Taxi Driver Online

I think it's 60/40 over all the PH in the town really, i think it's fair to have a meter for both the customer and driver. We all know that picking someone up at 2am when they've had a few you can charge what you want to really (with a sheet rather than a meter). But to have to get out the tarrif sheet, look what the fare is, then take it and give change all takes time. I can be on my way to the next job while a none metered car's still faffing about with the customer. And if i was really naughty i could flick my meter on 1/2 a mile from the pick up to make an extra few bob. (my meter only ticks over on the mile rather than the first 180yds like the hack's)
Plus the waiting time is added automatically, they're booked for 9pm i get there at 8.55 (if i can) and at 9.01pm on goes my meter, and with the traffic problems we have it stays on till we reach their destination.
Also if i'm doing work for myself i charge extra for out of town drop's (our hack's go from T1 to T2 after 6 miles or when they go out of the borough) so do i.

so if you do a job that goes 1.9 miles you only get pAID for 1 mile.

No, wrong wording, I'm talking about the first mile. The hack's tick over after the first 180yds of the first mile. But their "flag" is £1.80 so you hire the Hack and go 2 miles it's £1.80 to get in, then after the first 180yds it starts to increase as required upto £3.80 (2 mile fare). which is 30p more than a PH for the same distance.

Yes, I couldn't do without a meter myself, but if you're saying the customers are phoning offices and some cars come out with a meter, but some don't, then that's a recipe for trouble.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Especially on a two car job, when the traffic is a nightmare.

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IDFIMH

Yea, i have had one or two questions asked, but normally i tell the other driver that i'll tell him the price or visa versa. But the metered car always clock's a bit more than the none metered, but every 30-40p adds up on a 40-50 job night.
I work in the area between the M6/M62/M56 and the traffics always diverting off the Motorway for one reason or another, so having a meter pays when i'm stood in traffic for ages.
Funnily enough i dont get complaints about why the fare may be more than they paid the day/week before as they can see the meter and i have a notice saying that "due to the increasing traffic problems in the town standing/waiting time will be charged on all journey's". "the fare on the meter is the fare you will be charged and is none negotiable".
Obviously i dont charge the little old lady who goes to asda every day.( im one of the mug's who goes in and changes they're light bulbs for them)
I changed a syphon on a toilet cistern for one before christmas, cos her son wasn't coming till boxing day!!

I thought things like that was in our job discription.

But back to the meter issue, I think on a circuit they are a must.

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IDFIMH

I once worked for a circuit that had a mixture of taxis and unmetered PH. Once or twice I heard pool drivers say that they didn't like PH because they never knew what fare to charge if it got complicated, but some of them said that they occassionaly used the lack of the meter as an excuse to charge more. I think the difference may have been pocketed now and again.

Again I think this thread demonstrates the need for more consistency - the current legislation assumes a strict dichotomy between taxis and PH which just isn't there in practice.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk