Pay dispute advice

jcr

jcr

jcr

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Joined
29 May 2011
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1,863
Location
southampton
Bit of a long one this...

Im a self employed private hire taxi driver. All my work is subcontracted through a taxi firm who's car I rent and drive.

We have an account with the NHS and last week I was sent to do a pick up at a small hospital and take them to another hospital about 10 miles away.
Shortly into the journey I realised I'd picked up the wrong passengers.
The ones in my car were going to a hospital in another city and being brought back after their appointment.
The hospital were contacted and we were told that the people I should have picked up had gone in the taxi that was sent to take the passengers in my car and so to continue on with this journey. I also contacted my company and they told me to carry on with this journey and changed the job details.
The job was quite long and cost £170. The job I should have done would have been about £30 so I was quite chuffed.
Today I received a call from my company telling me that the hospital are not paying for the job because they consider it a "safeguarding issue" where a vulnerable passenger could have been left at the wrong hospital.
This is nonsense as the patient was with an escort and the mistake was noticed and reported close to the start of the journey.
I have only received £60 which is the price original local fare plus the waiting time of the fare that I did.
Being as I was authorised to do the job shortly into the journey when I could have returned the passengers to the pick up point in about 10 minutes I'm feeling that this is pretty wrong and not legal.

Advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.
Do I have any legal options to persue this.
 
If i was a taxi driver i'd be like...

Hi, are you waiting for a taxi to go to hospital A?

No, were going to hospital B,

Then i'd go look for my correct passengers
 
The taxi company should be pushing to get proper payment for their sevices. I suspect it's a lot easier for them if you to take the hit, and they maintain their likely lucrative NHS work.
 
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Don't worry about what the taxi company can or can't get from the end client, that's not really your concern.

You need to reiterate your own case and your dealings with them - they instructed you to carry on with the job, they should be paying you for it.
 
Classic Blue Theme said:
Lol! Lad is a taxi driver and has ballsed up step 1 - get the right passenger. This is on you for being a total numpty.
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kind of...

its a small private hospital i picked up from, so somewhere you dont expect multilple bookings...

our system sends a text/call to the passenger when we arrive to let them know we are waiting.

the passengers got into my car shortly after i sent the text and rather than checking their name/destination, i said hello, and asked them if they knew that a road near the hospital had been closed due to an accident so there would be delays. the escort said yes she was aware, as she drove past the road on the way in. so this to me was confirmation, as the said road, which is a main road, is close to the hospital i was going to and in an entirely different direction to their destination.

not asking their name/destination is a schoolboy error, but like i said, it was in a place where you dont expect multiple fares and t.hoe route was discussed with them.

its the fact that the hospital agreed to me doing the job once the mistake was realised, and are now refusing to pay, that is bothering me.

contrary to popular opinion, im not a big earner and that is the equivalent of a couple of days takings for me.
 
Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Who made the mistake at the hospital, was it the hospital staff or did the patients mess it up do you know?
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its my mistake at the end of the day for not checking the name/destination thoroughly.

but like i said earlier, the mistake was noticed and reported quite soon into the trip. and the hospital were informed and agreed to me doing the job.

at that point i could have returned the passengers back to the pick up point in about 10 minutes. instead they gave me permission to travel on to a destination an hour away. wait there for 30 minutes and then bring the passenger back.
 
If your "paid" by the taxi company - you issue is with them.... Nothing to do with NHS/hospital.

You need to take it up with them... Put it in writing in terms of pick up, reporting, costs etc. See how you get on.
 
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