Minicabs, Couriers and Chauffeurs

UPGRADING YOUR MINICAB

2012-03-08T02:14:00.002-08:00

For the past 7 years the minicab industry in Greater London has worked under a licensing authority ostensibly run by Transport for London which is ultimately the charge of the Mayor of London Mr Boris Johnson. There was definitely a need for an authority to take charge of what was an entirely unregulated industry. Over the years minicabs have suffered a very bad reputation, not always deserved, for poorly maintained cars, not entirely user friendly drivers and of course overcharging. The Black Taxi boys and girls who do the Knowledge and then pay upwards of £36,000 for their vehicle really had a problem with us. So licensing was a good thing.

Interline was particularly pleased to see it introduced. Interline held a block insurance policy so we knew all our drivers were insured and because we looked after a number of private schools in Harrow and drove children regulalrly we carried out a Criminal Record Check on all new drivers. We own our own building at the foot of Harow on the Hill with all the neccesary insurances in place so for Interline as a company it was a case of filling out the paperwork proving our documentation was in order and paying the licensing fee. As a result we were granted one of the first Operators Licence's. Around about that time it made more sense for the driver to insure himself as an individual so all that had to be arranged. He had to apply for his own Public Carriage Office licence but because this was all done in one go with maybe 40,000 drivers applying at the same time, some drivers paid their licence fee but didn't actually see a full licence for 2 years, all the time operating on a temporary licence.

The minicab also had to be licensed. This requires a fresh MOT and a visit to a licensing station to check for dents and scrapes. But now the EU has become involved and they are insisting that all licensed private hire vehicles fall under certain emission rules. It's all a bit complicated but essentially a minicab will not be licensed if it is more than 5 years old. Cars less than 5 years old meet the required emission levels.

All of this means that over the next 12 months the public should see an improvement in the quality of their minicabs.

So next time you get a minicab from Harrow to Pinner or an MPV to Heathrow or Gatwick rember your driver has not just satrted his engine and come to work. He has gone to a lot of effort and expense to ensure his vehicle is roadworthy, insured and better for the enviroment.

Running a minicab company

2011-07-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

Anyone can offer a minicab service. You have to get an operators licence from Transport for London but after that you are on your own. How hard can it be? You find an office, pick up a memorable telephone number, employ a few drivers and wait for the phone to ring. When it does ring, you take a few details and then send a car on time and the driver drives the customer from A to B. Easy!!!

Except of course it isn't so straightforward. The operators licence is not easy to come by. It costs over £3000 for a start. For Interline to operate in Harrow the owners of the company had to have a CRB check and a check was made on their previous business dealings. Then they confirm your building complys with any number of health and safety criteria. You have to carry Public Liability insurance with £10,000,000 worth of cover.

The telephone number? Well ok that is easy. But you do want to get the right number. Something that still comes into peoples minds when they have had a few drinks. It needs to roll off the tongue, be easy to remember but not have too many digits the same. 711 1111 for example looks ok to begin with but then people aren't sure if they have dialled 5 1's or 7. That's why I like our number 020 8864 7888 Just the right mix.

Then how do you advertise. I have talked about this on previous blogs. Putting your card through peoples doors is the most popular. How do you know if it has been done properly unless you do it yourself. A website? We are pleased with ours http://www.interlineonline.com/ and it gets lots of hits but you are never sure how much of that transfers into bookings. When we first created our site my boss and I concluded that 25% of our hits were either he or I checking to see if the site was still there!!

When you recruit drivers firstly you must check their legality. As many are from overseas you have to make sure they have permission to work in the UK. You then have to ensure all their paperwork is correct. They are licensed, so is their car, they have to have a specific insurance and you must have on file all their documentation.

In truth all of that is formalities, procedures that have to be adhered to. Getting your company in the publics mind.The real battle, and please excuse the management speak here, is to have everyone singing from the same song sheet. Drivers and office staff understanding how you want the business to operate.

Interline operates with the policy, leave someone with no taste rather than a bad taste, in other words if someone wants a car within 10 minutes and you know your car will take fifteen minutes then don't take the booking. That way you are not remembered as the company that screwed up. We spend a lot of time checking our drivers are dressed properly, that their cars are clean and tidy. We work hard to ensure they charge the right price and know where they are going. We also try to make staff realise that we may be playing a significant part in someones day. Ok the bulk of the time you are getting a lift into Pinner to do some shopping or a minicab to Watford or the West End for a night out so a couple of minutes either way is not the end of the world. There are other times however when being punctual and professional is all important. The Eurostar from St Pancras won't wait for you because your minicab driver was late. Check in queues at Heathrow and Gatwick get longer the nearer you get to flight time so you can not be delayed. We also provide a courier service and companies are given deadlines for tenders which cannot be extended because the courier didn't know the quickest way to Soho or Canary Wharf.

What I am trying to say is yes anyone can set up a cab firm. Fill in a few forms, pay your money and of you go. Doing it properly, well that's another thing altogether.

Obviously I am going to tell you that Interline gets it right. I can only suggest you try us to see if I am correct.

If you do try us and think we are getting it right then please let me know. Equally if you think we are getting it wrong then let me know also.

Kind Regards

Chris

Not just Harrow!

