TAXI MAG NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION MAGAZINE
INDEX I WELCOME
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I CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW LIFE MEMBER: MR LAWRIE BRAMLEY
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I ANNUAL TAXIFED CONFERENCE PICTURES
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I SAY HELLO TO OUR NEWEST MEMBER
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I CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL OBER DRIVER SERVICES
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I Q&A
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I CHRISTCHURCH GEARS UP FOR THE ICC CRICKETWORLD CUP 2015
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I EBOL A - SHOULD YOU CARE?
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NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION
WELCOME W
elcome to the Spring edition of the Magazine. During the quarter we held our annual conference at Wanganui. I would like to congratulate the team at River City Cabs for organising such an enjoyable event and ensuring the weather turned it on for us. The conference was well a ended with 90% of the ATOs represented and a mix of tradi onal and new sponsors. Survey results indicate that there is room for improvement, especially with respect to the content presented and its relevancy to the larger companies. This is an area that is already being worked on for next year’s conference in Christchurch.
A restructuring of the Executive and the Local Branches to be er represent the reality of the local membership.
Nevertheless, from the discussions some definitive points were raised and we will be submitting various documents to the members for their due considera on:
CONFERENCE SYNOPSIS:
The admittance of Private Hire into the Federation under the same conditions as that of Taxis e.g. high standards, accountability, philosophy of excellence.
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Greater communica on and representa on of the Small Companies By undertaking this internal restructuring, we hope to make the Federa on far more approachable and relevant for the members. It should also facilitate much improved communica on.
Welcoming address – The importance of looking at things from the customers’ point of view and raising our game. The Federa on is just as guilty and is in the process of a complete overhaul. We will be relaunching our website shortly. The website will not only match the expecta ons of today’s users but will also provide much needed information about the industry, the
MAGAZINE II 2014 changes occurring around the world and informa on regarding new product. ATO’s will also be able to seamless order their day to day requirements on line. Guest Speaker – Design, Delight, Deliver! Analysing and understanding the 100s of “touch points” that customers use to judge us. The damage that a poor experience does for a company as a whole and the recogni on that in Uber, we are up against a master in Customer Experience. Uber – Whilst clearly a threat, today the company is causing havoc within the second er companies and we are not witnessing a no ceable change in our day to day business. However, neither is Uber having an easy ride regardless of its propaganda. Already many customers are not happy with the service and many of the drivers are not finding it as profitable as promised.
M O V I N G F O R WA R D :
Please understand the importance of your role in moving forward as a “Preferred Partner” of Auckland Transport. Driving practices that are considered in viola on of specific trial rules or inconsiderate against other motorists will count against the company whilst proper e que e will lead to greater and greater public recogni on of our quality through increased privileges.
BUS STOPS ARE SACRED GROUND BE IT 10PM OR 2AM AND T H E S T R E E T S A R E D E S E R T E D . Y O U S T O P O N A B U S S T O P, REGARDLESS OF YOUR REASON, AT YOUR OWN PERIL
CHRISTCHURCH – ENGAGED The Federation has made submissions to the Transportation plan for the next 5-years that if successful could lead to trials and opportuni es for many drivers to earn a guaranteed income during the off-peak hours. Whilst we are at very early stages the ini al response has been encouraging.
