Taxi Driver Online
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Contradicting opinion on best work.
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18443		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Anastacio [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:24 am ]
Post subject:  Contradicting opinion on best work.
I've had a word with a few of the boys who control the Taxi work around my village. What is the better paid work, hackney or private?
It has become clear that it will depend greatly on where you live and the type of people in the area. But what are the fundamental signs that help you choose which to take on, hackney or private? Do most drivers have the dual license and alternate depending on how business is. Some say private and airport runs, some disagree and say airport runs are not good earners. With so much contradiction out there it is difficult to know how the land lies, where to concentrate my efforts.

How many hours on average do drivers work to be able to earn a reasonable living, support the family, have a decent life. I've a feeling 9-5 doesn't cut it in this game.

cheers,
Bob.
Author:  skippy41 [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
You will average 70 hours a week with time off for good behaviour :sad: :sad:
Author:  Dusty Bin [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
Anastacio wrote:
I've had a word with a few of the boys who control the Taxi work around my village. What is the better paid work, hackney or private?
It has become clear that it will depend greatly on where you live and the type of people in the area. But what are the fundamental signs that help you choose which to take on, hackney or private? Do most drivers have the dual license and alternate depending on how business is. Some say private and airport runs, some disagree and say airport runs are not good earners. With so much contradiction out there it is difficult to know how the land lies, where to concentrate my efforts.

How many hours on average do drivers work to be able to earn a reasonable living, support the family, have a decent life. I've a feeling 9-5 doesn't cut it in this game.

cheers,
Bob.


There are too many variable to be able to answer such questions, and it's probably better if you find it out for yourself once you're in the trade. It varies from area to area, on what drivers prefer, how good they are at getting their own work, any other income that they have, what sort of lifestyle they follow etc

For example, if they have six kids, a non-working wife and and three foreign holidays a year then chances are they'll need to work longer hours than a single guy who still lives with his mum and dad and whose idea of a good time is a trip to Blackpool for the annual Star Trek convention.

But in general you'll tend to earn more in the big cities, and during unsocial hours, particularly at weekends late at night. Of course that means driving the drunken dregs of society around, which no one really enjoys, except perhaps the drunken dregs of society who just happen to drive taxis when they're sober, or perhaps even when they're not.

And the more effort to get the badge the more you'll generally earn, and again this varies between areas.

Of course, many drivers have a habit of exaggerating, while many others have other sources of income such as a pension, so when they brag that they only have to work x hours and don't work at all during Jan and Feb then take such claims with a pinch of salt.

For example, if you want to do only airport runs that'll probably mean working for yourself and finding your own work, which isn't always easy. And airport runs may look like quick money, but if you're only doing a couple a week and nothing else then that's not much use. Also, it may seem like a lot of money for a couple of hours, but it's generally lower profit margin-wise, so you'll be using a lot of fuel and putting a lot of miles on the car compared to the short runs.

But if you can then it's best to plate your own HC, because that means you can build up your own work while using the ranks when you don't have any, but neither is a particularly easy option these days, and doesn't look like it will improve much in the next few years, if ever.

Everything else being equal an HC plate is always better than PH, because you can do street work and phone work with the HC, whereas PH is always stuck to the phones only.

Of course, if you can survive with phone work only then that's fine, and indeed thousands do.

Personally although I've got a HC plate I hate the bog standard pre-booked scenario with a passion and don't get many airport runs, so prefer to vegetate on the ranks even though I could make a bit more with a booking office. [-(
Author:  Dusty Bin [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
And a word of warning. Many people come into the trade thinking all they have to do is get a few business cards printed, set up a cheap website and put an advert in the yellow pages, and within a couple of months they'll be taking in a grand a week transporting suits to the airport.

Some do manage that, but unfortunately the vast majority just end up disappointed. :sad:
Author:  Anastacio [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
Thanks, I am stil at a stage where I have questions that are a little embarrassing to ask as they are probably completely obvious to most. I only have one child and my wife to support fortunately, and one holiday abroad a year is enough for us, pretty bog standard living these days, things being as they are.
The whole renting a cab thing is confusing. Is it up to me to find my own work, if the cab is Privately plated, can I add HC so I can sit on a rank while I wait for a private job?
I know it is a pretty cut throat business I'd hate to upset anyone in my first week on the job.
Do you know of any good info I can pick up at the library to inform me of these things?
ANy help or info is appreciated.

Bob
Author:  grandad [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
If your vehicle is private hire you can't "add" hackney to it. The vehicle can be plated for one or the other but not both. However if it is a hackney plate it can also be used as a private hire vehicle.
Author:  Dusty Bin [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
Anastacio wrote:
The whole renting a cab thing is confusing. Is it up to me to find my own work, if the cab is Privately plated


When you mentioned airport work I assumed you were considering working for yourself, in which case you'd need to find work yourself, because it's unlikely an office will provide you will all/or mostly airport runs - they tend to offer stuff mostly shorter runs which you can't pick and choose.

Best idea is probably to start with an office and take it from there, and that's also useful because if you don't like the job then at least you can walk away without losing much financially, which isn't so easy if you've plated a motor and paid insurance, licences etc up front.

By the way, have you read the site's FAQ for new drivers?

I don't think it quite covers the ground you're looking for, but it may help in some respects, and it's a damn good read anyway (I wrote it you see [-( ). Any queries on that then just ask on this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2658
Author:  wannabeeahack [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
Why would you rent a car which had no base work?

Buy your own, if hack plates arent available, go PH (or get a hack plate off a nearby LA :wink: ) and trade from home, register with your County Council education transport and local Ambulance service (either as contracted or volunteer driver), advertise as a taxi and as a courier, even takeaway deliveries, every holes a goal

register (and pay) on a few quote systems like 118me

http://www.quotemetaxi.com/

your £250 a week car rent is payable good weeks and bad weeks and when you want a holiday too
Author:  Dusty Bin [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Contradicting opinion on best work.
wannabeeahack wrote:
Why would you rent a car which had no base work?


Lots in fact do. But they generally pay less for the privilege if there's no base work included.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/