Taxi Driver Online

TAXI drivers have blamed an overcrowded industry for the town’s overworked and sometimes drowsy cabbies.

The comments came a day after the Adver published the story of a private-hire driver who fell asleep at the wheel of his car, killing his passenger.

The incident occurred on October 19 last year when the vehicle smashed into a tree in Queens Drive. The driver, Shehzad Akbar, 33, was sentenced in his absence, and is suspected to have fled to Pakistan.

Now drivers have said that passengers’ lives are being put at risk because cabbies are working double shifts to make up for higher petrol prices and fewer customers.

They also said that since the industry was deregulated in 2006 cabs have flooded the town’s roads.

The council said there are 676 private taxi licensees in town. Meanwhile the number of black cabs in Swindon has jumped from 138 in 2006 to 159.

Speaking to the Adver anonymously a 45-year-old black cab driver, who has worked as a driver here for 10 years, said: “It has become very bad since the recession. There are too many private hire cars and black cabs on the roads.

“Black cabs cost between £170 and £200 to rent so the drivers have to make that back – and then some – just to survive. That can mean working a lot of hours.

“We are all struggling, there are too many cars, not enough business and petrol is much more expensive. Put that all together and you have a problem.

“People’s lives are being put at risk by these guys who are working 12-hour shifts, that’s clearly not safe.”

Another 63-year-old, from Stratton, who asked not to be named and who has been driving a taxi in Swindon for 20 years, said taxi line-ups had grown a great deal around town.

He said: “Numbers started piling up in 2006.

“I come in at 7am usually and I know there are drivers in before me and working until at least 10pm, and that is both black cabs and private-hire taxis.”

Mike Wykeham-Martin, of the Swindon Private Hire Drivers’ Association, said the body, which represents drivers, had asked the council for help on the issue.

But a council spokesman said it was not allowed to restrict the number of cabs.

He said: “Councils are not permitted by law to restrict the number of taxis, either hackney or private hire.

“The legal change followed a 2003 report from the Office of Fair Trading which found that restricting taxi numbers led to a poorer service for the public, increased waiting times, and encouraged illegal unlicensed taxis to fill the gap.”

He added that there was Government legislation on driving hours for lorry, train and bus drivers but not cabbies

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news ... i_drivers/

So an increase of 21 plates is a flood.

Does the person complaining not realise that if those drivers didn't license a taxi they would still be driving PH?

Complaints like this will eventually lead to a maximum working week, not re-regulation.

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IDFIMH

Well we all know that......Don't hold your breath mate, nothing will happen.... Thanks to the Equality act which is only equal to those that can afford it or are more equal than others!!

PH can't be restricted. What a pile of sh*t

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Thinks: Will need loads more deaths until LA's realise that relimitation will need to be reimplemented, but let's not worry..... Long hours, no work, numb bum, less to pay out on fuel, low mileage means less servicing, tyres last longer, less income, no income tax to pay, more tax credits (for those that have the savvy to claim!!), no house, no holidays, no sick pay, no life, no f**ck all!!! eeeehah!!

Using the Dft Best Practice guide as a guide I did some sums, thankfully it's just a guide

With a population of 350 thousand taking on average 11 trips per year that gives a total of 3,850 thousand trips in all on average per year. Now share that between 2000 Taxis and PH it gives an average of 1,925 jobs per year. If you take 4 weeks holiday (cos if you don't it's truely depressing) that is an average of 40 jobs per vehicle per week. Now obviously it depends on how much you need to earn each week as to how much each job needs to be worth.

I could of course be completely wrong with this as maths is not my strong suit. If I am I apologise now to anybody who has gone into shock or worse still spilt coffee on their laptop

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

pmsl.....migrane?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Tone......did you deliberately change the headline?

Private hire industry is overcrowded, say taxi drivers

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

OK, you've asked for it...I'll roll out the standard argument:

The market is a certain size that will be catered for by so many vehicles. To the 'market' it matters not whether those vehicles are HC or PHV.

You will always have competition; Get over it or get out!!!!

Honestly no, i thought it would not fit, do you think it makes a difference

Yep.....you know the difference

But TBH its not your fault......the journo obviously aint got a clue.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Blimey Toots 4 Weeks, I'm lucky if I get one week! Average here is 1- 2 jobs an hour if you are lucky, so that average is about right with no re-limitation in sight. God knows how many hours those do who have finance, mortgages, rent, etc etc, and family to think about..... I would think that many must be suffering from depression or worse.....

That is probably why most PH drivers here want an H/C PLate.....

Why I don't know, but they all still believe in this myth!!