2011-04-11T02:16:00.000-07:00

Working, as I do, in our offices on a Friday and Saturday night, I am always surprised by the amount of people who talk about being bored with Harrow. As if to suggest there is nowhere else to go!!! I have lived in Harrow since I was 5 years old so from the age of 18 Harrow was one of the places I came to at night. Back then there were only two or three pubs. Where Golds Gym is now used to be a cinema and it had a bar upstairs. The Royal Oak was where it has always been, The Junction pub was a Beefeater restaurant and where Burger King used to be was a pub the name of which I can't remember. Then in the late Eighties a wine bar (wine and cocktail bars were very big in the Eighties) called Mirrarbeaus opened just next to the Post Office in College Road. Mirrarbeaus was very popular and gradually a pattern formed. Back then there were no late licences available and pubs and bars closed at 11pm so it was Mirrabeaus until 11 and then jump in a mini cab and go to Middlesex and Harts Country Club which was in Old Redding Harrow Weald. But, and here is my point, that was only one night,usually the Friday and on the Saturday night we would go further afield. Having failed with all the woman in Harrow, I spread my wings and managed to fail with all the women within the M25. I used to like Richmond and Kingston. A friend of mine always wanted to go to Skindles in Maidenhead and another friend always wanted to go into town. Covent Garden was a favourite place. In particular a cocktail bar called Rumours, there was also a restaurant bar in Cavendish Square I think called the Telephone Exchange. Each of the tables had a telephone and if you fancied someone on table 6 you could dial table 6 and try to chat them up. My phone was always broken or at least I think it was!! Back then getting home from London was not easy. Mobile phones had just been intoduced but they were the size of a brick and none of us could have afforded one, so you had to find a phone box that worked and then find a minicab company that was open. What we used to do was walk down to Marble Arch and try and get a black cab. Sometimes you would wait an hour before one of them took pity on you. Other times you would start walking down the Bayswater Road hoping to find a cab at one of the green huts that the black cab guys used to use. If you had no luck then keeping walking to Shepherds Bush because a few black cabs who hang around near the BBC. Very often by the the time you got to Shepherds Bush you had got your second wind. Grab a coffee and a bacon roll from the all night burger van and just carry on walking back to Pinner. And you trying telling the young people of today that and they won't believe you, they won't believe you. Nowadays of course it is very different. Interline is open 24/7 and have cars in and out of London all night. Book a car in advance and we will be waiting outside when it is time to come home. You don't even need to be that far afield. Ring us from Uxbridge, Watford or Ealing. Of course it would be best to prearrange your minicab and better still if we arrange to take you into London then you can agree a meeting point with your driver and you know who to look for when you come out. Give us a call when you are in town and we can usually be with you in 45 minutes or less. Same with Richmond and Kingston. Put our number 020 8864 7888 in your mobile and give us a call wherever you are. We will always give an honest response time and a price we will stick too. If there is a crowd of you we can send an MPV or 2/3 cars. Definitely something I would have appreciated back in the day stood in the pouring rain, 3 in the morning at Marble Arch.

Staying safe

2010-11-30T04:39:00.000-08:00

You’ve had a good night out in Harrow. Met the girls in O’Neills, had a bit of a dance. Can’t believe Natalie got off with that bloke from Pinner. Walked up to Trinity, the queue wasn’t too bad. Only waited 10 minutes to get in. In there for about an hour then came out and straight into the kebab shop. How can Hayley have burger sauce, garlic sauce and mayonnaise on her chips? Came out and there was a minicab parked right outside. Driver says four drops in Pinner will be £20. Seems a bit excessive but your feet hurt and you want to get home. Driver thinks he is some kind of rap star. He has got his hood up and playing his music really loud. Still, the other girls have been dropped off and now there is only you in the car. You will be home safe and sound and under the duvet within 10 minutes.

Or will you? What do you know about the “minicab” and the driver? Is he actually a minicab driver?

Does he have a large green disc on the windscreen of his car? There should be one there by law.
It shows the registration number of the vehicle and the date the license expires.

Is he wearing his driver ID badge? He risks a £1000 fine by not wearing it, so if you had one you would wear it, wouldn’t you? It shows his photograph, his Public Carriage Office license number and the date that it expires. You can confirm these details with our office or go online at www.tfl.gov.uk

It is illegal for a minicab to just pick you up off the street. Your “minicab driver” has already broken the law. You must telephone a minicab company and make your booking. If the journey is not recorded by the company the vehicle is not insured and if you have an accident you will not be able to claim a penny. What company does he work for? Who are you going to call if Hayley has left her mobile in the car? Is there any sign of him being a minicab driver? A radio or one of those things that looks like sat nav on the dashboard

Why is he driving with his hood up? Could you say what he looked like? ARE YOU SAFE?

Put our number 020 8869 1000 in your mobile. Get all the girls to put it in their mobile. When you come out of the kebab shop call us. We will send you a fully licensed, fully insured driver. No hood up, no loud music. We will tell you the colour and registration of the minicab even the driver’s name. When you see the car, ask the driver who he has come to collect and where he is going to take them. If he does not know DO NOT get in the car. Harrow, like most towns, has a huge problem with illegal minicabs. Hopefully they are only trying to earn a few extra pounds but they are still putting your safety at risk. However what if he has more evil intentions?

