QR code stickers allowing taxi passengers to complain hits a nerve with drivers in Staffordshire
Updated: Oct 11, 2021
Staffordshire Borough Council have agreed for QR coded stickers to be introduced in all taxi and private hire vehicles, which will allow passengers to make a formal complaint if they feel necessary.
Cabbies licensed by the council have aired their concerns, stressing that such stickers simply encourage passengers to complain about them.
A report revealed a large number of responses from taxi drivers to a consultation held by the council were against the stickers.
The council's licensing committee took on board the concerns from drivers and have decided to make sure the new mandatory stickers will clearly state that they are not just for complaints, but also for passengers to compliment or simply comment on their experience taking a taxi.
Councillor Jonathan Price, cabinet member for the environment, said during a recent meeting that a new complaints system for customers had been created to ensure that a "pattern of behaviour by drivers and operators can be recognised", giving the licensing committee a full understanding on whether they should be considered fit-and-proper to hold a licence.
He said: "A compliment/comment/complaint sticker has been devised to be placed and displayed on the rear, side windows of each licensed vehicle, which will be issued to all drivers for display and will be made mandatory.
"This contains a QR code which directly puts a customer through to the appropriate form for reporting purposes.
"Operators must also create a suitable complaints procedure through which they will record and subsequently investigate all complaints made in relation to any driver or vehicle which is operated by them. The complaints procedure must also record the outcome of any investigation."
