Taxi Driver Online

'Earn up to £1,000 a week' - Newcastle taxi firm hiring 500 drivers and this is how you can apply

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... s-21652086

A Newcastle taxi company is hiring hundreds of new drivers to tackle the shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic

Budget Taxis is looking to employ 500 drivers after losing many of its staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

In an effort to entice new recruits, the Newcastle -based company has promised to pay for the training of new drivers and will even cover the cost of getting licence plates from the city council.

The major recruitment drive comes after hundreds of the firm's older drivers decided to quit or retire when the pandemic hit last year.

Now, as the city begins to return to some form of normality, following the easing of restrictions, Budget Taxis is struggling to keep up with the demand after receiving 'thousands' of calls from customers every day.

Owner David Singh said: "A lot of our older drivers left with the Covid carry-on and handed their plates back to Newcastle City Council.

"They retired as they got scared and just didn't want to do the job and now there is a shortage of drivers."

David, 60, said drivers wouldn't have to pay anything as the company cover all start-up costs, which amount to around £500 per driver.

He continued: "We will pay for all of the badges and the medical.

"If anybody has a car, we will plate it up for them and pay for all the expenses on that side.

"If they haven't got a car, we will put them into a car and give the badges free of charge."

The company, which already has 500 drivers, is looking for people aged 18 and over with a valid UK driving licence.

No experience is necessary as the firm, which has a head office on Hadrian Road, Newcastle, will provide training and help put applicants through what David calls a 'brief' exam.

But ferrying passengers around the North East isn't the only driving job available for new starters.

When jobs dwindled in March, 2020 as a result of the pandemic, Budget Taxis started to provide a delivery service for parcel company Hermes and food deliveries for the Co-op.

The firm says that drivers also work with the Newcastle NHS Trust to deliver blood to the city's hospitals.

Now, as the Government's furlough scheme looks set to finish at the end of the month, David is worried there will be a rise in unemployment and hopes the offer of work, with all training and costs covered, will give hope to people worried about their future.

David, who started the company around 20 years ago with late friend Eddie Binks, said: "A lot of people are being paid off and when the furlough scheme ends at the end of September, a lot of people are going to lose their jobs.

"I hope this will bring good news to people, keep them calm, and let them know that there are still jobs out there and we're here to help."

New starters can begin work within three weeks of applying after undergoing training.

Meanwhile, those who have a badge but need a car can start work within a matter of hours as the company has bought a fleet of vehicles.

With the soaring demand, taxi boss David said that working days is just as lucrative as working nights.

Also drivers are self-employed and can pick and choose their hours.

"Drivers can earn up to £1,000 a week - the work is that busy," he said.

"You can choose what time you want to go to work and finish what time you want to finish.

"You can do whatever shift you want to do as it is so busy day and night."

The company said Covid safety measures are adhered to with screens fitted in all cars to separate passengers and drivers.

A free uniform is also provided if drivers choose to wear one.

Addressing he disruption during the recruitment process, David added: "We want to apologise to customers who have suffered because of the shortage of drivers."

Anyone wanting to apply to be a Budget Taxi driver should contact David Singh with their name and contact number on 07566741675 or email info@nodataxis.co.uk. The company will then be in touch to arrange an informal chat.

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IDFIMH

I bet they aren't.


A wise business decision.


Standards not top of his agenda then.


See above.


Work when you want, what a novel idea.

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IDFIMH

Earning, or “earning” a grand a week, with BUDGET cars?

Or is it turning over a grand a week?

And taking home, what?

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Former taxi driver

Thought this was NODA, Sullemans company.

Well that's the $64,000 question (or £1,000 question, to be more precise).

And we've been here umpteen times with figures that are obviously turnover rather than profit, and equally obviously they are best-case scenario figures, probably entailing working 60+ hours, all weekend and into the early hours.

And what that equates to in terms of profits is anyone's guess, but costs are going to be several hundred quid.

But it's pure advertorial - if I'd read that without knowing the source, would have assumed it's from some sort of recruitment leaflet or website spiel, or similar. But not in the Newcastle Chronicle, so I wonder if Budget Cars have paid for this?

Unless the Actual Earnings are as stated these types of Job Adverts should be made Illegal........Promising the Earth and delivering a Lie should be an offence.

but it's an article in a newspaper not an actual advert so not sure if this comes under advertising standards

and we all now how honest and truthful newspaper journo's are

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

I also saw it on a UK Daily Newspaper Webpage so it must be being promoted by those nigglesome Ad Pushing sites you can never truly block.

