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shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for hours
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Author:  captain cab [ Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:44 pm ]
Post subject:  shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for hours
Chronic shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for hours – or face walk home


People are being forced to wait up to three hours for a cab or risk walking home late at night because of a chronic shortage of taxi drivers, the Mail can reveal.

In order to gauge the extent of the problem, a Mail reporter contacted several companies just after midnight Sunday and attempted to order a car.

Not one company was able to collect us within an hour and the longest expected wait was three hours.

Some firms said they were unable to send a taxi at any point that night.

The Mail is now backing calls from the owners of private hire companies to get more taxis on the road.

Magnus Murray, of the Hull Private Hire Association (HPHA), says there are now 400 fewer drivers than there were in June 2014, when Hull City Council began demanding all new cabbies gain a Btec qualification.

He said: "People cannot get a taxi because there are not enough drivers, so they are walking home and that's putting people at risk.

"I fear for the people of Hull ahead of UK City of Culture 2017. We can not provide a full, proper service now. Next year, we will be diverted to tourists. But what about the people of Hull?"

Mr Murray gave a recent example of how the shortage of drivers is impacting on safety.

"Two weeks ago, I went to pick up a woman in Tweendykes Road," he said. "She'd been drinking at The Lambwath.

"She couldn't get a cab home, so started walking. She was accosted by a man and sought refuge in someone's home.

"Normally, at that time of night, she'd have been looking at a two-hour wait, but because of what happened we made her a priority and took her home."

Drivers shell out about £600 to gain a private hire licence, which includes the £245 fee to gain a Btec qualification.

Mr Murray says HPHA see the Btec requirement as "restrictive" and he refers to a Department for Transport document entitled 'Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing: Best Practice Guidance'.

"Nowhere within that document does it state that it's best practice to make drivers gain a Btec," he said.

According to figures supplied by Hull City Council, there are currently 1,391 drivers' licences and 1,338 vehicle licences.

The number of drivers' licences is higher because cars are often shared.

"Our own figures show there are only around 900 drivers actively working in Hull at the moment," said Mr Murray.

Mr Murray owns Seven 0 Six Cars in Marfleet Lane, east Hull, but is considering quitting the industry.

"Pre-June 2014 I had 85 drivers," he said. "I now have 70 drivers. I have only been able to recruit one driver in the past year. We have lads in this city who want to work but are being stopped by the council's policy.

"People are leaving the industry, but the new blood is not coming through, and this is being reflected at all 11 remaining cab offices in Hull. It's critical."

A letter sent to former council chief executive Darryl Stephenson last October, seen by the Mail, warns of the impact of the council's policy on driver recruitment.

The letter is signed by the owners of Sutton Cars, Seven 0 Six Cars, 65 Cars, Seven O Cars, 57 Taxis, Hull Cars, 35 Taxis, Belmont Taxis, East Hull Cars and Six 0 Cars.

Mr Murray believes the process required to gain a licence is too lengthy and expensive.

"It's taken the one driver I have taken on five months to get his Btec," he said. "I know of another example where is has taken ten months through no fault of his own.

"We are trying to provide a professional and safe service for the citizens of Hull, but can't."

Mr Murray says a number of "temporary" drivers have quit the industry since 2014.

"Before, you had a lot of people apply for a licence so they could dip in and out of taxi work," he said. "We welcomed them.

"That doesn't happen now because it costs so much in time and money to get your licence."

Darren Beckett, manager of 65 Cars in Princes Avenue, west Hull, says between 50 and 100 people queue in his cab office between 9pm and 3am on a weekend.

"We just can't get the drivers," he said. "When I started 25 years ago you had to prove you were a fit and proper person to be a private hire driver.

"You were asked to plan a route and you were police-checked. In addition, you were asked seven questions.

"Now, you need to score 50 out of 60 on a knowledge test, which is on top of the Btec course.

"All cars have sat-navs these days. It makes no sense."

'We'll listen to cab firms' says council

In A statement, Hull City Council said: "A request was made by a number of private hire operators represented by the Hull Private Hire Association, with regard to the council's policy on applications for new drivers making it more restrictive for new applicants to join the licensed trade.

"Following this, Hull City Council agreed that comments from the trade would be invited during the annual review of policy and conditions.

"It is our intention to discuss the results of this consultation at the licensing committee in March. In setting its policy on applications for new taxi drivers the council must ensure the correct balance is struck between the needs of drivers, operators and passengers."


Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Chronic- ... z411f3rc1c
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
I wonder how much advertising revenue that newspaper gets from the spivs?

Of course that would play no part in their decision to want to water down standards. :---)
Author:  jimbo [ Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
Hull city council don't seem to be aware of the existence of the deregulation act 2015. No mention at all in their 2016 draft policy taxi and ph licensing, no three year drivers licence in their list of fees. It's almost a year since the Act was passed into law, and almost five months since it became LAW. Still, at least the public are safe in the knowledge that their driver has a nationally recognised qualification. :lol:
Author:  Blueknight [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
Looks like an open invite to Uber who will, no doubt, convince the council to lower the entrance requirements for their tech-savvy vehicles and drivers. #-o
Author:  captain cab [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
Hull minicab boss: 'We are so short of drivers I have to beg them to clock in'

THE owner of a Hull private hire firm has resorted to "begging" drivers to clock on in a bid to meet demand from customers.

David Smith, owner of Six 0 Cars, says he shares the concerns of the Hull Private Hire Association (HPHA), which announced yesterday there was a chronic shortage of drivers.

Mr Smith showed the Mail text messages he has had to send to self-employed drivers in the past few days asking them to help fill gaping gaps in demand.

