Member Article

Maiden Voyage to LA - the safest way to travel

A Newcastle taxi firm has teamed up with a global women’s travel network to ensure that their passengers stay safe while travelling. The pioneering initiative follows a series of high profile cases where vulnerable people have been assaulted leading to a number of arrests throughout the North East and South Yorkshire.

LA Taxis was established in 2009 after a merger between Ace and Lansdowne Taxis, two of Newcastle’s oldest established firms with a combination of nearly 50 years of history between them. LA is now one of the North East’s driving forces with the largest fleet in Newcastle and a solid reputation for customer safety, customer service and leading edge technology – all of which have been put to good use to safeguard its passengers.

In partnership with Maiden Voyage, LA Taxis have produced a set of guidelines for their drivers to make sure that women and vulnerable passengers remain safe while travelling. Maiden Voyage is a voluntary organisation that looks after the interests of women travellers all over the world particularly with regard to safety in hotels and on public transport. Many people feel vulnerable out on the streets late at night and LA Taxis have pledged to provide a safe haven which will take their passengers home safe and sound every time.

Maiden Voyage’s North East representative, Lizzie Adamson-Brown is well qualified to comment on the safety of travellers as she also runs her own independent travel consultancy, Travel Counsellors.

“My role with Maiden Voyage is to look after the interest of female travellers by making sure that hotels and transportation systems are safe places for women to use. I’m really impressed by LA Taxi’s initiative to look after any one that may be classed as vulnerable.”

As part of the Maiden Voyage assessment, LA Taxis demonstrated their commitment to customer safety to Ms. Adamson-Brown.

LA Taxi’s Business Development Manager, Paul Aiken emphasised how important customer safety is to the firm.

“All of our drivers are licensed by Newcastle City Council and have undergone training prior to the issue of their license. They’ve all been fully vetted, including the completion of a criminal disclosure form. Our vulnerable persons service is available to anyone who wants the extra reassurance that they are travelling as safely as possible and will get to their destination,” said Paul.

The firm has introduced a number of procedures and technological advances to protect their customers including a new App. The App helps to reassure female passengers as photos of the driver are sent to the customer’s tablet or mobile device upon dispatch of the taxi. In addition, the App pinpoints the customer’s exact geographic position and accurately predicts the time taken for the driver to arrive. Even before dispatch, security is taken seriously with all telephone calls recorded both digitally and on paper for added security. Calls can be retrieved and listened back to if necessary.

“As well as the technology we’ve introduced simple but effective procedures for our drivers to follow in certain locations such as standing outside the taxi as the passenger approaches to heighten the feeling of safety. Likewise, our drivers will not drive away until our female customers safely enter their destination and close their door, “said Paul.

The next stage in the protection of their passengers will see LA Taxis investigating the possibility of installing micro cameras inside the Taxi to give passengers that added feeling of security.

After the inspection by Maiden Voyage, Ms Adamson-Brown was delighted with the positive attitude towards safety shown by the taxi firm.

“Travelling by taxi with a relative stranger is a particularly vulnerable situation for women travellers to find themselves in. That’s why we welcome measures taken by those organisations that recognise this and do everything within their power to ensure that women not only feel safe and secure but that they genuinely are. Likewise private hire drivers have a duty of care to report to the authorities any unusual situations, in particular where it appears that a female passenger is being taken somewhere against her will.”

Mr Aiken agreed, “We make everyone’s safety a priority and never compromise on safety. Our reputation is built upon trust and we want people, especially those that are in vulnerable situations to be able to trust LA Taxis every time. “

ENDS

Photo shows: Lizzie Adamson-Brown checking out an LA Taxi with Paul Aitkin and Duane Davidson

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This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Keith Newman .