In the last few weeks, the Federa on has reached out to a number of Poli cal and Governmental agencies:
Cricket World Cup and Fifa Under 21 Soccer World Cup. Christchurch has a generous alloca on for both events that will see it showcased around the world. The Federa on is again ac ng as the lead facilitator AUCKLAND – ENGAGED between the industry and the various government We have had extremely posi ve conversa ons with departments to ensure that the games are a success Auckland Transport regarding the for everyone. We will look to rights of Taxis. It is fair to say that undertake this role in all cities the actions of the Taxi industry where this tournament is being There is held. as a whole has left Auckland Transport fairly exasperated change in – hence the recent heavy On this note – be excited! These the air handedness surrounding parking events come round once in a Blue tickets. The Federation is now Moon and you only have to ask embrance it heading up a Steering Commi ee people in Christchurch what it was like NOT being involved in the to represent the whole industry regarding a trial allowing Taxis to rugby world cup to understand use Gra on Bridge. The outcome of this trial will result how lucky we are to have these events. Let alone in tradi onally off-peak periods. I would also ask straight in two major policy shi s: away for your co-opera on in complying with any and For those taxis that comply with the rules – further all transport regulations surrounding these events trials will be offered e.g. bus lanes, rapid transit even if they may not lead to a personal advantage. lanes to the airport, increased taxi ranks etc. There is change in the air for our industry and For those taxis that break the rules – they will be working WITH policy makers will only lead to greater excluded and have their privileges removed. opportuni es for TAXIS later.
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NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW LIFE MEMBER: MR LAWRIE BRAMLEY
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awrie’s associa on with the Taxi industry began in the 1970s as a driver for the New Plymouth Taxi Society ltd. He steadily rose through the ranks to owner/operator before becoming a member of the board. It would be fair to say that when Lawrie Bramley commits to something he does it with a dedica on and affec on second to none, so when the company had some financial issues, it was Lawrie that acted when the bank would not. Today, New Plymouth Taxis is able to concentrate on growth and the maximisation of Taranaki’s
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privileged geographical posi on. Lawrie con nues to be passionate about the industry, the standards and expecta ons that both New Plymouth Taxis and the Taxi Federa on uphold and is an ac ve spokesman for the smaller centres. It is a great pleasure to be able to bestow Life Membership to the Federation on a person who epitomises what the industry represents.
NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION
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MAGAZINE II 2014
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NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION
SAY HELLO TO OUR NEWEST MEMBER W
e’re delighted to welcome into the Federation, Whitestone Taxis from Oamaru. Owned and Managed by Murray and Liz Bell since 2001, the company has undertaken a number of radical changes and explored new business opportuni es as it adjusts to the ever changing reali es of a mid-sized town in New Zealand. Murray, Liz welcome to the Taxi Federation and congratula ons. Tell us a li le about yourselves:
Oamaru, like many of New Zealand’s smaller centres has seen migra on to the ci es, how have you coped? Diversifica on is key. We have always been plagued by low usage during weeknights, and to counter this we nego ated a contract with the Otago Daily Times to deliver their bulk papers around shops and motels, and some home deliveries. Then, in 2006, we gained the contract to operate Oamaru Airport. You mean operate out of Oamaru Airport?
First of all thank you for invi ng us. We are delighted to be part of the Federation and the philosophy it encapsulates. It has been hard work but we are thrilled that it has been recognised. When we purchased Whitestone 13 years ago we took the decision to own the business and vehicles whilst employing drivers on a wage plus commission basis. This model remains the basis of our organisa on today and we run 9 vehicles, comprising three 11-seater vans (2 with wheelchair access) and 6 cars.
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No! Operate the airport. The contract covered all aspects of traffic control, the marshalling of aircra and the maintenance of a clear runway from birds and other wildlife – hence the shotgun on the Balance Sheet!! It also catered for passenger delivery to and from the airport and lost luggage. However, when Air NZ pulled out of the service at the end of 2009 our income dropped substan ally and we could not hide from the fact that night work was uneconomical.
MAGAZINE II 2014 So what happened next? Basically, by 2011 we were treading water! A culture of apathy had been allowed to pervade our staff and we were sick of con nually having to check and follow up on drivers to ensure the basic expecta ons were being a ained. It was at this point that we stumbled upon a website that offered business coaching for small companies and even highlighted exactly the problems we were facing. We weren’t alone at the mee ng and over the following 12-months our business coach taught us the tools to measure and monitor staff and business performance and to regain control. The improved accountability and monitoring we achieved more than paid for the fees we were charged and we began to enjoy working again.
