](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
Kirklees taxi driver being supported by his kids and delivering takeaways as trade destroyed
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/wes ... d-19729464
Akooji Badat, secretary of Kirklees Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association, says it's a miserable world out there
Kirklees taxi drivers are seeing their standard of living crash through the floor as the pandemic decimates their business.
Some of them are even having to borrow from their children to keep going as the lucrative night-time trade ferrying revellers to pubs and clubs has all but disappeared.
Akooji Badat, a 60-year-old, married, father-of-four grown-up children said he is despairing of the current situation which has no obvious end in sight.
He is secretary of Kirklees Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Association and has 30 years experience of cab driving so knows first hand all the tribulations the trade is facing.
Akooji from Batley said: "Nights is where most of the money is made and with the closure of pubs and clubs the days of making £200 in a single evening are gone.
"And even on the days, there's hardly anyone around because there are a lot fewer people shopping with most of the stores closed. You could earn £70 a day fairly easily before but not now.
"My children are a great contribution to me financially and fortunately I have started doing delivery jobs for takeaways - it might be only a £1 or so per job but it's better than nothing and I certainly don't want to be going on the dole.
"It's definitely the worst I have known it in the 30 years I have been driving and it doesn't look like it is going to end any time soon.
"My colleagues are only making maybe £30/£40 a day instead of perhaps £200 in the past. There's a lot of despair out there as people try to scrape a living.
"And there are far too many of us chasing too few fares, there's a massive over-supply at the moment.
"The only plus point is that we have had furlough payments and we need them to continue.
"If we don't get them in the next few months we won't be able to survive."