Avoiding the Blagger

2010-09-17T05:28:00.001-07:00

I have used this blog on many occasions to warn about the danger of illegal minicabs. A walk through Harrow town centre in the early hours of a Friday or Saturday morning makes it clear that people still do not understand the danger of getting in an unlicensed minicab. I know that when you are out for the evening in Harrow or Watford enjoying yourself, making sure you get in a licensed minicab may not seem that important but, believe me it is.

Ok so if you get in a minicab, licensed or not, your driver is a stranger to you, but if you have ordered your car from Interline or any other licensed minicab operator then we know all about him. We know his address and his car details. We have, in our office, his Public Carriage Office licence, his insurance and his vehicles MOT certificate. We know he has passed what is called an advanced check by the Criminal Record Bureau. He has a tariff which tells him what he must charge for the journey. He has passed a test to show that he knows his way around. In short he is answerable to the authorities. He is instantly traceable. If you have a problem you can contact our office and we can speak to the driver. If you leave something in his car then it can be recovered. You can get in an Interline minicab in Harrow, Pinner, Wealdstone or Kenton. You can go to Tesco for your shopping or to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. We can meet you at St Pancras or Waterloo or just take you to The Orchard in Ruislip to meet Mum and Dad for lunch. Whatever we do it is recorded. We know the time you booked and what car we sent you.

Now go back to the illegal minicab. Is the car insured? Well if you get it in it without having booked the car with Interline then you are not insured. Is the car safe? The illegal minicab driver, we call them blaggers, is already breaking the law doing what he is doing. Do you think he is going to worry about brake pads and bald tyres? Particularly when, if he does get caught, they will crush his car. Why look after it? If someone will drive you without any consideration for your safety, what else are they capable of? He can wait until there is one person left in the car and then do pretty much whatever he wants. He is untraceable. If you are lucky he may just rob you. If you are a girl alone then anything he could happen.

Still going to get in the first car you see outside the pub tonight?

Put our number 020 8864 7888 in your mobile. When you are ready to go home from Harrow, Kenton, Pinner or anywhere else in the Interline catchment area call us and we will send you a fully licensed minicab. We will tell you what car it is, the colour and the registration. Tell us where you are going and we will give you a price. Your journey will be safe and insured. Peace of mind and all for the sake of a telephone call

Summer Holidays

2010-07-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

My last blog talked about the summer of sport and how Murray would triumph at Wimbledon and Rooney would help England to win the World Cup. Well, Murray made the semi finals and as he is ranked No 4 in the world, I guess he confirmed his ranking. As for the World Cup, well the less said about that the better.

As I write the newspapers are full of pictures of footballers and their WAG's on the back of amazing yachts in the South of France or lying around, what appears to be the same, hotel pool in Sardinia. Except for Christiano Ronaldo who is pictured with a baby but not a WAG. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

So the footballing fraternity are on their holidays and whilst the rest of us may not be heading down to St. Tropez many will be soon be making their own holiday travel arrangements. If you live in Pinner, Hatch End, Ruislip or anywhere else within the Interline catchment area we can supply estate cars and MPV's to take you to Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted. Our offices in Harrow are open 24/7 and so no matter how early your start we can have a minicab ready to take you to the airport and the same driver waiting at the information desk of the terminal on your return.

If you live in North Harrow, Kenton, Wealdstone or Kingsbury and want to take the kids for a flight on the London Eye or to the Natural History Musuem let us worry about the congestion charge and parking tickets. We will drop you right outside the door and be there to bring you home when the children have had enough sweets and ice cream and you've just had enough!

Call our offices 0844 567 3893 for a quote or to make a booking. Being on holiday or just out for the day can be great fun, getting there may be a little more stressful. A quick call to Interline will put your mind at rest and allow your break to start and end smoothly.

Summer of Sport

2010-05-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

Although it is now the 12th of May and people are still wearing scarves to work, what passes for an English summer these days will soon be upon us and for a lot of us there is a chance to enjoy some form of sporting activity.

In my case that normally means putting my feet up in front of the TV to watch a Test match or a bit of Wimbledon. Occasionally my wife will join me but as soon as I try to explain the vagaries of the LBW law she tends to disappear back into the garden.

For those of you wishing to attend these events Interline can provide transport to and from the stadium or racetrack. Five days of racing at Goodwood or Ascot is always a popular choice for friends and work colleagues and Interline can provide chauffeur driven Mercedes E and S Class along with the Viano MPV. If you plan to spend a day at a Test match or one day international an Interline car can help you arrive on time and be there to meet you at close of play.

A day at Wimbledon really takes on a new dimension with an S Class Mercedes on your doorstep first thing in the morning to whisk you down to SW19.

Then of course there is the World Cup. Now, try as I might, I don't think I can convince you to take a cab to South Africa but I am sure there will be a few World Cup parties, particularly if England do well. Alcohol may well be consumed and a taxi will be required. Take the opportunity now to put our number 0844 567 3893 in to your mobile phone and whether you are celebrating Gerard's last minute winner, Maradona being sent to the stands (it must happen) or ,best of all ,Germany crashing out on penalties, you can have an Interline minicab waiting to take you home.

