Taxi Driver Protection

The safety of the taxi drivers is a key issue within the industry as the job takes them to some places that can be dangerous and also the great variety of people they have in their vehicles can also cause a threat to the driver. Over the last few years attacks on taxi drivers have become more and more frequent; this is why the security measures with in the vehicles have had to be increased accordingly.

One of the most secure taxis in the modern taxi world happens to be one of the traditional cars used the 'London Black Cab'. However, unlike the old traditional cars used for the service the new ones have many security features below are some examples and their purpose.

• Most have a large plastic screen behind the driver separating the driver from the passenger. It has a hole just large enough for the exchange of cash meaning there can be no physical contact between the passenger and driver if any violent behaviour were to occur. This was developed not long after attacks on taxi drivers started happening more often and has worked extremely efficiently. Unlike a lot of other safety systems this system is fairly cheap in price but great in performance.
• Some have an auto door lock system that causes the doors to lock automatically when the vehicle is stationary. This stops people being able to run out on the taxi driver with out paying the fare when stopped in traffic or when he has pulled over at the end of the journey. This system varies in price depending where you have the work completed but is still very effective for the price as it stops you loosing money in the long run, so still an advisable investment. Your best option is to shop around as there are many places through out the country that offer the service, just make sure they are fully licensed to carry out the work on your vehicle.
• More drastic safety measures such as security cameras are being installed into many cabs especially cabs that don't have the dividing screen. Basic systems can cost around 600 but provide the taxi driver with evidence or is a great help if the person isn't caught straight away to act as a way of identifying the person responsible. They are advisable pieces of equipment to own if the driver is working in particular areas where crime is high or there is a large, varied population.
• There are some taxi drivers that have installed a type of panic alarm so if they are attacked or wish to have assistance they push a button that sets off an alarm out side the vehicle so any one nearby knows the driver is in trouble. There have even been ones developed where the taxi driver can personalise the alert with a voice over stating that the person in the car is being attacked. These are fairly cheap systems although with there not being a great amount in action at the moment their effectiveness is still to be proven, many trouble starters are scared off in general just by the alarm being sounded.

These safety measures are a small price to pay for the protection of drivers from some of the dangers faced when on the job. With the chance of having to deal with violent intoxicated people it is advisable to have at least one of the safety measures in place before driving through the night as that is the prime time for trouble to start.

Taxi Equipment

There is certain basic equipment that taxis require before being able to drive as a working taxi. There are a few basic pieces of equipment that would make the taxi drivers life more difficult if he were not to have most of these items are listed below:

• The meter - If the taxi driver were not to have one it would make it difficult for them to judge the correct amount to charge for a certain distance travelled and the customer would also feel uncomfortable as they would not be able to see how much it will cost them. They were first developed in 1891 by a German inventor and have since been developed and have increased the ease of the job for taxi drivers.
• Two way radios - These are most common in taxi firms with a office where people phone in for a taxi to collect them. Once the person has booked the taxi the operator in the office will then look on the system to see where the nearest taxi driver is to where the person needs picking up. They will then call the person over there radio system and give them the details of the job. These have helped the taxi drivers as they don�t need to go back to the office to find out their next job.
• Top light - Different taxi firms tend to have different coloured or shaped top lights to other companies. The top lights main purpose is for the benefit of the customer as if it is turned on it lets the customer know that taxi is unavailable where as if it is turned off you can hail it down. They are also beneficial to the driver in the way that they help customers realise they are available so creating business for them they may not have got other wise.

As well as these basic pieces of equipment many taxi driver are using more technology in their taxis to make their lives easier such as:

• Navigation systems - There are different types of these systems most of them are GPS (Global Position System) they help the taxi driver find their way around an area they may not be too familiar with. There are so many on the market today it is advised that you look at the reviews of different brands, you can find many of these reviews on the internet.
• Computer communication system - These systems are helpful to the taxi drivers because they arrange different buttons to correspond as different locations so instead of calling in they simply have to press the button for the location they are passing through at that time and it informs the operator on where they are. Also different jobs come up on the screen so if a taxi driver is sent a job through the system he can either accept or reject it.

Due to technology with in car electrical products developing all the time the equipment going into taxis is always improving. For more information on specific products for taxis there are plenty of places online with information, reviews and price comparisons.

Taxi Service and Maintenance

Although many taxi drivers may use average looking cars there are strict regulations that the drivers/owners of the vehicle have to adhere to when maintaining and having the vehicle serviced. As with buses they are providing a public service so there fore constantly have to be up to the standards or they are not legally allowed to function as a taxi, this is the case in Britain of course the maintenance standards vary in different countries. In Britain they have some of the stricter guidelines to follow for example they must carry a fire extinguisher, have enough boot space to carry a wheel chair, have no less than four doors etc. The maintenance standards are just as strict as the vehicle specification but there are many garages around the UK that specialise in servicing taxis below are some of the checks that need to be done in the servicing of the taxis:

• The seat belts are a key component in ensuring the safety of your passengers so it is always advisable to check them regularly, and they will be checked fully with the inspection of the vehicle.
• The windscreen and other windows These are inspected for the strength and stability of the glass used they all have to ensure the windscreen is properly fitted and has no cracks or chips out of the glass as this weakens the glass dramatically. They also prefer it if you use safety glass as this shatters into pieces of glass that won't cause any cuts if broken, meaning if you were to crash the passengers would be at less risk to severe cuts.
• The wing mirrors and interior mirrors These are checked as a safety measure and it is ensured that all mirrors on the vehicle inside and out are visible to the driver at all times while in the driving position. They also check the controls for altering the wing mirrors while inside the vehicle and check the rear view mirrors can be adjusted easily if knocked out of alignment. Also it is to be checked they are not cracked or chipped in anyway.

As well as these checks on safety parts there are also the standard MOT tests for the vehicles to pass, if not it will be put out of service until its problem is fixed. It is also checked for standard of appearance like the paint work not being chipped. American taxi firms also put their cabs through the American car service, and check for any faults with the outward appearance as well as inside as it represent the firm. These checks should be carried out regularly and the vehicle should be serviced at least once every six months.
As well as the vehicle being serviced taxis require a different kind of insurance to normal vehicles as they have to have additional cover for the passengers. As there are many insurance companies for normal drivers there are now many companies that specialise in taxi firms insurance, making it quite a competitive market.