
“Where to Guv?”
EASY AS ABC – SIGNING UP TO GETT With the help of drivers’ services I was to discover that I could buy and download the app on a 7 inch tablet, the screen for me is much better to read than a smaller mobile phone would have been. So I picked-up my new tablet from Dan Ellis, before I went on
to attended the drivers forum, where Chairman Geoffrey Riesel, was discussing the way forward for the taxi-trade and our new Gett partnership. I followed this with
everything went like clockwork. Something else I discovered is that the built in Google sat/nav, guides you to the exact pick-up location and to the destination automatically directing you, which is of great help, especially if you are caught out in unfamiliar territory. Once the passenger was onboard my taxi and it was just like any other radio job. Even though this was during the quiet summer months I found the work was still coming out. After completing my first few jobs I felt like an old hand at it. Welcome to the 21st century everyone!
G3T IN THE RIGHT NUMBER PLATES
my Gett app training with four other drivers; Jerry, Simon, Alkin, Berry and our teacher Joel. The lesson was thorough with Joel explaining everything in great detail and we all seemed satisfied and ready to go.
MY FIRST GETT JOB On my next working day I logged onto the app and went off to work. I was offered a couple of jobs on the app, but I was a little hesitant and ran out of time. Then I was offered a job, a commercial account, just yards from where I was. I accepted and arrived in an instant. I must say
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I’m always amazed and bemused at how some registration plates can be jumbled around to spell out whatever you want to say, or who you are, with a little bit of clever adjusting! I used to pick up Fiona Richmond, one of Paul Raymond’s famous pin-up models who had a pink E-Type Jag registration number FU2. Recently I parked next to a car with the registration plates which should have read: G3 TTN – but the top of the second T was made a little smaller to look like the letter I – G3T IN which could look good on a taxi. But I thought that it might look even better for our Gett CEO Remo Gerber’s as his car registration plate, with both the two Ts as they should be – G3TT N – the only problem is what can we do with the N – maybe use a couple of black screws placed in the appropriate place – thus: GETT :N? – Only kidding! Roger Sligo.
The Annual Mountview Challenge Cricket Cup By Alan Franks
THE fourth Annual Mountview Challenge Cricket Cup took place at the London Post Office Sports and Social Club in Harrow on 7th July. As usual we invited our clients and potential clients to this event where the clients match their cricket skill against our staff. The clients once again were the winners however it was a very enjoyable evening to the background of a steel band called tropical heatwave. Luckily the weather was good, and the refreshments which included a hog roast and general barbecue for all, was absolutely delicious and went down well with everyone. The event gives us, on an annual basis, the opportunity for staff to mix and get to know our clients in a social setting, which of course can be good in strengthening our relationships and it helps to underpin the work we get from the customers in the long run. Following the match there was an awards presentation which included the best batsman and bowler awards and then the presentation of the Mountview Challenge Cup to the captain of the clients team. For the rest of the evening we mingled with the clients and had a thoroughly good evening. A good time was had by one and all. Alan Franks.
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The Post ‘Brexit’ Taxi Industry By Geoffrey Riesel HOW will it affect us or indeed, will it affect us?
LONDON’S OPEN FOR BUSINESS?
Mainland Europe does not just supply London’s waiters, nor just our plumbers, nor our chippies and it doesn’t just give us construction workers either. It does, however, also provide many of our bankers, our architects, our designers and our lawyers. These people have, over many years in the corporate taxi business, as well as on the streets of London, been our customers. The uncertainty in a post Brexit world, is can
A GLOBAL BUSINESS CITY
London hold its place as a leading global location in which to conduct business? In the short term, the drop in value of the pound has meant that there has been a mini surge in business, as our exports currently represent, to foreign buyers, the equivalent of around a 10% discount. Will this be translated into business travellers who use taxis? Well of course it will partly depend on whether our trade is able to move around a dreadfully congested city, a city in which the planners, from the previous administration frankly let London, its businesses and commerce in general, down.
The Mayor of London has declared that “Devolution is necessary to protect London in face of Brexit” “A greater devolution of powers to London is needed to protect jobs, wealth and prosperity in the wake of Brexit vote,” Sadiq Khan says. The mayor went on to warn that “it would be impossible to protect Londoners from the economic fallout of leaving the EU without more autonomy for London government.” Speaking at a London devolution summit, the mayor called for an ambitious settlement for London, which would give City Hall and the boroughs more control over taxes raised in the capital and public services. “This is all about protecting Londoners’ jobs, wealth and prosperity and providing an extra incentive for economic growth,” he said. “Now is the time for us to raise our ambition and unite as a city to call for greater autonomy for Londoners.” After all, Londoners actually voted to Remain. Colin Stanbridge, the chief executive of the London chamber of commerce and industry, said further devolution would benefit both the city and the UK.