Many of the pubs in Harrow, Pinner, Kingsbury and Kenton will of course being showing the games live and our offices at the top of Peterborough Road Harrow are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week so even after extra time and penalties one of our taxis can be called upon to get you home.

So let us hope for a great summer of sport with England winning the Test Series, Lee Westwood coming out on top at the Open, Murray triumphing at Wimbledon and Ferdinand lifting the World Cup.

Not much to ask for is it?

Summer of Sport

2010-05-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

Blog off?

2010-01-26T04:10:00.000-08:00

To blog or not to blog. That is the question. I am fast approaching 50 and to be honest the speed at which today's technology moves leaves me feeling like I am standing in some huge revolving door.

I understand why I write this blog. Hopefully I write something which people may find interesting but also it is to help promote my company Interline's website. I know that if I type "minicab in Pinner" or "chauffeur driven luxury from Heathrow to Harrow" or " your Interline courier will move swiftly between Canary Wharf, W1 and the 02" then if you type those words when searching for a service our website has more chance of showing up on Google or Bing or Yahoo.

Now people are asking me do I twitter or facebook? I might if I knew what they were. Should I face my twit? What the heck is twitter or facebook and would you use them to book a minicab from Harrow to Watford, a chauffeur from Eastcote to Heathrow or a courier from Wembley to W1 (do you see what I did there?)

Are you reading this thinking TWITTER, FACEBOOK that's so last week!! So if you want to find a minicab in Harrow or Kingsbury or you land at Heathrow and realise you have not ordered a taxi what do you do?

Fashion magazines are always telling us that "taupe is the new black" but every girl knows that black will always be "the" colour. The thing is what will be "black" in the communications/networking world. We are currently researching a new system which will allow you to text for a minicab from anywhere. From Trinity in Harrow, Area in Watford or Selfridges in the West End and we will text you back telling you how long your minicab will be, what the make of car and registration is, even the name of the driver. We will then text you when your car has arrived. So it would seem that for now the mobile phone will be King. Pretty soon we will probably be able to find where you are waiting, whether it be Pinner, Kingsbury, Ealing or Kathmandu because you will press a button on your mobile allowing us to track your phone and you. Your parcel to E14 or EC3 will be instantly traceable and you will have a photograph of your chauffeur sent to your mobile so you will recognise him when he meets you at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton or St Pancras.

As I still get excited using two tin cans and a piece of string I will not pretend to understand how all this will work but rest assured whatever method you use to contact Interline and book your chauffeur driven Mercedes from Harrow to the O2, your minicab from Kenton Lane to Heathrow Terminal 4 or your courier from the Kingsbury Trading Estate to Centennial Park Elstree (see I'm doing it again) you will receive the one thing that will always remain the same with Interline. Excellent service.

Christmas again !!!

2009-12-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas fast approaches. Family gatherings
Office parties and trips to the theatre
Presents to be bought and carried
All made a little easier if there is an INTERLINE car to
take you and bring you back.

Someone to help you carry those heavy parcels.

Someone to make sure your relatives get home safely

Someone to rely on when you want to have a few drinks
and enjoy yourself

Let’s face it, driving yourself at Christmas and New Year can
be frustrating and you could run the risk of losing your license.
So why not relax and let INTERLINE do all the hard work.

As usual we are open all over the festive period
We can supply estate cars and people carriers
Our chauffeur service is available to those
wanting to treat themselves

Our couriers are on hand to assist business and
private clients with any last minute Christmas presents
that may need delivering

What's in a name?

2009-06-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

You want to go somewhere. You want someone else to drive you. You are going to Heathrow or St Pancras. You will want someone to meet you when you come back. So what do you want?

Do you want a taxi or a minicab. Will you try to book a cab or a private hire vehicle. What do you call your transport? We are licensed by the Public Carriage Office and they have read our website and told us we cannot use the word TAXI because that relates to a black cab. Now we know how hard a black cab driver studies to become qualified and we have no wish to affect their income. However what difference does a name or title make? Black Cabs are technically called Hackney Carriages but who calls them that? If you are at home in Pinner or Harrow and you want to order a MINICAB you find a number (hopefully ours 020 8864 7888) call them up and order a what?

My experience from answering the phones in our office for the last ten years would say that everyone calls it by different names but they now if they are telephoning for a car they are using minicabs. The black cab guys do have a telephone booking system but even they would admit that the bulk of their work is off the street.

The black cab guys are not big fans of the minicab industry. They argue that we do not know where we are going, that our cars are rubbish and we take their work. Whilst that might have been true 20 years ago that is certainly no longer the case. Our drivers are professional, have modern cars and , truth be told, there is more than enough work for everyone. Black cab drivers would not do the jobs we do at the prices we charge and not everyone can afford a black cab.

So does it matter what we are called? The Public Carriage Office clearly think so and we are not about to have an argument with them, but what do you think? Do you think we should protect black cabs by only calling them TAXIS. Or do you think, as I do, that we all know the difference and can make up our own minds what we call our MINICAB,CAB,SHERBERT DAB,TAXI,JOE BAXI.

Let me now what you think. In the meantime if you want a minicab, chauffeur driven vehicle,courier and not a taxi ring us on 020 8864 7888 or go online at www.interlineonline.com.

