Taxi Driver Online

Hi Folks

Ive been doing the phc for a month now.. and i have a mixed thoughts about the job... havnt had much luck either with the car i was renting..bascially now im looking for my own car and get it plated. But at the same time ive been thinking about the black cabs.. where i am ppl are asking for £40k for the plate and then its atleast another £10 for a decent cab so £50k in total to give urself a job.. with the phc i had to work 12 + hours each night 7 days to acually make anything decent that you would call a wage! I just need some info on the black cabs if i was to go for this instead would i make a decent living by say working 40 hours a week which is the nor ?? also how difficult is the test??

thanks

del

Also if there are any members on here from the Glasgow area id appeciate it if they could point me in the right direction for training sites etc and how much im looking at paying for it
.. also is there any example test papers available ?

thanx

Glasgow Taxis run classes every weeknight at the The Adelphi Centre in the Gorbals, their number is 141 429 2900.
They will be able to give you more advice. I haven't took my test yet, but i've heard it isn't too hard, all multiple choice questions.
I think you can drive a black cab with your PH licence, but someone will put me right on that if i'm not correct.

You would be better to hire a hack for a few months and see if it suits you before putting a lot of cash into it and buying anything.
Good luck.

You have started off on the right foot there delboy by relating your money to the hours taken to earn it. The two should never be separated and you should always examine one with regard to the other.

If you stick to this practice you will always have a true picture of the financial value of the job, whether you decide to stay in private hire or go for a hackney license. I wish you all the best.

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The higher the fewer.

I'll have a dozen

Seriously though, you should also consider the risk element in relation to the plate, particularly given the situation evident in Edinburgh.

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

It's the other way round: section 13(2) of the Civic Government Act says:

A private hire car driver's license shall not be required by the holder of a taxi driver's license for driving or otherwise having charge of a private hire car whilst in operation as such.

The reasoning seem to be that the Act provides for knowledge tests for taxi drivers, but not PH, so you could get past the taxi knoweldge test by getting a PH badge if that allowed you to drive a taxi. The converse is not the case because if you can pass the taxi knoweldge test then you could have a PH badge if you wanted one, so for convenience sake you can just use your taxi badge.

ok thanks for info guys ill check out the training centre the test isnt that hard if ur prepared to do a bit of study..

i heard from a few cabbys a while back that glasgow city council were gonna issue more plates cos there wasnt enough out at certain times of the day .. and he told me that a few of his mates sold off their plates and cabs incase it did happen and that would have meant their plates being worth alot less.. i still think its not worth forking out £50k and if it still meant doing stupid hours each week..

i would like to heard from u cabbies out there go on and spell the beans guys cos i was chatting to one cabbie before xmas he told me i could have his can for £200 notes for 12 hours ! I was in shock for a few hours and then i met another cabbie he told me put it this way if there are drivers who are prepared to pay £200 for a shift then they are making atleast £500 a night less the £200 so £300 for the driver!! .. but surely that isnt true come on guys there is no easy money we all know that u have to graft unless ur born with a sliver spoon up yer a@@

anyways any info from cabbies would be greatly appeciated

i was thinking of going back to work this week and then decided it wasnt worth it after forking out £210 a week for a car and radio id have to bust my balls 7 days a week working 80+ hours to cover that cost and make alittle for myself .. there is far too many phc's on the roads not enough work i feel i would like to hear from other phc drivers?? if they feel this way

Hi Delboy

I too, work as a PH in Glasgow - during the week I work basic hours due to dropping my 4yo daughter at nursery, and then dropping the Mrs at her work - then collect them again.

To be honest, I do alright - but the grass is always greener.

Last week for instance...

Sun - Off

Mon 8:30am - 3.15pm - £81 (£12 fuel)

Tue 8:30am - 3.15pm - £76 (£12 fuel)

Wed 8:30am - 3:15pm - £83 (£15 fuel)

Thurs 8:30am - 4:20pm - £96 £15 fuel)

Fri 2pm - 12am - £196 (£20 fuel)

Sat 5pm - 4am - £237 (£22 fuel)

Usual coffee/paper breaks too

And that was an average week (if slightly slow Fri/Sat)

I am the kind of driver who will work anywhere though - I hate to run empty (even in those not so nice aeas in Glasgow) - and I will always come in for a job even if I'm 2nd/3rd on the plot - if the wheels are turning I'm less likely to start gabbing at known gathering points for the PH's.

I suppose I'm at an advantage though - I own my car outright - so only have a Radio/Ins to pay.

In my opinion though, the work is there - but you have to work harder and be faster on the old "Auriga" buttons to get there lol

Or maybe I'm just lucky out there

For me, personally - I think it's madness what Hackney plates are worth when next week they could be worth literally pennies - far too much of a risk for me to be honest (especially after Glasgow City Council expressing concerns regarding the low turnout of Hackneys on a Fri/Sat night)

Just my opinions though....

Good luck in what ever you choose mate - be lucky....

bloody hell

maybe ive been working at the wrong times even if u were renting a car you'd still be making a decent wage for yourself

Put it this way one night i was plotted [1] in the city i had a group of lads ask me how much to greenock i said sorry you have to call it in which they did by calling the number on the back of my car.. 10 mins later nothing i asked them did they call it in they said aye and the controller told them a car was on its way ! now correct me if im wrong if im first in the queue and i had been waiting there like a arse for 45 mins surely i should have got that fare without having to tell the controller to give me it.. so from what you have told me and another phc told me today i think some of the controllers dont like me as i had a aruguement with one of them in my first week..

i was wondering if u could pm or email me mate
thanks

my email addy is aa816@hotmail.com

r they giving the black cab plates away in edinburgh yet??

what about glasgow ? i heard it might happen here i spoke to a few worried black cab drivers last week im sure one of them offered me his plate for 20k but he was [edited by admin] at the time and did say call me when im sober

All councils give away plates for nothing.

It's just that some drivers suddenly claim they are worth 40/50K, and some thicko's actually pay it.

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IDFIMH

.....or maybe even three weeks ago......

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The higher the fewer.

Email sent mate.

Sounds to me like the company are shafting you - my advice - try somewhere else.

Perhaps he meant 12 hour shifts for a week rather than just 12 hours?

I'd be very surprised if a Glasgow hack took £500, even on a Saturday night.

If you paid £200 for a shift on weeknights, you'd be out of pocket.

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

thats wot i thot £200 per 12 hr shift is daft money.. think the guy may have been on drugs

thanks charlie for the advice ive emailed u back.. i beleive too i was getting shafted its time to learn and move on and try again