EMISSIONS, FUEL DUTY AND TAX Some of the issues that will affect us all, for example, regulations on the single market versus freedom of movement, regulations on emissions and pollution, regulations on financial services on tax, on fuel duty. Whether any of
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the heretofore subsidies will continue or not? The biggest debate of all is around the free movement of EU workers, something our city has benefited from. Successive governments have struggled to deal with this issue. And there is no doubt that even the strongest Brexiteers want us to do a deal with Europe. Yet even our greatest allies in Europe (Angela Merkel for example,) says that “there can be no access to the European market without accepting the principal of free movement.” It’s what Joseph Heller wrote about in his famous political and antiwar satire “Catch 22.” Any volunteers to do the negotiating?
THIRD RUNWAY So how will it all affect us in the taxi trade? It certainly seems that this administration is also prepared to be more supportive of the beleaguered taxi trade. That his administration wants to level a very uneven playing field, if that turns out to be so then the trade should lend its support. One of the most pressing issues which has and will cause London to lose ground against its competitors is the airports question, (Schiphol and Frankfurt for example,) the anxious inertia caused by “NIMBY-ism” – Not In My Back Yard) of David Cameron’s government to implement the Davies report which conclusively affirmed that London must have either a third runway at Heathrow, or a second one at Gatwick. Over the six years of that administration Cameron dithered to pander to his own West London MP’s who despite the fact that Heathrow creates huge economic and job security, especially for West London, they pressurised him do a complete U-turn on what
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had been previous Government policy. The lack of a decision by the Government on additional runway space, is a sign of a nation turning in on itself. It’s over 70 years (the 1940’s) since the last new runway. This is not the signal, if UK PLC is to be open for business, that we need to send to our potential trading partners worldwide, is it? I think that in terms of many of the Brexit issues, particularly in the longer term, it is however, far too early to tell. Those Brexit zealots who triumphantly proclaimed, a day or so after the vote, “see we’re OK!” when they saw the share market stabilise, are doing what we used to call “counting their chickens.” There’s a very long way to go yet! Similarly those who predicted financial “Armageddon” have also thus far not yet been proved right either. The truth is, no one actually knows! The unpredictability of something that has never happened before, with all of the consequential risks and threads that run through commerce and trade, that flows through our laws and through our daily lives; much will depend on the skill of the negotiators and of course the mood of those on the other side. Is it possible to negotiate a non-adversarial divorce? Well in a few cases perhaps, but in general, the emotions of those who feel rejected is a powerful one. And yes that could have an immense bearing on what follows. Apart from all of the other issues that are currently affecting us, such as Uber, congestion, pricing and many other concerns which London Mayor Sadiq Khan has proclaimed that he will work on, such as his pledge to “quadruple the number of officers responsible for tackling touting and other illegal activity by minicab and taxi drivers;” the trade will have to wait, like everyone else to see how successful we are in getting all sorts of deals done particularly in respect of the EU, mainly because it’s never been done before? Sorry, but we shan’t know for some time yet. Geoffrey Riesel.
Station Road Closes By Gordon Brown FOR those of you on Gett who don’t know what Station Road was, it was for almost two decades, Radio Taxis Driver services and mobile data equipment maintenance centre.
A FANTASTIC NEW DEAL FOR DRIVERS But now moving forwards we can announce that a fresh permanent solution has been agreed with VeriFone. We have negotiated a new deal where any running repairs for Radio Taxis drivers will take place at VeriFone Media, Camberwell New Road, London SE5 0TA. Opening hours: 8am – 5pm weekdays. Don’t hesitate to contact our Driver Services team on 020 7272 2626 who will book you in.
It was the place that if you were on Radio Taxis and had a problem with your Data Terminal you’d get it seen to there. Also when you changed your cab, or if you had an issue, it was a pop-in centre and it’s was where you’d get tea biscuits and sympathy from the girls, Tracey, Sandra and Yvonne. We also held many a driver’s forum there as well as having trained almost all of the drivers in its vast area. Not only did drivers learn how to use the Mobile Data equipment at Station Road, but also how to act as a good Radio Driver. So we are sad to announce that on the 19th August 2016 Radio Taxis drivers’ services based at Station Road Tufnell Park, closed its doors for the last time after nineteen years. Our feedback from drivers has always indicated that the staff there were most helpful and the engineers, generally got glitches fixed quickly. The main reason for closure was that the lease was due for renewal and the “inflation” on a probable new rental period was in reality, uneconomic. Of course, coupled with the changes taking place, our moving to an App based system, has meant that the cavernous building was far too substantial for our future purposes. Drivers Services was temporarily located at the North London Business Park in the interim. Dan, Joel, Tracey and the girls, have as always, been available on the phone to deal with your queries and they still are. And I know we all want to wish the staff from Station Road well and to thank them for having done a really superb job.