Enjoy the summer

Regards Chris

A Chauffeur's Story

2009-04-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

When I first started at Interline I worked primarily as a minicab driver but I also moonlighted at a chauffeur company based in the City for a few months whilst a friend of mine was away travelling. It was certainly an eye opener as to how the other half lived.

The company had a contract with the BP head office and we would drive executives and their wives to various functions. The usual format would be to collect the wives from their home, drive to BP near Waterloo station and then on to the function. The better placed the executive, the nicer the house we picked up from. Hampstead, St Johns Wood and Richmond were favourites but I always seemed to land a couple who lived near the common in Barnes. They were South African and had previously lived on a huge ranch near Capetown. I don't think Barnes Common was quite on the same scale. There was certainly a distinct lack of emus which they used to breed !! Really lovely people but you knew that life had been very kind to them and money was not a problem.

One evening I collected the lady and she asked if I would pick up a copy of Vogue magazine for her. As she flicked through the magazine she obviously spotted something that she liked and made a phone call. I have changed the names but the conversation went something like this.

"Hello Trudy it's Ruth How are you? Good , Good
Have you got this month's Vogue? Of course you have. Have you seen the Manolo's on page 248
Aren't they lovely. His shop is just round the corner from you. I won't have a chance to get into London this week. I am a size 5. Would you pick me up a pair and we will sort it out when I see you next. Thanks Darling bye."

So we picked up her husband and onto Claridges. Vogue magazine was left on the back seat so of course I had to look. The Manolo's on page 248 turned out to be a pair of boots. They were a snip at £1295!!! How many people can you ring up and ask them to buy you something for £1295?

On another occasion as I was getting ready to leave the chauffeur company offices the controller took a call from an American gentleman who had a booking that evening. He wanted to confirm that his chauffeur was also a bodyguard. The company did not offer that service. However I am 6' 3" and weigh about 18 stone. The quick thinking controller explained that whilst they did not have a bodyguard/chauffeur they did have a chauffeur that looked like a bodyguard and as the booking was in 1/2 an hour I would have to do. At first I agreed to do the job but then the thought hit me. Why does this guy need a bodyguard? On the run from the Yakuza! Drug deal with the Colombians gone sour. Or, most dangerous of all, a woman scorned.

I was told the newly invented position of bodyguard/ chauffeur paid an extra £20. Well you would take a bullet for £20 wouldn't you. It turned out he was an oilman from Texas who was travelling abroad for the first time. The first part of his trip was a visit to the companies operation in Nigeria where you only left the compound in 3 car convoy with armed guards. He thought he needed similar protection on the mean streets of Mayfair. Thankfully he had managed to meet his "niece" who was from Norf Laindon, thought Texas was a diy centre and seemed to need rather a lot of pocket money to buy fings wot I need innit.

Interline does not do bodyguards and I am now a little long in the tooth. We can, however, offer E and S Class Mercedes along with luxury MPV's. The corporate client may choose to use them for senior staff and important guests. To sink back in those leather seats and relax as you are transferred from Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted to your London base is a rare treat. Equally they can be a huge asset if you have to spend the day travelling between appointments and need to work en route. Privately you may wish to treat yourself on that special night out for dinner or to the theatre. Your chauffeur can be booked to take you and then be waiting for you when it is time to go home. Our offices are based in Harrow but we cover all of London and the Home Counties.

Please visit our website http://www.interlineonline.com/ for further details. You can book online or if you would rather, telephone us on 020 8864 7888

Kind Regards Chris

The life of a Courier

2009-03-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

During my time at Interline I have started many couriers for the company. You take all their details,check their documentation, explain our procedures and show them how the radio works. You then send them off on their first job, which they do. They then drive back to the office, give you back the radio and resign. When you ask why they say "have you seen all that traffic, it's bloomin' murder" or words to that effect.

So being a courier is not for everyone. We can deliver and collect parcels from and to Central London. Carry urgent blood supplies between hospitals. Reunite people with lost or forgotten passports. We cover the whole of the UK and as I write one courier is collecting computer parts to take to Portsmouth. Tomorrow he may spend the day delivering corporate invitations to W1,EC1,SW1 and Canary Wharf E14. The next day may require boxes to be carried to the tenth floor when the lift is broken. He has to find somewhere to park, find the quickest route and try to avoid the traffic. We offer an immediate direct delivery service and very often the client is expecting the delivery to be done in double quick time. Thankfully, most of the time, that is exactly what happens.

We always ask our couriers to ensure we get the printed name of the person we deliver to. You would be amazed how often we get a call two or three hours after we have delivered asking "who signed for that parcel" as no one can find it. Nine times out of ten it has been signed for, put down and forgotten.

So next time you need a parcel delivered immediately please call us and we will quote you or help you to open an account. From our offices in Harrow we expect to be able to supply a courier within 15 minutes and you can be sure of a professional and cost effective service. Just spare a thought for the courier as he negotiates the traffic on your behalf.

Working Heathrow and Gatwick airports

2009-03-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

When times are quiet we tend to get a lot of telephone calls from drivers and chauffeurs looking to switch companies. What is interesting when you meet these guys and discuss where and how they currently work is how unprofessional some companies are, particularly when meeting clients at Heathrow and Gatwick.

