Taxi Driver Online

Sunderland taxi fares set to rise as drivers ask for rates hike


TAXI fares could be set to rise across Wearside as councillors vote on proposed new hackney carriage rates.

Sunderland Hackney Carriage Operators’ Association (SHCOA) has applied to the city council to restructure the price of journeys at all three tariffs in operation, in one case a 6.9 per cent hike.

The move comes 12 months after the authority’s regulatory committee last agreed to a fare increase.

If councillors vote to allow the further rise – at a meeting at the Civic Centre today – a period of 14 days must be allowed for objections to be heard.

If none is received, the new fares will immediately come into effect.

Trevor Hines, chairman of SHCOA, told the Echo the price increases are regrettable but inevitable.

“It sounds a bit old hat, but it’s an application that has been considered carefully,” he said.

“Costs are increasing for everybody, and our costs are obviously too, but one of the main factors is the huge increase in the cost of insurance.

“It has escalated in the last few years because of the claims culture, and we have seen instances where premiums have gone up between 100 and 200 per cent.”

SHCOA has requested a new price structure which will see fares in tariff one, which covers Monday to Saturday between 7am and 11am, go up by an average of 4.7 per cent.

For tariff two, on Sundays and weekdays from 11pm until 7am, the average cost of a journey will rise by 4.10 per cent.

In tariff three, which applies across public and bank holidays, trips will cost, on average, 3.7 per cent more.

The biggest increase will be for journeys of 2.5 miles in tariff one, which will go up by 6.9 per cent. Mr Hines said: “For some shorter journeys there is no change at all.

“It is impossible to get the same increase across every fare.

“This may not end up as wage increases for drivers, and I must stress it’s very reluctant, but to maintain our high standards of service we have to have this small increase.

“For many visitors to the city, your first point of contact is often a taxi, and if it’s a good quality taxi with a good driver, it leaves a good impression of the city.”

source: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/busi ... -1-5690973

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

organised trade Labour council

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

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Independent cabbies launch protest against Sunderland taxi fare hikes



TAXI drivers are petitioning against fare increases.

Sunderland Hackney Carriage Operators Association’s bid to restructure the price of journeys for all three tariffs in operation has been approved by the city council.

The changes, which in one case includes a 6.9 per cent hike, will come into force next month if no objections are received.

Association boss Trevor Hines said the rise was regrettable but inevitable, as insurance costs soar.

However, independent cabbie Kevin Stoker has set up an online petition against the rise, which has more than 180 signatures.

He said: “The nightlife in Sunderland is already on its knees, and I really don’t think they have thought this through. It’s going to hit the elderly as well. It’s just going to squeeze us even harder, and I know a lot of lads who don’t want this. I can see a lot of them throwing in the towel and these lads have got families to feed.” Fellow cabbie Gordon Huddleston said: “The vast majority of independent drivers don’t feel there is any justification for this.

“What they are saying is absolute nonsense, and they are using old arguments and excuses for it that don’t represent the views of the drivers.”

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/busi ... -1-5717247

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

Experience tells us that every fare increase is opposed by elements in the taxi trade, this is a country wide phenomenon and the latest case in point is Sunderland where a small percentage of drivers are petitioning against fare increases.

The usual complaints / fears of those opposed to increases base themselves around unknown factors - these usually include random statements such as "it's already quiet at the moment", "the public won't wear an increase", "it'll drive customers away".

All three arguments, as previously mentioned prey on a drivers mind. However, all three don't stand up to simple facts and these are based around the costs of running a business. Insurance, due to the claim culture, is a key problem for the taxi trade - other known variables include the cost of fuel and indeed the cost of living.

The nature of taxi fares always mean the cab trade are playing 'catch up'. The costs of operating at the start of the year when a fare increase is calculated - tend to differ to the same costs one year on. Insurance may have increased, fuel may have increased (indeed it may have increased, then decreased, then increased again). As stated the fare structure is based upon costs now - not those in 12 months time.

For people to use age old arguments - like they do in the following news story - claiming drivers will leave the trade due to a fare increase, isn't only wildly inaccurate - it also doesn't stand up to the fact that the table of fares set by a local authority is a 'maximum'. A driver is fully entitled to charge below the rate and offer a discount if they so wish.

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

Why would certain people within the Taxi trade object to the chance to earn more money, Inflation affects you hack guys just as much as any other person, it's not just Taxi overheads that are getting dearer, its the food you buy, the house you live in, everythings going up in price.

So where the Logic in turning down a Tarriff increase just to make you drive longer to earn the same amount? wouldnt it be wiser to earn more per mile and earn the same by driving less? or better still earn even more by driving the same hours as you do now??

as a PH this logic eludes me.

Taxi drivers who oppose a fare increase should have their badges revoked, we don't hear bus companies shouting from the roof tops when they put their prices up do we?

No, you would hear Hoots of joy..more guaranteed income through Government subsidies, hey, who needs passengers when your a large Bus Company.

Well aye you've got a good point there.

people moan for a week an then accept it same as they do when the cigs go up fuel go food go up why shood cab be any different are the garages saying here cab have you fuel at 70% of retail cos you poor cab driver does the car dealer say £15000 on the screen as it's you mate have for £9000 no they do not move with time or get left behind an stop try to out do bus ffs