The Old London General Site This new arrangement will be from Monday 19th September 2016. VeriFone will, before too long, (once your Pathfinder kit is decommissioned) also be installing a new less bulky and more modern Chip and Pin system in your taxi, (yes without the bulky box that’s in the front!) and it will be standalone separate from your Gett app. And the best two bits of news for Radio Taxis/Xeta Drivers are that; 1): Your 5% charge will now reduce to 3.95% for all transactions so it will cost you less and… 2): You will in future be paid directly for Chip and Pin credit card transactions. If however you are already a Gett driver (but not a Radio Taxis or Xeta driver) and if you don’t have a fixed chip and pin machine, and thus you must now have one fitted to comply with TfL/Taxi PH Directorate regulations there’s a special deal we’ve negotiated for you, in place, with VeriFone – where they will fit it for you, free of charge and you’ll get the same 3.95% low rate as well. You will also receive the benefit of direct payments from VeriFone. To take advantage of this brilliant deal, call Gett driver services.
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We’ve created two Gett Fleets – giving the best work to our best drivers By Remo Gerber ONE of the main questions we’ve faced as we bring the Mountview House Group into the Gett family is how we integrate Radio Taxis and Xeta drivers with our existing Gett fleet. Simply creating one large group of all Gett, Radio Taxis and Xeta drivers competing for the same work didn’t seem to make much sense; we want to give our best work to our best drivers, rewarding those who are committed to accepting and completing a significant number of app / radio circuit rides and to providing a great service, especially to our valuable corporate clients. That’s why from 26th September there will be two fleets of Gett drivers: Gett PREMIUM and Gett STANDARD. Gett PREMIUM drivers will be offered Gett corporate account work (which is typically 50% more valuable than regular work), as well as corporate account work from clients of Radio Taxis and Xeta, currently being migrated onto the Gett app and away from the Zeus terminal. Gett STANDARD drivers will not be offered corporate account work – just regular rides hailed via the app. This means that PREMIUM drivers will get more rides, and they will be worth significantly more on average. In other words, PREMIUM drivers should end up with more money in their pockets at the end of the day. All Radio Taxis and Xeta drivers are the bedrock of the PREMIUM fleet and they will automatically become part of it; we will top the group up with a small number of Gett’s very best drivers. This is because there is already a significant amount of work available in this group now and we need to ensure it is all covered properly. PREMIUM has a subscription of £6 per week and all rides (including fixed fares) will be charged at exactly the same commission rate: 10%. The only charge to pay in addition to those fees is VAT. We are currently in the process of migrating clients from the Zeus terminal to the Gett app; Zeus will eventually stop working altogether. But in the short term it’s really important that you run Zeus and the Gett app alongside each other simultaneously, and keep accepting jobs on Gett – they will increasingly be the jobs that you previously accepted via Zeus. They will also be Gett corporate jobs, as well as rides from the general public hailing via Gett. Any remaining jobs via Zeus will be paid at the existing rate for those jobs via your current account until they stop. We’re continuing to spend millions of pounds on marketing and, as customers increasingly want to use apps to book cabs (and everything else), ensuring that work stays in black cabs thanks to the Gett app, and doesn’t all go to Private Hire. Together we are building a fantastic service for our clients, with a real focus on the valuable corporate accounts from Gett, Radio Taxis and Xeta. We are nothing without our drivers so thank you for your patience as we’ve brought the fleets together, and once again we’d like to welcome you, but this time to Gett PREMIUM.
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Curiosity Corner Roger Sligo on the mysteries of hidden London
The ‘Shame of London’ THE Admiralty, home of the Royal Navy, was designed by Thomas Ripley in 1726, it was the first Government building designed for a specific purpose. It is where some of the greatest naval battles like the Battle of Trafalgar were planned. The body of Lord Nelson spent its final hours resting here before the funeral procession to St Paul’s Cathedral. But even with all these glories, for the first fifty-years the Admiralty buildings was known as the ‘Shame of London.’ Every guide-book of London written before 1820 called the building ‘a disgrace to London.’ But why was this building made into such a laughing stock and why did they want to hide it behind a screen wall designed by Robert Adam in 1761? If you take a close look at the Admiralty building you may notice that the iconic columns are taller than you would expect them to be. When Ripley designed the Admiralty the columns were
the right height for the building, but this meant the triangle over the columns would be level with the top storey. The Admiralty were not happy with this as the columns would block out sunlight and cost more for oil lamps, so Ripley was told to make his columns taller. Ripley, understanding the correct height of classical columns protested, but he was overruled by the naval officials and had no choice other than to comply with their wishes. The Admiralty, once it had learned its mistake, could not demolish the building – the only thing left was to cover it up! One guide-book published in 1806 said: ‘Never were such strange pillars seen. No building in London ever suffered from such a strange frontage as this.’ Just another tale to tell your passengers next time you’re stuck in the traffic outside! Roger Sligo.