We are told how companies will give the driver or chauffeur the mobile number for the client and then tell the driver to call the client to come outside and find them somewhere at the drop off point or near a vending machine. The client, having managed to find the car, then loads their own baggage in the boot, because if the driver gets out of the car he will get a parking ticket. How can you charge the client for such a service? We are told this happens even when a S Class Mercedes is being supplied. Premium Service I don't think so!!!

Not suprisingly Interline does things a little differently. When you make a booking we will arrange a time to meet you after your flight has landed allowing time for you to collect your cases and make your way to the information desk within the airport terminal. Your driver or chauffeur will be there with a board with your name on. He will carry your cases to the car and then drive you home to Harrow, on into Central London, transfer you to your hotel or another airport. We do the same thing whether you are using our standard saloon car or our E and S Class Chauffeur service.

Being met at the airport usually means the end of a long tiring day. Interline keep things simple and takes care of you. You can book online at www.interlineonline.com, by email info@interlineonline.com or by telephone on 020 8864 7888. Any other way seems like more hard work to us.

Regards Chris.

Taking Care

2009-01-27T03:21:00.000-08:00

A belated Happy New Year to you.

It is hard to ignore the current economic climate when coming to write this blog but it is important to try to see some positives for Interline as a company. We are very much an account led business and we can react quickly to the changing needs of our clients. It is also sad but true that the smaller minicab offices will fall by the wayside when the going gets tough. Interline has been established over twenty five years and has ridden out previous recessions by cutting our cloth accordingly. It would be easy to take on new drivers every day but we pick and choose the best in an effort to improve the quality of our workforce and make sure we do not flood our circuit. We remember those drivers and couriers that have been with us for sometime and ensure they earn as much money as is possible. A disgruntled and unhappy driver can badly effect the business very often without you even knowing about it.

It is also very important at these times that the customer ensures the legality of their driver and his car. I have written before about the dangers of illegal minicabs and when times are hard and people want to earn a few extra pounds you will see unlicensed cars, particularly at night, cruising town centres or parked outside clubs and takeaways. Always book your car over the telephone. Our number is 020 8864 7888. We will tell you what car is coming to collect you,it's colour and registration number and the name of the driver. His car will have a green disc on the top right of his windscreen and he will have his PCO badge on display. Never get in a car that does not have a green disc. We will collect you from wherever you are, with a little notice, and will quote you for any journey you may wish to take.

Regards Chris

2008-11-05T03:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas Chauffeur Treats

With so much doom and gloom facing us everytime we read a paper or watch TV, I believe people are going to throw of the shackles and decide to really enjoy Christmas this year. If you can't treat yourself or your loved ones at Christmas then when can you?

There are some great musicals in the West End. We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Oliver and of course the Pantomime season will start really soon. Bashing your way to London on the tube and then walking the crowded streets can really take the edge of a special evening. Why not really splash out and have a chauffeur driven Mercededes take you to the theatre and be there waiting for you when it is time to come home. We have E Class and S Class Mercedes along with the Mercedes Viano which is a luxury MPV. Ease back in luxury leather seats and let others trudge through the cold and wet.

If you want to do some shopping, see the Christmas lights or take the children to Harrods or Selfridges to meet Father Christmas, you can make it really special with your own chauffeur for the day. The ice rinks at Somerset House and the Natural History Museum will soon open and they look amazing at night with Christmas trees and decorations spread all around.

Interline can help you enjoy all these great events with a great car and a polite and professional chauffeur. Use the website www.interlineonline.com to obtain a quote or make a booking or call us on 020 8864 7888 and speak to one of our staff. Go on, make this a truly memorable Christmas.

Best Wishes Chris

How to advertise ?

2008-09-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

Every minicab company has to make decisions on how best to advertise. Newspapers,Thomson Local, Yellow Pages, the internet etc. Of course this blog is a form of advertising although I hope it offers useful information as well.

When we first started to create our website I naively thought we just had to put some pictures with some words and it would magically appear on the internet. How dumb was I!!! (don't answer that) You have to put keywords in your script so that Google can search your site to understand what you are all about. So you make sure it says chauffeur or minicab or taxi or courier and that you are in Harrow or cover Central London and Heathrow. It starts to give you a headache to be honest. You find yourself typing "Chauffeurs West London" in to search engines at 3o'clock in the morning to see where your website appears.

So at the end of it all we return to the tried and tested method of putting your card through letterboxes commonly known as "carding". Only that has it's problems as well. Can you trust the "carder" to do the carding or will they dump them all in a skip the minute your back is turned?

Anyway, we have carders we can trust and between now and Christmas (that word again) we are going to deliver our cards in and around Kenton which at it's furthest point is about a mile from our offices. So if you live in Kenton or near Preston Road and one of our distinctive red and white cards drops though your door DO NOT throw it in the bin please. Put it in your purse or wallet, stick it on your fridge or beside the telephone in the hall or just pop the number in your mobile. Many of you may already use our services when you leave Harrow on a Friday or Saturday night but do not use us to come in to Harrow at the start of your evening. Why? We are more than happy to come and get you wherever you are. Indeed we can pick you up from London in the early hours of the morning, providing you give us a little notice.

