YOUR REACTION to new passenger QR codes allowing direct complaints to be made against taxi drivers
With the announcement made by Stafford Borough Council that new QR codes will be available in the back of taxis for passengers to scan if they want to give feedback, drivers have been reacting to the decision.
The new QR code is part of changes made to the council's licensing policy to implement the Department for Transport Statutory Taxi and Private Hire vehicle standards.
But after reading the news, drivers have raised some concerns about how the new system may be abused by passengers. They have pointed out that passengers who simply don't like a driver may put in a complaint which is untrue just to make life difficult for the drivers who will then have to defend themselves to their licensing authority.
One reader said that the job was already hard enough, let alone having to worry about a passenger putting in a false claim.
Another said if this system was put in place for passengers, then drivers should also have a similar easy system allowing them to report passengers who have caused issues during a journey.
A further driver said: "Get the councillors to drive a taxi for a few weeks and make sure they do a few night shifts, including off the rank at 4 o'clock in the morning, Friday and Saturday.
"Then ask them to consider their proposal again."
Brett, a private hire driver licensed in Stafford, said he thought it was a bad idea and thinks it will be abused by passengers.
Glyn wrote: "And if someone does not like you personally? This would be open to abuse and the councils are not qualified to investigate cases."
Tony Hardy asked "why are local authorities so anti-taxi driver? They take enough money from us", and Raja simply added "How about one QR code for passengers as well? It will be fair. Why do drivers have to go through this nonsense?".
Councillor Jonathan Price said the QR codes were not just for passenger complaints, and could be used to compliment the service received by the taxi driver, but did add that any feedback could be used to assess whether a driver was suitable to hold a licence.
