Taxi drivers on a Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun night from 7pm-5am can make anywhere between £250-£400 per night around my neck of the woods (NE Scotland - Aberdeen/Dundee area) Average fare of around £10 price point (3-4 miles) Get a journey out of town, fairly common on a fixed fare and you can secure £100+ for a couple of hours back and forth guaranteed.

Taxi drivers are SE, they pay very little tax and minimum NI contributions. They usually share their car too so it's running 24/7 back to back. A taxi driver can rent out his car for £200-£300 per week to his back to back no problems. This money can be used for car upkeep, maintenance, tax, insurance etc.

Depends on your area, how busy the area is and how much is going on around the outskirts of the area where there may be a vibrant night life but a poor public transport network. In addition to that, the recent changes to the drink drive laws in Scotland are having a huge impact, people are just not chancing it anymore, even more so the morning after where they have no choice but to get into a taxi.

Some taxi drivers are doing very well indeed. Earning a high income and paying very little tax. Don't believe those with the sob stories of £100 for a 10 hr shift, that's one fare per hour. They need to be a lot more clever, hang about outside casinos/train stations/ night clubs etc at the right times and the fares are there. One £10 fair an hour isn't worth the hassle and I don't believe this on a busy night at the weekend.

Anyone ever tried to catch a taxi in Aberdeen after a night out? Huge huge demand, not enough taxis, you could be shivering waiting in the cold for a good 45-60mins before you can find one. The work and the fares is definitely there.

Come on Gus give us the low down.

trouble is this in not a rare conception by the public