Mr Smith said: "I have to beg my drivers to log on because we just don't have the numbers anymore.

"It's not even just during busy periods, Friday and Saturday nights, that we are short. I'm having to send these messages out at 10am."

Magnus Murray, a member of the HPHA and owner of 706 Cars, says the city council's insistence on drivers having a Btec qualification is deterring people entering the industry, leading to lengthy waits for cabs.

As revealed yesterday, to gauge the extent of the problem, a Mail reporter contacted several companies just after midnight on Sunday to order a taxi.

Not one company said they were able to collect us within an hour, and the longest expected wait was three hours. Some said they were unable to send a taxi at any point that night.

The Mail is now backing calls from taxi firms to put more drivers behind the wheel by relaxing tough restrictions on how they qualify.

"What it all boils to is that there are now a lot more obstructions in the way to getting your licence," said Mr Smith. "This is having a big impact on our abilities to recruit drivers."

Mr Smith has deep concerns for Hull's year as UK City of Culture 2017, which is expected to result in about one million extra visitors.

"City of Culture is only a matter of months away," he said. "Three weeks ago, I met with a senior member of Hull 2017 and I expressed my concerns to him.

"I told him, 'I don't want to be alarmist, but I think you should know about the problems."

Mr Murray says it is taking up to ten months for would-be cab drivers to gain the Btec qualification they need for a licence.

But not everyone shares the views of the office owners and HPHA members.

Pete Nilsson, of Hull's Hackney Carriage Association, who quit being a private hire driver to drive a black cab five years ago, disputes claims of a shortage of drivers.

He said: "When I was a private hire driver, on a busy Saturday night, for every hour spent on the road, a good 35 minutes would be spent without a fare."

Mr Nilsson offered an explanation as to why the Mail struggled to get a private hire car – a problem experienced by many readers at weekends.

Mr Nilsson said: "It's not that there are a lack of drivers.

"Drivers do not want to work on Friday and Saturday nights, because of the violence.

"There is also the issue of multiple booking. All this restricts the number of vehicles that are available."

Hull City Council intends to discuss the results of a consultation with drivers at next month's licensing committee.

'We want to work with them'

COUNCILLOR Sean Chaytor, deputy chair of the city council's licensing committee, said last night: "We have had a request from operators today for a meeting.

"We are very happy to meet with them at the earliest opportunity and are willing to discuss any issues they may have. We want to work with them, not against them."


Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-tax ... z414taQaFb
Author:  grandad [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
captain cab wrote:

THE owner of a Hull private hire firm has resorted to "begging" drivers to clock on in a bid to meet demand from customers.

Begging!!! Have you considered reducing their dues to encourage them to come in?
Author:  edders23 [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
what they fail to realize is that they should be turning this round to their advantage why not offer a recruitment package including the qualifications but get the drivers to sign an agreement that if they leave within 12 months they have to pay the money back.

the alternative scenario of "lowering " standards would be an open invite to ufail

it must be wonderful to be in a position of having more work than cars i'm sure plate barons in many other areas would be jealous
Author:  grandad [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 12:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
edders23 wrote:
why not offer a recruitment package including the qualifications but get the drivers to sign an agreement that if they leave within 12 months they have to pay the money back.


I am not sure such an agreement is enforceable.
Author:  billybobs [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
If the council are so "concerned", they could recruit some drivers and pay them a decent wage and give them all the usual council add ons. Should I hold my breath waiting for that one?
Author:  grandad [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
billybobs wrote:
If the council are so "concerned", they could recruit some drivers and pay them a decent wage and give them all the usual council add ons. Should I hold my breath waiting for that one?

i wouldn't recommend it.
Author:  edders23 [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
grandad wrote:
edders23 wrote:
why not offer a recruitment package including the qualifications but get the drivers to sign an agreement that if they leave within 12 months they have to pay the money back.


I am not sure such an agreement is enforceable.


would it be that different from a mobile phone contract or a bank loan ?
Author:  grandad [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
edders23 wrote:
grandad wrote:
edders23 wrote:
why not offer a recruitment package including the qualifications but get the drivers to sign an agreement that if they leave within 12 months they have to pay the money back.


I am not sure such an agreement is enforceable.


would it be that different from a mobile phone contract or a bank loan ?

Yes. I believe that if such a term was included in a contract that it could be successfully challenged as an unfair term.
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
grandad wrote:
captain cab wrote:

THE owner of a Hull private hire firm has resorted to "begging" drivers to clock on in a bid to meet demand from customers.

Begging!!! Have you considered reducing their dues to encourage them to come in?

Or upping the meter rates.

If there was serious money to be made they would be queuing at the door.
Author:  southwalesph [ Wed Feb 24, 2016 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
Happy days for the drivers in hull, sounds like they can earn a decent crust for their families, which is not the case in a lot of areas.
Author:  trotskys twin [ Thu Feb 25, 2016 1:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: shortage of Hull minicabs leaves customers waiting for h
southwalesph wrote:
Happy days for the drivers in hull, sounds like they can earn a decent crust for their families, which is not the case in a lot of areas.


Yes they are all thanks to a LABOUR council limiting the number of PH licences's via upping the requirements for obtaining a License, hardly difficult was it? and now its fill your boots time for the Drivers, .....................i wonder who had word with Councillors and encouraged them to go down this route :wink: :wink: GMB UNITE RMT i know but do you ???????????????? :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

so heed the lesson make getting or keeping a license much more difficult then abracadabra all those non English literate couldnt care a less eekits are GONE :badgrin: :badgrin:
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