The plan is to card the whole of Harrow Weald, Harrow and Kenton on a regular basis from now on, so where ever you live you should soon receive an Interline card through your letterbox. I can tell your excited !!!!

Best Wishes Chris

25th December

2008-09-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

As you can see I cannot actually bring myself to write Christmas as my title but I guess as there is already talk of "so many shopping days" to Christmas and apparently Harrods have already opened their Christmas department ( I buy all my presents there hah! ) we can start thinking about it.

It would appear that as usual the public transport system will shut down for a week. Good business for us but I really do not understand why that has to happen, so you really have to give some thought as to how you will get around over the festive season.

Interline's courier, chauffeur and minicab services will all be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week throughout the Christmas period and as the saying goes "Book early to avoid disappointment"

You may not always consider our chauffeur driven Mercedes as an option but surely Christmas is the time of year to treat yourself ? If you have booked theatre tickets or a night out in London then call us and we can quote you.

Our minicab service is perfect for the office Christmas party. We can provide 10/12 cars or more to go to and from the party. Don't forget the service is available Christmas and Boxing Day as well as New Years Eve so Mum or Dad can have a drink and let someone else do the driving.

Many companies at Christmas will require a courier to visit their most valuable customers with a case of wine or bottles of spirits as a thank you for their custom over the year and again we will happily quote you for a multidrop delivery.

So there you go. We like to think we offer an important service around Christmas time and certainly we play a big part in getting staff to work at the local hospitals and clinics but we are also here for the fun stuff.

Check the website www.interlineonline.com for more information on all our services or contact us direct on 020 8864 7888 .

I will save Seasons Greetings for a more suitable time but hey Happy September !!

Regards Chris

Signage on Minicabs

2008-08-26T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hello again

There has been pressure for sometime from the minicab industry for our cars to be allowed to carry some form of signage. The thought is that it would make minicabs easier to identify and therefore pick ups would be more straightforward. The Public Carriage Office has decided to allow us to put some form of sign on the back of our vehicles. I should point out that you are not going to see minicabs driving around with adverts for the local butchers on the back of their car. These signs will be quite small (about a third of the size of the windscreen) and will only have the name of the company and it's telephone number and perhaps the website address. Perhaps something like.

INTERLINEONLINE.COM

MINICABS COURIERS CHAUFFEURS

0208 864 7888

Interline has to send an outline of our proposed sign to the PCO for their approval and we are currently in the process of creating a suitable design. My hope is that they will try to enforce a template of some sort so that there is a uniformity to the signage.

Interline chauffeurs will not carry these signs, We do not believe they portray the right image for an executive car service. We are not in the business of supplying the huge stretch limousines or Hummers that you see driving around and I am not a big fan of this type of car but, in my opinion, they look really tacky with the name of the company emblazoned on the side. Interline will be trying to have a sign which is both subtle yet noticeable. Not easily achieved judging by my efforts so far but we will keep trying. Within a couple of months these should start appearing on minicabs and you will be able to offer your own opinion.

The Hotel Pick Up

2008-08-07T01:45:00.000-07:00

I first joined Interline as a minicab driver, unbelievably, back in 1999. I was a day driver but would come out to earn extra money on the busy Friday and Saturday night shifts. Our office is very near Harrow Town centre and people walk up at the end of their evening to get a taxi home.
We also take care of the local hotels and my story today relates to a late night pick up from one of the hotels. At about 3 in the morning I went in to the reception of a hotel. I knew the night porter and he pointed me in the direction of my fare. In truth he was not hard to find, he was the only person left and he was curled up on a sofa fast asleep. When I tried to wake him he was clearly drunk as a skunk. "I can't take this guy" I said to the porter, "He is legless" "Oh do me a favour Chris, he is the last person here, when you take him I can lock up and take my break. His wallet was on the floor so I know his address" pleaded the porter.
Between us we stood the guy up but as soon as we let go of him he fell to the floor. We dragged him to the car and lent him on the bonnet but again he just slid to the ground. He could not stand straight or lever himself in to the car but I managed to launch him on to the back seat mainly by using his trouser belt and then tucked his legs in so I could shut the door.

He lived in Pinner which was about a ten minute drive and after about two minutes he was snoring contendedly curled up on the back seat. When we got to his house I dragged him out, again lent him against the car and again he fell to the floor. I propped him against the garden gate as I tried to open it but he slumped over the gate and it swung forward with him flopped over it like a rag doll. Eventually we reached his front door where, if I am honest, I thought about leaving him, but it was a cold night and after all that hard work I wanted paying !! I could not go through his pockets looking for money but we did need to get in the house and when once again I tried to stand him up to try to find his keys he dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Right I thought this is someones husband and she can come and deal with him, so I rang the door bell and waited. Eventually a bleary eyed lady opened the door "Can I help you" she said. "I have brought your husband home, he is a little the worse for wear" I said as I bent down to try to pick him up once again. When I looked up, rather than helping me as I expected, the lady was walking up the garden path. "Is everything alright" I asked. "Well it is very kind of you to bring him home" said the lady, " but where is his wheelchair"

Good News about BLAGGERS

2008-07-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

Further to my first blog about blaggers all licensee's have received a letter from the Public Carriage Office announcing a crackdown on "taxi touting" (Incidentally I am not claiming this is as a result of my blog, I wish !!)

