Taxi Driver Online

When I saw the headline, certainly didn't think it would be about a SUD survey

That's assuming it is about an independent SUD survey to justify maintaining an HC quota, but that's not entirely clear either, but it's certainly part of a council report on the HC quota


Taxi drivers reluctant to work late night shifts due to ‘drunken, violent or abusive customers’

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/people/t ... rs-4589257

Taxi drivers in Barnsley are reluctant to work late night shifts due to drunken, violent or abusive customers, according to a new report.

Barnsley Council has surveyed taxi use in the borough, which it has to do to justify its limit of 67 licensed hackney cabs.

A report following the survey found gaps in taxi provision for a number of reasons.

It said that there is an issue getting drivers to work during the busy late night and early morning periods, due to concerns for their safety.

Seven per cent of drivers surveyed said they avoided working during these times, in case they face ‘drunken, violent or abusive customers’.

It also said demand for services in the borough has increased from 3.4 per cent in 2017 to 9 per cent in 2024.

BMBC is currently waiting to hear news of a bid for funding so it can install CCTV in hackney carriage vehicles in the hopes this will encourage more drivers to work at unsociable times and not avoid ‘difficult customers’.

If the funding is granted, the council will consult drivers on the CCTV plans.

The report adds: “Our two largest private hire companies have been amalgamated and have also brought with them out-of-town drivers that although raising a significant concern to the trade, are helping to fill the unmet demand gap.

“Despite there being unmet demand that is significant we would not introduce more Hackney Carriages vehicle licences at this time, although other research and a repeated full survey with rank surveys no later than March 2025 is recommended.”

Utterly meaningless


Only 'seven per cent'? I'd have guessed a *lot* more. And in the context of stuff like this, seven per cent hardly seems worth mentioning.


As I said in another Barnsley thread mentioning this, somehow suspect that won't be a game changer...

But interesting that they seem to be using drivers' reluctance to work nights as an excuse not to issue more plates. That might explain any significant unmet demand, but it doesn't excuse not issuing more licences

Also interesting how the private hire dimension is mentioned in the context of measuring stuff. But that perhaps demonstrates that the whole SUD thing is largely meaningless tosh