Taxi Driver Online

There have been quite a few posts recently, mainly from the company owners of course, bemoaning the shortage of drivers, and how customers are having to wait hours for an available car. I know this is certainly the case in my parish, where two big firms have reigned supreme for some time, but the crocodile tears they are crying are for themselves, not the poor bloody punter. I hear stories from passengers ( in my hackney carriage) of how they have been told they will have to wait hours for a PH to turn up.

The thing is, the owners, or directors, of these companies have had it far too good for far too long. Treating owner drivers like serfs, charging extortionate rates for the privilege of working for them, and telling them when to work, and not to work, even telling them to work 24 hours, in one case that came to light in Lincoln, ending with a pedestrian receiving life changing injury, and a (self employed) driver in jail, through her boss bullying them into working excess hours.

So there’s shock and surprise that people don’t want to join the trade, and so many have left the trade. There’s evidence of staff shortages in all kind of industries, not just this one. Truckers, nurses, care workers, you name it.

The gang masters better get used to driver shortages, because they are here to stay. And self driving cars won’t be their salvation either.

Face it, the gang master cab circuits are in the mire. One local operator is 100 drivers down. More to the point, he is financially £15,000, A WEEK down. You would have to have a heart of stone not to wet yourself laughing.

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Former taxi driver

Agree with much of what you say, but not so sure about this, although it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

But for anyone who doesn't believe what I'm saying about our gaff, this is the busiest place in town with club opening hours - hope the pop up appears, which states that it's not reopening till 7 September

https://www.vicstandrews.co.uk/

And a lot of the other pubs in town are closing early and not even using their permitted opening hours.

But 7 September is when the students come back, so will be intereting to see what happens then.

But the thought of driving drunken students around at 3am again is enough to make me weep

my phone hasnt stopped ringing

ive even answered it twice

passed them on

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Fewer cars on the rank but defo not back to pre pandemic levels but it's nice to be able to pick up a few rank jobs here and there

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

Jimbo is spot on, in that I can't see the trade getting to the number of drivers it had pre covid for many years to come.

Part of that is Brexit, part is covid. Both these have led to many drivers leaving the trade, many of them leaving the country.

The mass influx of cheap labour from eastern and southern europe will never be repeated, and any influx of non EU immigration will be a better trained, better educated, workforce which wont touch our trade with a bargepole.

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IDFIMH

We didn't have any eastern European drivers here but 30% of drivers have left the trade and gone back to more secure employment. They were all self employed and not declaring their full income. I know one who told the tax man that he took £2000 a year after expenses so clearly he wasn't getting much help from the government.

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Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5

But with 8 kids his WFTC would be £800/months...........every month, every year

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I think it is 6 kids.

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Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5

2nd ARG grants..........

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

twins on the way

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most