Taxi Driver Online :: View topic - Unhappy from Cardiff writes....

I understand that Cardiff Jobcentre is paying £550 a time for jobseekers to take the taxi driving licence course.

I also believe there are taxi companies in Cardiff which run a school for taxi drivers.

Seventy-five per cent of applicants are from the Jobcentre. When they pass they hire a taxi from one of these companies at approximately £200 a week. They also pay a weekly admin fee of £100 a week for the work provided.

On top of this, fuel costs of between £100 and £150 a week are needed. Some companies, I am told, even take a 15% payment out of any account work you do.

You are looking at outgoings of £450 a week before you earn any money. Consequently, most drivers have to do 70 to 80 hours a week to try to earn a living wage.

For this amount of hours they still do not earn what you would get for 40 hours in a normal job.

They usually work taxi-ing for a couple of months, realise it is not going to get any better and quit, which means back on the dole and another £550 of taxpayers’ money goes down the drain.

While all this is happening another lot from the Jobcentre have passed their course and take over the taxis vacated by the previous jobseekers.

The only ones benefiting from all this are the private hire companies which are lining their pockets at the taxpayers’ expense.

They know as well as anyone there is not enough work for all the taxis and private hire cars in Cardiff.

I did this for a few months and worked night and day for peanuts. I would like anyone with a similar experience to write in and warn people of the pitfalls.

A Jones, Victoria Park, Cardiff

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local ... ay-6033483

Author:	captain cab [ Tue Sep 17, 2013 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:	Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
I understand that Cardiff Jobcentre is paying £550 a time for jobseekers to take the taxi driving licence course. I also believe there are taxi companies in Cardiff which run a school for taxi drivers. Seventy-five per cent of applicants are from the Jobcentre. When they pass they hire a taxi from one of these companies at approximately £200 a week. They also pay a weekly admin fee of £100 a week for the work provided. On top of this, fuel costs of between £100 and £150 a week are needed. Some companies, I am told, even take a 15% payment out of any account work you do. You are looking at outgoings of £450 a week before you earn any money. Consequently, most drivers have to do 70 to 80 hours a week to try to earn a living wage. For this amount of hours they still do not earn what you would get for 40 hours in a normal job. They usually work taxi-ing for a couple of months, realise it is not going to get any better and quit, which means back on the dole and another £550 of taxpayers’ money goes down the drain. While all this is happening another lot from the Jobcentre have passed their course and take over the taxis vacated by the previous jobseekers. The only ones benefiting from all this are the private hire companies which are lining their pockets at the taxpayers’ expense. They know as well as anyone there is not enough work for all the taxis and private hire cars in Cardiff. I did this for a few months and worked night and day for peanuts. I would like anyone with a similar experience to write in and warn people of the pitfalls. A Jones, Victoria Park, Cardiff http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local ... ay-6033483

Author:	edders23 [ Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
Sounds about right and in some parts of the country there are no shortage of mugs queueing up to work for peanuts But as long as the government is happy to let it continue like that it sin't going to change

Author:	Sussex [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 8:56 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
edders23 wrote: Sounds about right and in some parts of the country there are no shortage of mugs queueing up to work for peanuts And no shortage of operators waiting to take their cash.

Author:	bloodnock [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 10:09 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
edders23 wrote: Sounds about right and in some parts of the country there are no shortage of mugs queueing up to work for peanuts But as long as the government is happy to let it continue like that it sin't going to change I'm sure the Governments will be happy to let it Continue. It removes 1 person from the Jobless figures each time even if it is only a temporary removal. It also allows them to to Crow about how wonderful their Training for Work schemes can be, even if it is at the expense of the poor sap that they have just trained. Pity they cant see how damaging it really is though and that every new driver is a real threat to the lively hood of a driver who is already doing the Job.

Author:	gusmac [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 10:43 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
You missed one trick in all this. Once the poor sap has had enough and jacks it in, he's made himself intentionally unemployed. No jobseekers for many weeks, thus saving the DWP more dough than they spent on the course.

Taxi Driver Online http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Unhappy from Cardiff writes.... http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23057	Page 1 of 1

Author:	bloodnock [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 11:13 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
gusmac wrote: You missed one trick in all this. Once the poor sap has had enough and jacks it in, he's made himself intentionally unemployed. No jobseekers for many weeks, thus saving the DWP more dough than they spent on the course. Yup..

Author:	Nidge2 [ Wed Sep 18, 2013 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Unhappy from Cardiff writes....
captain cab wrote: I understand that Cardiff Jobcentre is paying £550 a time for jobseekers to take the taxi driving licence course. I also believe there are taxi companies in Cardiff which run a school for taxi drivers. Seventy-five per cent of applicants are from the Jobcentre. When they pass they hire a taxi from one of these companies at approximately £200 a week. They also pay a weekly admin fee of £100 a week for the work provided. On top of this, fuel costs of between £100 and £150 a week are needed. Some companies, I am told, even take a 15% payment out of any account work you do. You are looking at outgoings of £450 a week before you earn any money. Consequently, most drivers have to do 70 to 80 hours a week to try to earn a living wage. For this amount of hours they still do not earn what you would get for 40 hours in a normal job. They usually work taxi-ing for a couple of months, realise it is not going to get any better and quit, which means back on the dole and another £550 of taxpayers’ money goes down the drain. While all this is happening another lot from the Jobcentre have passed their course and take over the taxis vacated by the previous jobseekers. The only ones benefiting from all this are the private hire companies which are lining their pockets at the taxpayers’ expense. They know as well as anyone there is not enough work for all the taxis and private hire cars in Cardiff. I did this for a few months and worked night and day for peanuts. I would like anyone with a similar experience to write in and warn people of the pitfalls. A Jones, Victoria Park, Cardiff http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local ... ay-6033483 Where has he been hiding for the last 20 years??

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