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Roger Sligo asks: WIN £25 “Where am I?” *
“Where am I?” This month’s picture clue (above) should be a bit easier to locate, just a couple of feet from a taxi shelter. The toes are a little odd shaped; perhaps they belong to someone not of this world! If you want to win a £25 M&S voucher, all you need to do is send an email with your answer to: MVN.editor@eviewmagazine.com
OUR Where Am I contest had no winners for the spring 16 issue, so the summer issue went to a roll-over of £50 worth of M&S vouchers. I am pleased to say that our first correct email was sent in by Dave Randell (K032) who wrote: “I believe it to be at 20 King Street, where King meets Gresham Street, with the little cherubs more or less facing the Guildhall, just past St Lawrence Jewry church.” You are absolutely right Dave, as the full picture of the frieze (above) is revealed just above the first floor windows. Some of the clues in the last issue consisted of a T-junction where some cabs are not working. The Piccolo Bar is just a bit further up the road in Gresham Street.
Or send by snail mail to: ‘Where Am I Contest’ Mountview News Editor Mountview House Group Limited Suite 100 – Building 3 North London Business Park Oakleigh Road South London N11 1GN Good Luck! Roger Sligo.
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BREAKING NEWS…STOP PRESS…BREAKING NEWS… STOP PRESS…BREAKING NEWS… ■ Reminder to be ready for the new TfL requirement that all
London Taxis accept credit card and contactless payments
TfL has recently issued updated guidance on its new licensing requirements that all London taxis accept credit card and contactless payments. By 31 October, all drivers must demonstrate that they have the ability to accept card and contactless payments, and provide printed receipts for those payments upon request. The full details can be read here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/13-16-prepare-for-mandatory-card-and-contactless-payments-in-taxis.pdf Any taxi found not to meet the requirement could be issued with an unfit notice, which will remain in place until the requirement is fulfilled and the vehicle is presented for inspection. TfL radio adverts promoting the acceptance of card and contactless acceptance in taxis will launch on 31 October and it is hoped that the universal provision of this service will help to win more work back for Taxis.
■ Gett calls for action on congestion in London The Greater London Assembly Transport Committee has recently begun an investigation into traffic congestion in London. It has issued a call for written evidence and begun to take evidence from expert witnesses. Gett has submitted written evidence to this inquiry stressing the importance of more being done to tackle congestion in London. The main focus of our submission was that there is a need for more road charging and that a priority is to apply the congestion charge to Private Hire Vehicles. Gett also stressed the public policy reasons for exempting Taxis from the congestion charge. This includes the licensed taxi industry’s specific regulated services including full wheelchair and disability access, regulated fares, highly trained drivers, credit card acceptance (from October 2016) and ever increasing new environmental standards through purpose built vehicles.
■ Mountview Chairman Geoffrey Riesel becomes Deputy
Chairman of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry We are pleased and proud to announce that at the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (LCCI) recent AGM, Mountview Chairman, Geoffrey Riesel, was unanimously elected as Deputy Chairman of the LCCI. Geoffrey has been a member of the LCCI board for many years and a member of its Audit and Risk committee. The objective of the Chamber is to assist businesses in London, both large and small. To help businesses network, to lobby Government both local and national, to improve the business climate conditions. The Chamber also leads numerous trade missions to foreign shores, helping London companies to export goods and services. The London Chamber has been very supportive in talking to the Mayor of London to get his support to raise standards of Private Hire in the Capital. Geoffrey said “I am delighted at my appointment, and I will do my best for all of us in the business community in London.”
THE MOUNTVIEW NEWS EDITORIAL TEAM IS: Roger Sligo: Editor & Photos • Penny Cuckston: Administration • Geoffrey Riesel: Board Production Graphics & Page Layout: ©2016 • DC- Graphics • 020 8440 1155 • www.dc-graphics.co.uk Content: ©2016 • Mountview House Group Ltd • North London Business Park Oakleigh Road South • London • N11 1GN • 020 7272 0272 • www.mvhg.co.uk The information and images contained in this Newsletter are subject to copyright. Unauthorised use, disclosure or copying without prior written permission from Mountview House Group Ltd is strictly prohibited.
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