A good friend of mine picked up a fare and as is often the case on a longish journey they got chatting. Apparently, the fare works for TfLTPH. My friend asked the fare about the clamp down on hand held CC units.
The fare said they knew about it and said it was instigated by the CC companies, who installed the hardware for free or below cost and are not getting the promised return.
So they have put pressure on tfl with a threat that they will move out of the market and remove all their machines, as they are not making much money from the venture.
My friend told the fare that insisting I use a mandated CC machine at a charge of up to 6 times the charge of the lowest available, is likely to breach trading laws.
They agreed and said:
“There is a bit of panic about the whole situation at Palestra towers”.
They also told him that meetings with trade bodies are basically no more than gossip sessions, and nothing is ever done as a result.
Ironically, at the end of the journey the fare paid in cash.
𝐓𝐀𝐗𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐓:
So there you have it.
TfLTPH are in a right panic over what’s happening, as the CC system suppliers are threatening to pull out of the market.
If this happens, they will have no alternative but to swerve and allow hand held units of your choice, which is something they should have done at the outset of the mandate.
I think the most worrying thing about this whole episode, is the fact they admitted, little notice is taken from meetings with the trade representatives about any issues we may have.
At least the cabbies in Liverpool had the sense to rebel against the mandate in 2019. Not Luddites, just good business sense.
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