Posted: Tuesday, 24 June 2014
Police officials in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Cambridgeshire have joined forces in a new programme intended to crack down on rogue taxi drivers who are not operating in compliance with the law. The campaign, which originated with the Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit, will spend the next several weeks checking on private taxis and hackney cabs.
News reports say the aim of the campaign is to make sure drivers are complying with licence requirements. Whenever a vehicle is stopped, police will be checking for mechanical defects as well as licence compliance. The unannounced spot checks will be carried out by officers at their discretion.
One official from Hertfordshire said that consumers have the right to expect that taxis and hackney cabs are safe to ride in. The official also said that in order to ensure that this is the case, officials have to take action against owners and drivers who are breaking the law. The only way to do that is through the spot checks.
Hertfordshire Police and Contact Commissioner told news outlets:
"The public needs to know that when they get into a taxi in Hertfordshire, that the vehicle is maintained to the correct legal standard and that the driver is a safe person to travel with. By taking this kind of action 'upstream', we can protect people from harm, stop them becoming victims, and make Hertfordshire an even safer place to live for everyone."
The action being taken by the three counties in the South East provides a perfect example of why you, as a company owner, need to take every step to protect yourself and your business. It provides a perfect illustration as to why you need the services of a company like Fleet Licence Check.
We can help you protect your company by providing regular driving licence checks on all your drivers. Our service enables you to always know that the licences possessed by your drivers comply with the law. Having this knowledge does a number of things:
Not paying attention to your drivers and their licences is a recipe for disaster. For example, a taxi company allowing drivers to work illegally could be held liable in the event of an accident. And if caught during the unannounced spot checks, a violation for the driver could result in penalties for the company employing him as well. It is not worth risking your business by not regularly checking your drivers.
Fleet Licence Check has been faithfully serving clients in the UK since 1987. We currently manage a portfolio of 50,000 vehicles and undertake approximately 20,000 licence checks annually. The services we provide protect both our clients and the public at large from drivers that should not be on the road.
Our licence checks will expose the following:
If you would like to learn more about how we can help your company, we invite you to call us at Fleet Licence Check. Make sure you and your drivers are always protected.
Source: The Times