Over the past few months, Taxi Leaks has posted a series of articles regarding chip and pin facilities available from companies such as Cab:App, iZettle and more recently PayPal. In the interest of fairness, it was decided to published reports on all options available, as what suits one driver, doesn't always suit another.
The hand held machines we have featured so far, have publicly stated they fully comply with current TfL requirements and advertise this fact in most of the trade media.
However, we have recently received information from one of the major suppliers of card payment equipment, that there are certain new requirements still to be announced by TfL in April 2016. It is alleged that some current machines may not comply with the new requirements.
We have therefore decided to suspend all articles and links to equipment suppliers.
We strongly advise drivers to wait before purchasing new machines, or signing lengthy new contracts, until it becomes clear exactly what the new requirements are and which systems will comply fully after April 2016.
These allegations could of course be unfounded, but we still believe until it becomes crystal clear, making a financial investment in new equipment, or signing a contract, should be treated with caution.
7 comments:
Knowing TFL it will be a requirement that excludes all competitor card reader suppliers from operating against the supplier that TFL chooses to share its bed with! Why doesn't TFL take an interest in the dodgey oversea ph app merchant accounts that get hacked!
It is unacceptable, if true, that final requirements will be announced as late as April. As I understand it, the fitting of equipment in the rear section of taxis will start to become mandatory from April when they are presented for re-licensing; also, TfL has announced that all taxis must be CC compliant by October.
The uncertainty that this trade is facing is not being addressed properly and it is our fault. This should be the main thrust of all the organisations that represent the drivers. I appears that the TfL consultation only received around 450 responses from the trade itself. No wonder, then, that this trade is being pushed around.
Anti-competitive agreements
Chapter I of the Act and Article 81 of the EC Treaty
prohibit agreements between businesses that prevent,
restrict or distort competition or are intended to do so.
The way TfL are going about this, they will be left with one supplier, perhaps this is their ploy. Drivers have plenty of current choice, trust TfL to bring in measures that will leave Heathrow drivers, seriously aout of pocket, as a time when we're doing up to 6 hours in the Park. This is meant to start in April, when will clear advice be given?
Anon 4:21 Has laid the egg. Now it's upto the clueless brown nosers to use this information on Twitter. #Agelneptustar is so obviously Boris Johnson and guess who is accommodating Johnson altered ego... Non other than the fifth columnist TFL mediator.
As several people on here have posted previously 'be careful what you wish for'! No doubt a lot of these people pushing for cc machines, were the same ones who looked forward to the time we would no longer be under the Met, via the PCO - well that worked out well didn't it!
If anyone thinks this situation is coming about because of concerns to aid the travelling public, they are living in cloud cuckoo land. If that was the case, the well known app brigade would have been stopped at the first hurdle. If it does go through (and it looks like it is going to) why does any unit have to be authorised by anyone? As long as a driver can prove that they have and use a bona fide cc machine, what business is it to do with anyone else. I can't recall any law that stipulates the use of certain (& fixed) units in any shops, etc. However, then again, I don't recall any law that states a small business has to take cc's, unless I'm mistaken. Basically, cc units are big business & there is a lot of collateral on offer, as the main prize. Although, call me a cynic but I can't see any of this coming our way & more likely pockets will be lined elsewhere by this - as normal it won't be the driver (or customer) that benefits.
(Also, - although a cc user- can the sniping of drivers not using machines stop. Nobody knows every individual's situation & life history & part of the jobs attraction is the freedom of choice. We're all drivers together, although, looking at twitter it appears some should be hung, drawn & quartered for only taking cash! Taking cards will be an asset but I think many are deluded if they think everyone will return to us en masse because of this.)
According to Helen Chapman this morning, it's still not finalised and may not happen. Ha ha ha pull the other one Helen it's got bells on. When I suggested to her that tfl have done a deal with a card equipment company and that's why it's being forced onto us without any real consultation or democratic vote on if we actually want it because of that, she denied it but her body language said something completely different. It looked to me like she'd been caught with her hand in the biscuit tin.
Any rise we get is demonised by the media and when this goes through, we get an extra 20p on the flag, which is supposed to pay for the transaction charges. Surely that means people who don't want to pay with a card are being penalised for yhe few that do.
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