The most significant sentence in the letter reads "any licensed driver who is convicted of touting on or after 1 August 2008, will have his or her PHV or taxi driver's licence revoked"

Whilst I welcome this initiative, there is also mention of an increase in Met Police enforcement officers, I have to say this is missing the point. Yes there is an issue with licensed minicab drivers picking up of the street with no formal booking. The real problem however is unlicensed vehicles operating entirely outside the law with no insurance, no criminal record check and no chance of being traced when something goes wrong. I cannot condone the actions of the licensed minicab driver touting illegally but at least we can hope they are insured if nothing else. The letter talks of more high profile multi-agency operations and that to me is the way forward. With a concentrated purge of town centres on a regular basis making it impossible for the blaggers to operate we will drive them away. Currently they operate in a comfort zone reasonably confident they will not be stopped.

Interline's minicab drivers report back when they see customers being blagged in Harrow and they report back a lot. I have to stand outside our offices on a Friday and Saturday to scare away blaggers who just pull up right outside. ( Yes I am big and ugly ) Interline chauffeurs tell us they can be waiting outside the smartest hotels and restaurants with blaggers milling around trying to steal the customer from right under their nose. That is where the real effort should be made.

So , I am pleased about this iniative of course but it must go further and be sustained. As I mentioned in the first blog, if you have had a problem with blaggers please contact me chris@interlineonline.co.uk and I will forward your experiences to the PCO. Book your cars with us http://www.interlineonline.com/ or get some numbers from google and put them in your mobile. Stay SAFE

Best Wishes Chris

Fuel Price Cuts

2008-07-23T01:06:00.000-07:00

Hello again I had not planned to write another blog so soon after the last one but the news yesterday about supermarkets cutting the price of fuel had to be commented on

This government has really gone after the motorist in a big way in the last few years. Congestion charge, fuel duty, road tax have all been hiked to the ceiling. Of course they claim this is to address the GREEN issues around the motor car but really we all know this falls in to the same category as putting up the price of cigarettes at every budget. They can say "Oh it is for your own good. We are trying to stop you smoking/driving" The reality is 1% may stop smoking or make less journeys but the rest of us just pay more for something we cannot go without whilst the Chancellor rubs his hands with glee.

Our drivers have had to find £800 to become licensed, they have to renew the MOT every six months and their insurance, which is called Hire and Reward, costs roughly £150 a month.
Interline has not been able to increase the circuit fee we charge the drivers for nearly five years now because we know they just cannot afford it. It is very hard to see what the benefits for the industry have been. Of course the biggest expense is fuel so yesterdays news is really welcome
We estimate it will put about £20 to £30 a week in the drivers pocket which is great news at this time.

So when you book a minicab, courier or chauffeur with Interline or any other company please remember how much it costs the driver just to be on the road offering this valuable service.

Regards Chris

BLAGGERS

2008-07-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

Hi My name is Chris Lee and I help run a minicab/courier/chauffeur company in Harrow, West London. I have never blogged before and I am sure in time I will be able to write a concise and succinct blog. To begin with, however, I will just ramble !!

I wanted to find somewhere to vent my spleen ( don't worry no pictures ) and those in the 21st century tell me this is how things are done these days.

What is causing my spleen such discomfort ? I hope you ask

Interline has been in business over twenty years. Our minicab drivers have all the correct paperwork, are fully insured and have the best cars they can afford. We are open 24/7 and offer, in my biased opinion, an excellent service. However those who choose to work illegally, we call them BLAGGERS, operate around our business, stealing our customers with ease because there is very little, if any, attempt to stop them. I have written to my local MP's, the Public Carriage Office ( the body which regulates our profession along with the Black Cab industry ) and the Metropolitan Police. All basically pay me lip service and send me letters that they have forwarded to each other but there seems no real impetus to deal with this problem.

This raises many important issues. These blaggers work mainly at night cruising through the town centre slowing down, like kerbcrawlers, or just park outside the bars and takeaways.
They ask people who walk past if they want a taxi, an exorbitant fare is agreed and off they go.
No record of the pick up, no insurance, no public safety and, in my opinion, no interest from the authorities to put an end to it. Our drivers have had a criminal record check by the CRB, these blaggers could be anyone !!! They could be drug dealers, have other criminal intentions and at worst, they could be rapists. Remember they are trawling the streets when young woman are leaving bars perhaps having had a few drinks and are not as security concious as they should be
I do not believe this is scaremongering. I work on a Friday and Saturday night and I see how the blaggers operate, picking up right before my very eyes. The Public does not have enough information about what is a legal minicab and what is not.

Please contact me chris@interlineonline.co.uk if you have experienced any problems with blaggers in Harrow or elsewhere and I will build a dossier which can then be forwarded to the relevant authorities to show how big a problem this really is. In the meantime make sure you book a car with a fully licensed company. Of course I am going to recommend my company http://www.interlineonline.com/ but any search on google will produce plenty of telephone numbers for legitimate minicab companies. Put a few numbers in your mobile and use them. Any cab that picks you up of the street without you having made a booking on the phone or in person at a minicab office is breaking the law.

I will return to this subject in future blogs but I hope to write on some lighter topics in the future

Regards Chris