The Benefits of an inclusive service
We all have places to go, people to see, work to do and celebrations to attend. Why should this be more difficult just because someone uses a walking stick or doesn’t see as well as others? Maybe someone struggles to remember things as quickly as they once did, does this mean that they should not benefit from the same excellent service that someone else does.
As a licensed driver you will be the face of the entire licensed trade when dealing with the public. Your actions will affect the passengers directly and their experiences will be relayed to others, be it family and friends, on social media or by complaint to the licensing authority. These experiences could be positive or negative but by doing your best to ensure they are positive you encourage more people to use taxis and private hire vehicles.
Imagine you are a disabled person in a wheelchair planning a trip, and you read the following comments on social media:
“Tried to go into town today, taxi turned up late, shoved my wheelchair in his car and complained that I took ages to get in. Didn’t offer any help and was rude, won’t be going again any time soon, it’s such a faff!”
“Oh my god, I can’t believe how difficult it is to get a taxi round here. As soon as I mention I have a guide dog they are suddenly all busy and not available. Something needs to be done.”
How likely are you to be put off going on your trip? What if you suffer from anxiety, will the above comments give you confidence that your journey is going to be OK or make your worries worse? Would you be using a taxi if you don’t have to, or will you cancel your plans?
Now look at the following comments:
“I went to the station this morning and want to give a big shout out to Dave the taxi driver for all his help. He was cheerful and smiling as he helped me into the car. He made sure I was comfortable before setting off and when we got there he helped me out at my own pace, even gave me directions of where the ticket office was and made sure I was OK. Dave I want you to know we need more drivers like you, thank you.”
“If you’re looking for a cab I can’t recommend Speedy Cars enough, always on time, drivers are polite and patient and even help me to my door when I’m struggling.”
The second set of comments will give people the confidence to use Taxis and private hire vehicles more often. They don’t only apply to people with a disability but to all passengers.
Word of mouth is one of the strongest brands of advertising. If the public lose confidence in the licensed trade then they won’t use them, but if people talk about the good experiences they have when using taxis and private hires, more will consider them in future.
A truly inclusive service will give all passengers confidence and not exclude any passenger or group of users from travel.