Time for Takeaway licence plates?

Resident

Resident

Resident

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Is it time that councils introduced taxi style licencing for takeaway delivery drivers?

In my home town we're plagued by these drivers who obviously believe that laws & rules don't apply because they work for Ubereat/Justeat etc.

Local plod recently descended on a couple of popular fast food outlet and out of 34 vehicles checked

2 no licence
4 MOT failure defects
16 improper insurance.
5 using mobile whilst driving
3 immigration offences (not specified)

Speaking with a local officer he reckons this sting only caught the tip of the iceberg, partly because they have to catch them with food in their bags & staking out outlets means police easily spotted and targets spooked

After that sting locals were moaning on facebook that they couldn't get food delivered. Word had spread amongst the dodgy deliverers and they'd all gone home to avoid being pulled.

Complaining about drivers to the companies that employ them often proves fruitless too.

So time to introduce licencing with visible plates ala taxis? That way all drivers will have to be checked for the all valid documentation & gives the public an avenue to complain, giving the driver an incentive to drive properly
 
Don't care as long as I get my nuggies.

Boring car threads belong in boring motors section.
 
I think that's a fantastic idea. Any time I pop into a McDonald's there's a good dozen or so of them hanging around waiting for orders to be placed, in what looks like absolute bangers falling to bits. Whilst I accept the pay for these aren't great, I'd guarantee that most of them would be driving without business insurance.
 
Just Eat requirements (vetted)

Your vehicle needs to be a 1990 model or newer, registered and insured. You also need a full driving licence.
Click to expand...

User Eats requirements

Delivery by car
  • Be at least 18 years old
Required documents:

1. EU/UK Driver’s Licence

  • Front and Back
2. Bank statement

  • dated within last 3 months
3. Certificate of Motor Insurance

  • Must cover food delivery or hire and reward not excluding food delivery
Or

Delivery by motorbike
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Any make or model scooter
Required documents:

1. EU/UK Driver’s Licence

  • Front and Back
  • Provisional licence? Add your CBT Certificate
2. Bank statement

  • dated within last 3 months
3. Certificate of Motor Insurance

  • Must cover food delivery or hire and reward not excluding food delivery
Click to expand...

You are probably talking about restaurants that have their own delivery drivers, that sell via Just Eat.

"Improper Insurance" could mean they didn't get business insurance to cover food delivery.
 
Semple said:
Whilst I accept the pay for these aren't great, I'd guarantee that most of them would be driving without business insurance.
Click to expand...
Guessing a lot of these drivers are also working by cash in the hand and are not paying income tax on these earnings..
 
Just another case of consumer wants something for nothing, company employs anyone willing to take poor working conditions and pay. I doubt legislation or laws would ever completely clean this up. Lack of police, and lots of immigrants ready to fill the roles.
 
chaparral said:
Guessing a lot of these drivers are also working by cash in the hand and are not paying income tax on these earnings..
Click to expand...

Those not affiliated with just eat / Uber eats may be a cash in hand type job. But I'd have thought with just eat and Uber eats as the jobs are taken through the app, they'd also get paid through the app.
 
VincentHanna said:
Just Eat requirements (vetted)



User Eats requirements



You are probably talking about restaurants that have their own delivery drivers, that sell via Just Eat.

"Improper Insurance" could mean they didn't get business insurance to cover food delivery.
Click to expand...

Just because they claim that doesn't mean it actually happens. Hasn't there also been reported cases of someone setting up an Uber eats delivery profile and then sharing the account with friends/relatives.

I seem to also recall a well known comedian who fake set-up a restaurant in a skip, and was able to add it as a restaurant on Uber eats and have someone place an order for it. No checks done whatsoever.
 
One thing I'd definitely be for is removing the ability to work using an l plated bike/scooter.

If it's your job you should be properly licensed not rolling around after 5 minutes in a carpark.
 
Resident said:
So time to introduce licencing with visible plates ala taxis?
Click to expand...
Unless they are transporting people, no. Why stop at delivery drivers, why not have all drivers do the same?

Resident said:
partly because they have to catch them with food in their bags
Click to expand...
So they are primarily targeting people who have insurance for private use only, not business. All the other offences don't require the above.
 
I suspect adding an extra layer of bureaucracy won't help unless there is funding for the police or someone else like trading standards to enforce it. From the OP, I think existing laws have it covered anyway.
 
Semple said:
Just because they claim that doesn't mean it actually happens. Hasn't there also been reported cases of someone setting up an Uber eats delivery profile and then sharing the account with friends/relatives.
Click to expand...

They do definitely share them, I’ve had about 3 people turn up using the same profile. They probably do it as it some of them can’t pass the checks Ubereats do.
 
peterwalkley said:
I suspect adding an extra layer of bureaucracy won't help unless there is funding for the police or someone else like trading standards to enforce it. From the OP, I think existing laws have it covered anyway.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Maybe stricter licensing could help, however a likely result is that the prices of takeaway/delivery food would rise.
 
The app delivery companies need regulating not the drivers, they have no incentive to fix the loopholes people use unless it hits their bottom line.

It's just like Uber (the taxi side) not wanting to vet their own drivers until they were forced to. Wouldn't be surprised if the grocery delivery apps are more of the same but its hard to get consumer support when they're so cheap and convenient.
 
Resident said:
2 no licence
4 MOT failure defects
16 improper insurance.
5 using mobile whilst driving
3 immigration offences (not specified)
Click to expand...

To be fair, that describes at least 60% of the drivers in Sparkhill, Sparkbrook, and Balsall Heath.

:p
 
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