Once we had control over staff and costs we could take steps to increase revenue. Amongst other things we inves gated the delivery of local mail during the quiet night mes u lising our exis ng vehicles and staff. It took some convincing for us to take delivery of an item for 70 cents seriously, but once we did the research, the numbers began to look more and more a rac ve. Given that NZ Mail was taking up to a week to deliver a le er across the street, support from local business was strong. Today, we are delivering between $3,500 and $4,000 worth of mail per month and just scratching the surface whilst all the me u lising our night drivers and providing a 24/7 taxi service. Currently our stamps and pre-paid envelopes are for the local area only but plans are underfoot for these to be nationally recognised, adding a poten ally significant revenue stream. It is clear that staying on top and being economically successful requires clear goals, business objectives and an ability to think outside the box to generate new income streams. Should any of you wish to get in contact with Murray regarding some of the things he and his team are doing feel free to call on 03 4341234 or email murray@whitestonetaxis.co.nz
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CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL SOBER DRIVER SERVICES Dermot Harris from the Transport Agency, reports on the efforts by his team and the Police, to stamp out illegal sober driver services in Dunedin.
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arlier this year the Dunedin based Access and Use team from the Transport Agency, combined with the local Police, to clamp down on an emerging safety problem for young people in Dunedin, wan ng to get home a er a night out on the town. Through Social Media sites such as “Facebook” people are advertising paid rides home under the guise of an illegal “Sober Driver” service. It is proving popular in Dunedin with the Facebook “Sober Driver” group having over 2,000 members. Using modern communication technology such as
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smart phones, the providers of this illegal service post on social media that they are available to provide li s, and users can contact them by tex ng for pick-ups. The issue was first bought to the attention of the Transport Agency by taxi drivers no cing the growing prac ce of people offering to drive others around the city for cash. Taxi drivers say social media posts and even brazen kerbside cold-calling are at odds with industry regula ons, and could put people’s safety at risk. Some of those offering this illegal service were boas ng about making between $200-$400 a night. Taxi drivers were also seeing a rise in unmarked private motor vehicles being brazenly used to collect farepaying customers from taxi stands and outside events. The “Sober Driver” providers are starting to cut into the incomes of legi mate taxi driver, especially
MAGAZINE II 2014 during busier Friday and Saturday night periods. Although Taxi drivers are ge ng increasingly frustrated by the squeeze on their income, they are just as worried about the safety of those using these illegal taxis. Young people using an unlicensed service don’t appreciate the poten ally high risk of accep ng rides with strangers, who they o en know nothing about. Random checks made on those offering this unlicensed service reveal some are potentially disqualified drivers, only have restricted licences, while a few had two drink driving convictions. The mechanical safety of vehicles used in these services is unknown to the passengers, in sharp contrast to the high mechanical standard that has to be met by legal taxi operators. It’s also disturbing to see the number of young females being picked up by strangers, with some involved in this “Sober Driver” scheme, drinking and this has real potential to put the driver and passengers in vulnerable positions.
licensing rules is to ensure the safety and security of the public when they step into a taxi. Since the warning le ers were issued, several joint enforcement opera ons have been carried out to pickup those s ll involved in offering this service. A number of the suspected drivers along with their passengers were stopped and spoken too. Vehicles were also inspected, and ordered off the road in cases where they failed to meet Warrant of Fitness standards. Although these operations haven’t established sufficient evidence to prosecute any of the unlicensed operators, we will be monitoring the situa on. This group have been informed and warned that their ac vi es are unlawful. The Transport Agency and the Police will take the appropriate enforcement ac on where there are strong enough grounds to prosecute. Both the Transport Agency and the Police thank Dunedin taxi drivers and approved taxi organisations for their on-going support.
