Taxi Driver Online :: View topic - Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increases

There's a national shortage of drivers at the moment which is losing us a few drivers.

"There are three main reasons why, including the pinging. It is a little to do with Brexit, we are not seeing the eastern European workforce coming over, and since restrictions have lifted drivers have been able to go home, which they haven't been able to do, so they have shot off home for a bit of a break."

There has not been one single eastern european worker or family of the many that I know about who has returned home to the EU post Brexit...not one!, it's nothing but a bit of media hysteria and hype.

The new system takes four to six months and much longer for some people who are not academically at themselves.

We also need to get a lot of young people into the industry.

NI proprietors' rep wrote:

The new system takes four to six months and much longer for some people who are not academically at themselves.

Any prizes for guessing what that means? :-s

That means we want standards to be diluted and the gates opened to any old riff raff. [-X

Author:	StuartW [ Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increases
Nothing particularly new here, but article feels like there's a bit missing at the end, and that there should be a bit more Taxi companies hit by driver shortages as demand increases https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/na ... ms-8181494 Taxi companies in Norwich have been hit by a national shortage of drivers as demand begins to take off through growing tourism and the return to normality. Companies reported busy Saturday nights as the city's clubland sprang to life on the first weekend since coronavirus restrictions were lifted on July 19, on so-called Freedom Day. Chris Harvey, marketing manager of ABC Taxis, said between 90 and 100 drivers were available on Saturday night trying to respond to calls as quickly as possible, with the company's current fleet at 272. Image: Archant/Norwich Evening News He said: "It's going to be around 22,000 jobs this week. There's a national shortage of drivers at the moment which is losing us a few drivers. "There are three main reasons why, including the pinging. It is a little to do with Brexit, we are not seeing the eastern European workforce coming over, and since restrictions have lifted drivers have been able to go home, which they haven't been able to do, so they have shot off home for a bit of a break." Facing a similar situation is Courtesy Taxis, which is also based in Norwich. Image: Simon Finlay/Archant/Norwich Evening News Mark Streeter, managing director, said the company has been recruiting new drivers after seeing a shortage. He said: "It's mainly down to drivers finding alternative employment when lockdown first happened, such as parcel delivery and food delivery, which obviously went ballistic and they are still doing it as the demand is still there." Mr Harvey said it was "a little bit manic" between 10pm and midnight on Saturday. He said: "We could quite easily keep a fleet of 300 busy. One of the things we have found this year is we are seeing a massive increase in tourism, we always do see tourists come into Norfolk but with people not going abroad, it's suddenly increased that demand. "Any increase in need is good for our line of work, hopefully we can keep recruiting as much as we can."

Author:	Sussex [ Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
Quote: There's a national shortage of drivers at the moment which is losing us a few drivers. Makes bundles of sense that statement. Quote: "There are three main reasons why, including the pinging. It is a little to do with Brexit, we are not seeing the eastern European workforce coming over, and since restrictions have lifted drivers have been able to go home, which they haven't been able to do, so they have shot off home for a bit of a break." So the slave labour have seen the light and either gone home or gone into other trades. Well done to them. One other thing, why is it only operators bellyaching about the lack of drivers?

Author:	bloodnock [ Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
There has not been one single eastern european worker or family of the many that I know about who has returned home to the EU post Brexit...not one!, it's nothing but a bit of media hysteria and hype.

Author:	edders23 [ Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:05 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
bloodnock wrote: There has not been one single eastern european worker or family of the many that I know about who has returned home to the EU post Brexit...not one!, it's nothing but a bit of media hysteria and hype. Different story in Lincolnshire but the majority have stayed as far as I know, however most of those have established careers or are saving up to buy a house and start a business back home

Author:	Sussex [ Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
bloodnock wrote: There has not been one single eastern european worker or family of the many that I know about who has returned home to the EU post Brexit...not one!, it's nothing but a bit of media hysteria and hype. Clearly different areas have different experiences, but down here the hotel/restaurant trade has been decimated by the shortage of EU workers. Now part of that will be down to some of those folks going home, but another part is that those folks are now looking to work in trades that pay more and have a better work life balance.

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Author:	Sussex [ Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
Another operator in Northern Island playing the doom card to the media. https://www.derryjournal.com/news/uk-ne ... rs-3323847 Once again no complaints from existing drivers.

Author:	StuartW [ Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:16 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
Putting this here just for reference. And a classic line Derry taxi sector ‘in crisis’ warns Eamonn O’Donnell, manager, North West Taxi Proprietors https://www.derryjournal.com/news/uk-ne ... rs-3323847 The taxi sector is in crisis, a leading industry figure has said. Eamonn O’Donnell, manager, North West Taxi Proprietors, warned of a serious dearth of drivers blighting the sector. “We are in a crisis, and we need the Minister to move to address the issues as we come out of COVID. We need legislative and policy changes. The impact for the taxi industry will be the lack of drivers,” said Mr. O’Donnell. Speaking during a recent briefing of the Stormont Infrastructure Committee prior to its adjournment for the summer, Mr. O’Donnell told MLAs a failure to support the sector will have repercussions for the night-time economy. “We have the potential impact of the possibility of increased drinking, and we are getting it in the neck from Visit Derry the City Centre Initiative and the purple flag people about safe city centres, all because there are people loitering about the city centres. “The tourism sector wants us to have staycations. Staycations do not look favourable when the city centre is not being ‘redd’ and there are all the issues that come from that to consider. You have issues with the vintners, restaurants and hospitality. Everybody wants a recovery from COVID. The fact that we are not able to supply the taxi services and the rise of the unregulated sector and all that mean that we are in crisis,” said Mr. O’Donnell. He said there needs to be policy and legislative change to allow operators to bring people into the industry. “We also need to get a lot of young people into the industry. There are great job opportunities. The implications of doing nothing is that there will be a major crisis come September with schools contracts and health contracts.” Mr. O’Donnell said the licence system as it currently stands is a bar to entry. “If you look at the number of applications that we got to do the taxi theory test last year, you will see that there were 111. There is no great incentive for people to enter the industry. In the old system, we were able to get people into the taxi industry in six to 10 weeks. The new system takes four to six months and much longer for some people who are not academically at themselves. The lack of numbers coming in is killing the industry. The taxi theory test is a major blockage.” He pointed to a staggering drop in the number of drivers. “In 2018-19, there were 10,268 drivers. That dropped to 8,700 by 2021. We believe that we are actually 30% down on that, and that is where we get the figure of 5,000 for active drivers. Those are the official figures. If you go back to 2013, you will see figures as high as 16,000 for active taxi driver licences, dropping right down to where we are now. It is a crisis.”

Author:	Sussex [ Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
Quote: We also need to get a lot of young people into the industry. Good luck with that one.

Author:	Sussex [ Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
StuartW wrote: NI proprietors' rep wrote: The new system takes four to six months and much longer for some people who are not academically at themselves. Any prizes for guessing what that means? That means we want standards to be diluted and the gates opened to any old riff raff.

Author:	StuartW [ Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:51 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Norwich firms hit by driver shortages as demand increase
Sussex wrote: That means we want standards to be diluted and the gates opened to any old riff raff. I thought he was trying to say that some applicants were thick as mince, but was just being diplomatic Or euphemistic

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