Taxi Driver Online

Glasgow-based -

https://shows.acast.com/talking-taxis/episodes

First episode is about the LEZ and it's impact on the taxi trade with effect from 1 June 2024. Many taxi drivers will be forced out of business and the knock on effect will have an impact on Glasgow businesses, their customers and the desire of people to visit and socialise in our wonderful city. In this episode the design, planning & implementation of the zone are challenged. Is the grant funding available a good use of public money?

One hour, more or less

My attention span certainly doesn't run to that (which is why it's probably at least a couple of decades since I've watched any film or TV programme of that length), but will have a listen in the car over the weekend in bits and pieces.

Certainly no shortage of time on the ranks here

I shall give it a listen tomorrow morning.

If I get time on a busy Sunday morning that is.

Will I need subtitles?

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IDFIMH

You might have issues in that regard, but it could be a lot worse in Scotland, believe you me

And best to click on the icon from the left to play it rather than just start from the link above, because that way you get to a timer and can rewind or know where to restart if you need to listen to it over a number of sessions.

(I'm certainly not good at listening to or watching stuff over periods like this, so better to listen to it in bits, and often my mind wanders, so need to rewind, or whatever )

Podcast is a good idea, though. Certainly plenty politics and current affairs podcasts around, but never known any trade ones, although I tend to steer clear of the mainstream trade magazines and publications that might do that sort of thing...

Some of the retrofits now causing problems, and some have been disabled

Who would have expected that?

(Not sure it's a good idea to (literally) broadcast that drivers are disabling the retrofit, but hey ho )

It's an interesting podcast.

I'm already Euro6 but agree with the view in the podcast that a staged transition would have been more practical all round. Glasgow already had a newer-for-older policy, so adding an age-limit like London would achieve the same aims with less upheaval. 1400 cabs (a good many of which were already LEZ compliant) isn't a huge number.

But would-have/could-have/should-have aside, it seems we're stuck with it now and it'll be interesting how it pans out towards June.

I think the fellas came across well, and expressed their concerns in a concise if not exasperating manner.

The answer clearly should have been an age limit, which would have changed the fleet in a more ordered timescale, but as they say they are where they are.

Turning the systems off doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. These drivers have got to earn a living, and a cab off the road earns sweet FA.

How many cabs/drivers leave the trade, who knows? But if it’s in the 100s then that’s a shame, and clear evidence that the councils plan has failed.

As for new owners coming in, £4,000 down and £1,000 a month for 5 years is enticing for only those suffering mental health problems.

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IDFIMH

Sussex, I would have thought nearer to £1,500 per month for a brand new LEVC or whatever, or even nearer £2k

I think the lad was talking about a PCP deal which would be a case of giving back the car to the dealer after 5 years, as opposed to a driver trading it in or selling it.

But your numbers for buying one sound about right, and f***ing crazy at the same time.

On a different track, as I said above I thought the podcast was good, an 8 out of 10. It would have been a 9 but for the hooter sound every time someone mentioned the council.

Some may find it amusing the first time, most will find it irritating the 6th or 7th time.

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IDFIMH

Gotcha - I always think of these things in terms of HP agreements. Not often I look at these things, but always give the PCP and similar style agreements a body swerve - obviously repayment figures look attractive, but after five years or however long you're basically faced with purchasing a high-mileage second hand car, or handing it back with nothing to show for all the repayments.

But, aye, you're bang on about the klaxon, which annoyed me at the time, but had totally forgotten about it today until you mentioned it

Did manage to listen to it all in one session for a change - think it was something to do with waiting three hours on the station rank yesterday afternoon - and intended writing down a few thoughts later.

Of course, no point going through everything, but, you know...

Totally agree with the age rule stuff, and was banging on about them almost thirty years ago (although more in the saloon context), but have mellowed a bit about them in recent years, for personal reasons

But didn't fully understand the chap in the podcast's point about the age-rule, and what's a newer-for-older policy, precisely (apart from the obvious)?

I think it is obvious i.e. any replacement must be younger than the cab it replaces.

Which in all fairness accounts for about 99% of the taxis/PHVs currently licensed.

So really you don't need a policy for that.

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IDFIMH

If you mean the section around 47 minutes, I think the logic of using a 10-year age limit is that by 2026, the oldest workable cab would be a 2016 (and therefore Euro6 = job done). 2026 is less than 2 years away.

For context -



Source: 2019 Consultation

Even in 2019, around 340 of 1400 Glasgow cabs were LEZ-ready and the remainder would have been gradually replaced as they hit 10 years. Admittedly, that would have been harsh on 500 or so owners who were already running anything 10 years or older. But they're already copping it with what's happened now anyway.

The newer-for-older rule still applies in Glasgow - any replacement cab has to be newer than the current cab. So I couldn't replace a 2017 with a 2016 (even if they were both Euro6).

It put me off the LPG TX4s with new registrations - what happens if my cab got written off with a 73-registration?

They've even got a bit on a local press website

Didn't quite get the link to Glasgow Taxis Limited when I listened, though, albeit that the GTL chairman was one of the participants in the podcast...

But that explains the radio-style recruitment advert at the end of the podcast, and why recruitment will apparently feature in a future episode.

But for anyone who doesn't know the Glasgow scene (and correct me if I'm wrong), but I think at one time GTL had around 900 of the city's 1,400 black cabs on its books, although no doubt numbers are down a bit since peak, and will probably be further depleted come full LEZ implementation.


Glasgow taxi drivers launch podcast as they discuss LEZ

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/sco ... scuss-lez/

Glasgow taxi drivers have just launched a new podcast.

Talking Taxis, hosted by Glasgow Taxis Ltd, is looking to discuss the big issues facing the trade and the many stories and characters within it.

The podcast will run for an initial first season of six episodes, covering topics such as recruitment, cash versus card, overcharging and the annual children’s trip to Troon.

In the first episode, which is now live, drivers David Farrell, John Lundie and Dougie McPherson, who is also chairman of Glasgow Taxis Ltd, give their honest perspectives on the LEZ, the process behind it and what lies ahead.

Dougie said: “Talking Taxis has been introduced at a time when the taxi trade in Glasgow is facing challenges unlike ever before. Drivers, and the trade in general, can often feel their voices aren’t heard so we took it upon ourselves to find a new way to get our message out there and, when it comes to the important issues, to make sure we don’t miss.

“The pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis and wider economic pressures would have been plenty to deal with at any given time, but throw into the mix the LEZ requirements and deadlines and it’s the most imperfect storm that just won’t go away. That’s why we made LEZ the topic for our first episode – and we hope the city is listening.

“Glasgow Taxi drivers have never been short of opinions. We all also have a genuine love for the city we operate in, the drivers I know care deeply for Glasgow and want the best for it. We hope that comes across in Talking Taxis and we hope our voices can be added to the conversations required to help Glasgow punch above its weight again and soon.”

Talking Taxis episode 1 is available to listen to HERE

It was a good podcast the guys certainly knew their onions. I will listen in for more podcasts.