Anyone who has any gumption will of course notice that if he does take on another 500 drivers in addition to the 500 drivers he's got, then they'll be taking £500 per week rather than a grand. Which was grossly exaggerated anyway

And there's almost 80 comments on the Chronicle's website, most of which are basically confirming what contributors on here are saying

The headline reminds me of the one below that was in the St Andrews Citizen more than 20 years ago, and obviously caused a bit of comment in the local trade. At today's fares you're probably talking more like £2k, so this below makes the Chronicle's headline seem modest



Anyway, I worked for the firm in question at around that time, and indeed in a loose sense it's not incorrect, but of course in reality it's simply misleading. Think I've mentioned this before at least once, but in summary:

- 'Earn' is misleading because it's turnover that's being stated here, not profit. You could 'earn' £500 on a circuit but make zero profit;

- 'Up to' obviously implies it's a best case scenario, like maybe when the students arrive back in town in September. (For obvious reasons I'll ignore the British Open golf championship, which is only one week every six years or so.);

- So even back then I wouldn't dispute that the car could take £1,000. But that would almost certainly entail at least two drivers, or one zombie driver working every day and night and weekend, and into the early hours;

- So if you assume one driver takes £500 in fares, at the standard 40% commission rate back then that driver would keep £200;

- Standard car back about then was an elderly petrol Granada, so you could well be talking £200 in fuel;

- 'Franchise' was £100 per week;

- So that's half the £1,000 in total fares gone without even considering depreciation, insurance, repairs and mainteance, blah, blah.

I recall one new car starting with the firm just a few weeks after the advert. He disappeared after literally a few days. Not sure if he joined the firm on the basis of the advert, but either way he seemed to get a rude awakening

Have you kept that little cut out advert ever since 1.6.2001

Not sure if I've still got it, to be honest, but the photo was taken several years ago

And not even sure where I'd find it on my hard drive (which contains several hard drives' worth of crap from the various computers I've had since 1996 or so).

But easy way to find it earlier today was to search for an email and attachment of it I sent to another driver in 2015

But should really keep a record of some of these more outlandish claims. For example, remember this one on the Liverpool Echo's website a few weeks ago in an article titled "Well-paid jobs..."




Another recent one was the Cleethorpes operator and an article saying:

"Attractive salaries of up to £50,000-a-year are failing to lure jobseekers into the taxi trade."

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=37031&p=410163


Or the Bradford operator who said:

“Before coronavirus, taxi drivers could make up £200 a day working eight to ten hours on a weekend."

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36846

This makes it sound like Budget Taxis riding to the rescue with an offer of 'jobs' and 'employment', but is there really any difference here to what's been happening for decades in that they'll take on anyone, the only difference now being that there's greater urgency for *them* because of the amount of drivers they've lost in the wake of the pandemic?


'There is light at the end of the tunnel' - Newcastle taxi boss offers jobs to staff at city's collapsed energy firm

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... y-21755675

The taxi boss is offering employment to everyone who has lost their job at a collapsed energy firm in the city

A Newcastle taxi firm has renewed its pledge to help people in the city into work as it looks to recruit 500 new drivers.

Budget Taxis says it has been inundated with hundreds of applications just over a week after launching a major recruitment drive to replace many of the staff it lost during the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, it is going one step further, with company boss, David Singh, promising to take on all of the staff from the city's collapsed energy supplier Green.

Green Supplier Limited became the fifth energy supplier to go out of business in September after a spike in gas prices put massive pressure on the sector.

Green, which employed around 180 staff at its base at The Core in Newcastle city centre, cited a lack of Government support for suppliers, unprecedented market conditions, and 'regulatory failings' for its insolvency.

David Singh said Budget Taxis was 'willing to take them all on' as he urged anyone who has been made redundant or affected by the furlough scheme coming to an end to apply.

"We want to let people know there is light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

"We don't want people to think there are no jobs."

In an effort to entice new recruits, the Newcastle-based company has promised to pay for the training and all start-up expenses of new drivers - and will even cover the cost of getting licence plates from the city council.

David, 60, said drivers can earn up to £1,000 a week because of the demand.

"The amount of work out there is unbelievable and we can't cover it all," he said.

Budget Taxis has already taken on around 80 new drivers and has had around 200 applications which the company says it is working through to get people into roles.

"It has been mixed," David said of the candidates applying.

"Some of them have been laid off, some people are in their late 50s and some of them are young ones.

"A lot of the people that have been laid off are grateful for the work."

No experience is necessary as the firm, which has a head office on Hadrian Road, Newcastle, will provide training and help put applicants through what David calls a 'brief' exam.

But ferrying passengers around the North East isn't the only driving job available for new starters.

When jobs dwindled in March, 2020 as a result of the pandemic, Budget Taxis started to provide a delivery service for parcel company Hermes and food deliveries for the Co-op.

The firm says that drivers also work with the Newcastle NHS Trust to deliver blood to the city's hospitals.

"We have had a good response," David said of the recruitment drive.

"With furlough now being finished, we just want to let people know that jobs are here for them.

"Some people may have been paid off and, with furlough finishing, may not know which way to turn, but we want to let them know that we are here to support them along the way."

The company said Covid safety measures are adhered to with screens fitted in all cars to separate passengers and drivers.

Panic buttons are also fitted in all cars which drivers can press during an incident to alert the firm's other drivers to their location so they can be assisted.

The company, which already has 500 drivers, is looking for people aged 18 and over with a valid UK driving licence.

Anyone wanting to apply to be a Budget Taxi driver should contact David Singh with their name and contact number on 07566741675 or email info@nodataxis.co.uk.

But there are no 'jobs' - your drivers are self-employed/independent contractors.

And the likes of this article and the terminology used would provide good evidence for any driver willing to make a tribunal claim along the lines of Addy Lee, Uber and Bounds.

And lots of comments on the Chronicle's website saying the £1,000 claim is nonsense, and it's more difficult than ever now to make a crust, blah, blah. Same old, same old