Since the Agency became aware of this issue it ’s been working closely with the Police, SADD (Students Against Drunk Drivers) and the Taxi Industry to formulate an action plan. Police and Transport Agency had begun an investigation that identified nearly 60 people who were believed to be involved in providing these illegal services. While there had not been sufficient evidence to prosecute, those involved were put on notice by Police and Transport Agency staff. Over a two-week period recently, Police personally visited 46 drivers connected with this service and delivered them warnings. In many cases, those involved were young drivers with no idea they were breaking the law, and most said they would not be doing it again. Similarly, many of their parents were unaware, but fully backed our actions. Anyone considering offering such a service to make a ‘quick buck’ without the proper cer fica on should think again. The operation highlighted the need for people to take care when choosing a passenger service. One of the main reasons for the
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NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION
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MAGAZINE II 2014
Q&A
On the back of our approach AT has agreed to look at ckets for those that can provide documenta on that they were ac vely picking up and/or dropping off clients. Par cularly disabled passengers BUS STOPS ARE SACRED GROUND – If you park in a bus stop, even at 2am, you should expect no mercy. Q: Our driver has been fined for carrying a child without a car seat even though the caregiver was a ending? I thought it was the Caregiver’s responsibility.
Q: Our drivers are being hassled by both Police and NZTA regarding seatbelts. I thought taxi drivers were exempt. A: There is an argument that drivers are exempt from wearing a seatbelt when hired because it prevents the possibility of them being strangled from behind by an assailant. This is a MYTH!!! The law states that drivers are only exempt when plying for hire (defined as: when the top light is lit). Strangula on is not an issue in cars today as any rapid movement will jam the belt in the extractor. Opinion: The results speak for themselves. Unsecured people have died at crash speeds of 30 km/h or suffered severe injury due to airbags exploding etc. Given that there is no reason today NOT to wear a seatbelt and new Workplace Safety rules coming into force next year may require seatbelts to be worn, the best thing you can do is start buckling up!! Q: There has been a huge increase in both cke ng and refusal to waive parking ckets recently. How are we supposed to drop people off in Auckland CBD if we are being fined? A: We have made contact with Auckland Transport over this and there has been a blanket wide increase in li gious ac vity. This is a result of the blatant disregard of Taxis in general to traffic and parking e que e and our members have been caught up in some of this ac vity.
THERE ARE THREE ISSUES TO BEAR IN MIND Currently, the ability to differen ate between “good” and “bad” Taxi companies does not exist so everyone is treated the same. However, AT agrees that our members are not the true culprits.
A: You are correct as long as the Taxi is hired (ie. The persons being carried can be proven to be fare paying passengers). See the rules below
LAND TRANSPORT (ROAD USER) RULE 2004 7.6 Driver must ensure passengers under 7 years use child restraint A driver must ensure that, while the vehicle is in mo on on a road, every passenger under the age of 7 years is properly restrained by an approved child restraint appropriate for that passenger. 7.11 ExcepƟons to applicaƟon of requirements relaƟng to use of child restraints and seat belts (5) The requirements of clause 7.6 do not apply to a driver (whether imposed in respect of himself or herself or any child), or to a passenger in any vehicle, if the driver— (a) is driving a passenger service vehicle in which no appropriate child restraints are available;
As discussed in the Conference, it is good prac ce, a point of difference and good advertising for your company to have car and booster seats available for the public if and when requested. It may also lead to more market opportunities opening around schools etc if parents who work know their child will be correctly strapped in if taking a taxi.
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CHRISTCHURCH GEARS UP FOR THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2015 16
MAGAZINE II 2014
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s the opening of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup is now less than 100 days away, cricket fever is beginning to capture the imagina on. The worldclass Hagley Oval venue renovation was completed this year and is set to become a great success with its in mate se ng sure to be a winner with fans and players alike. Warm-up matches featuring leading na ons such as South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe is sure to whet the appe te of cricket fans ahead of New Zealand’s tournament opening match with Sri Lanka. The tournament starts on 14 February 2015 with the opening match of the Cricket World Cup between hosts New Zealand and Sri Lanka, taking place at Hagley Oval. With an expected global TV audience of over one billion, Christchurch is set to be centre stage for what promises to be truly global event. Two more pool matches take place at the famous venue featuring two of the tournament favourites England, who take on neighbours Scotland, and Pakistan who take on the flamboyant West Indies.
