Taxi Driver Online

Million mile Mondeo man: Taxi driver [sic] reaches incredible milestone in his 16-year-old Ford

PUBLISHED: 08:23, 14 June 2012

A taxi driver reached an incredible milestone today - clocking one million miles in one car.

Brian Holmes, better known as Bernie of Bernie’s Airport Service, has been taking holidaymakers to and from Manchester Airport in his red Ford Mondeo since he bought the vehicle for £14,000 on December 16, 1996.

Now, 16 years later, he has completed the 120-mile return journey from his home in Preesall around 8,330 times.

Brian has been taking holidaymakers to and from Manchester Airport in his red Ford Mondeo since he bought the vehicle in 1996

And when the Aspen Estate’s odometer struck one million, its original 1.8 turbo diesel engine had travelled enough miles to have gone around the earth 40 times.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Holmes, 67, said: 'When you buy a vehicle you don’t think too much about how long it will last. It’s a bit of a landmark.

'It currently reads 999,694. I’m picking up a couple on their way back from holiday, and I think that should do it.

'I’ve not had many problems with it, just wear and tear. Third gear used to go in the gearbox, so I did get a reconditioned Ford gear box. I would buy a Ford again because it’s been a reliable car.

'Sadly, at the moment, there is just not much work, because a lot of people aren’t going abroad this year, or else I’d have been over that million mark before now.

'When it reaches a million the reading will go to 000,000, and then only I will know!'

Mr Holmes has been driving cabs for 22 years, after 23 years behind the wheel of tankers.

He said: 'I’ve been driving all my life. I’ve always enjoyed it. I get people from all the villages around here, and a few over in Poulton and Garstang.'

Mr Holmes said it costs around £80 to fill the car with fuel from empty, something he has done thousands of times to make a journey that takes between an hour and 10 minutes and an hour-and-a-half.

But in all that time he has never driven to the airport when taking a holiday himself.

He said: 'I don’t care for flying in tin cans. I’ve never flown from Manchester Airport. It doesn’t interest me.

'I was hoping to retire when I got to a million miles, but I think I will work a bit longer now.

'I’ll have to do something to mark the occasion - I think I’ll have a drink with friends.

'When I retire I don’t think I’ll need it any more. I’m hoping to buy a motorhome and go around Scotland.'

Steve Humbles, product marketing manager for Ford of Britain, said: 'Since Mondeo was first launched in 1993, it has proven a popular choice for retail and fleet customers alike, predominantly due to its reliability, fuel economy and smart driver assistance technologies.

'We are delighted to hear that Bernie has enjoyed one million miles of happy motoring in his.'

Source; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -Ford.html

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No age limit in his LA then.

Just what the LC want to see everywhere in the country.

Cheap and cheerful four wheels and away you go.

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Brummie Cabbie.

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Maths says he does 10 jobs a week on average over 16 years vs the estimated total jobs, so not really that busy at all, and not worth splashing out on, so I've removed my original post, looks like he does this for pocket money and someone to talk to tbh.

The only thing I find amazing in this story was the fact that a Mondeo cost 14 grand in 1996. I do not doubt the author, but, by today's prices, that would appear very expensive.

I thought that, but I did buy a 405 in 1989 that cost £10500 retail, and I blagged it for £9000 on a no px deal, so I guess if he went into a dealer and paid the full ask then that figure sounds about right,. I think where it looks strange is at that time you could buy that car s/h for £9000 @ 6 mths old.

thats a lot of miles but sounds like he hasn't made that much money then if he can't afford to retire. Cut price fares Jonny methinks

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Skippy of Blackpool

And four sets of injectors, 30 clutch/dmf combos, three cylinder heads, two starter motors, four lots of suspension coils, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Sounds like Triggers broom, I bet the only original part left is the steering wheel ! I've just hit 500k miles in my 7 year old mondy and I think just about every mechanical part has been changed bit by bit, except the exhaust and gearbox.

I'm glad he thinks Fords are a decent motor.

So that's 600 paying miles per week, even if he's only getting £1 a mile after fuel then that's £600 and if the car's been as reliable as claimed then he's probably making over £500 per week profit and his private transport is paid, so doesn't seem that bad from where I'm standing. In fact if he's doing so many then he must get a few double runs, so he'll be doing a lot more than 600 paying miles.

Well it is an estate and a diesel, and I suspect diesels were sold at more of a premium than petrols in those days than they are now, so for the two factors you could probably add on two to three grand, so £11-12k for a petrol saloon sounds more realistic.

Mind you, it is an Aspen, so a basic model - he's got wind-up windows.

no base rent, no second car needed, no finance for the last 12 years, just fix it and drive it, its a pre-DMF/Hdi car so less to go wrong, hes had a good return on the purchase price, next week he could buy a Citroen, Skoda, Pug. Fiat....and not do as well

thats progress

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

Just seen the guy on the news ,and Doom , he did have a flat cap on and also a bluetooth earpiece welded to the side of hes head...you know the sort who walk round asda with an earpiece on just in case the wife rings to mention dont forget the milk....... silly barstewards

Cheers Andy, you must've remembered my pre edit post


Dusty, in todays money he's doing a total of £168pw on fuel 1200 miles round trip, obviously he brings one back with him from time to time so if we hit a £124pw as his ave fuel bill today @ 45mpg @ £6.30p pg, then there's the insurance £20pw if he's got max bonus, then the service items, £20pw,

But the real thing is how much, you say £60 each way, job should be £120 each way, a business man would ask £90 each way as a special, but I've a feeling our chap is more than likely going for £35 - £45 and picking up the parking himself,

I think he uses it as something to do myself, and I bet the competition absolutely hates him, we had one around here 20 odd years ago, we were cheap @ £25, he was doing it in a 2.5 TD Sierra for £17, what chance do you have when you have that to compete with, even 20 yrs ago he was doing in 50% of his £17 in costs, 3 hr run there and back for £3 ph, personally I wish they'd find something else to ruin, to do something purely to stop someone else is bad practice imo, it results in everyone who wants to try and play going cheap going skint, it's Witherspoons mentality, ok all the time it's only Spoons is cheap, but if every pub matched them none of them would be profitable including Spoons.