The renovated Hagley Oval will stage the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Cup is going to create real fes val atmosphere here in Christchurch and I’d encourage everyone to get along to see the World Cup Trophy that our Black-Caps will do ba le for next year.” The Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour arrives in Christchurch on Saturday 22 November from 10am to 2pm at Burwood Park, where a family-friendly fun-day will provide the opportuni es for fans can get their photo taken with the Cricket World Cup and pitch their cricke ng wits in the ‘Skill-Zones’.
Ahead of the tournament the Cricket World Cup trophy is coming to town and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the visit to signals the start of a great 2015 for Christchurch.
On Monday 24 November, the Trophy Tour arrives at The Commons (Gapfiller site at the corner of Kilmore and Durham streets) from 6am to 10am, where some special guests and performances from our diverse mul -cultural communi es will welcome the Trophy Tour into the city.
“With the Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour coming to town and this is a great opportunity for all of us in Christchurch to get out and show the people of New Zealand and the world how excited we are to welcome one of the worlds biggest sporting events. The 2015 ICC Cricket World
www.icc-cricket.com/cricket-world-cup/trophy-tour/ new-zealand-tour provides more information on the trophy tour, including the full schedule and videos of previous tour events.
CRICKET WORLD CUP MATCHES WHEN
WHAT
WHERE
Match 1 – Pool A
Saturday 14 February 2015 - Day
Sri Lanka v New Zealand
Hagley Oval
Match 10 – Pool B
Saturday 21 February 2015 - Day
Pakistan v West Indies
Hagley Oval
Match 14 – Pool A
Monday 23 February 2015 - Day
England v Scotland
Hagley Oval
WARM UP MATCHES WHEN
WHAT
WHERE
Warm Up 1
Monday 9 February 2015
New Zealand v South Africa
Hagley Oval
Warm Up 2
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Sri Lanka v South Africa
Hagley Oval
Monday 9 February 2015
Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
Lincoln Oval
Wednesday 11 February 2015
New Zealand v Zimbabwe
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NZTF II NEW ZEALAND TAXI FEDERATION YOU on the front line and in the path of any infec ous disease.
EBOLA / SHOULD YOU CARE? The simple answer is “Yes!” because it is a ques on of when, not if, an Ebola infected visitor arrives to these shores and as taxi drivers that service international airports, you are poten ally the first New Zealander that any incoming visitor will spend some me with. This puts
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However, there is little cause for alarm. The biggest difference between Ebola and Bird Flu for example, is that whilst Ebola is highly infectious it is NOT highly contagious. Simply put, this means that if you have Ebola, your chances of dying without suitable treatment are high. However, in day to day circumstances, you can be around a person infected with Ebola and are unlikely to catch the disease. Transmission is via infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects e.g. blood, syringes etc. It is not an airborne disease. This was reinforced by a recent episode in New York when Dr Craig Spencer, recently returned from treating Ebola cases in Africa, rode the subway and went to a bowling alley before going to hospital feeling ill and subsequently diagnosed with Ebola. Not a single person he had contact with since his return to the States (including his partner) has since reported ill. Happily, Dr Spencer appears to be recovering.
CONTACT US LEVEL 3 93 BOULCOTT STREET PO BOX 1778 WELLINGTON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: ROGER HEALE ROGER.HEALE@TAXIFED.CO.NZ DDI: 04 499 0611 / MOB: 021400719 ACCOUNTS: DEIRDRE DOYLE ACCOUNTS@TAXIFED.CO.NZ