Taxi Driver Online

Nothing particularly new here as compared to elsewhere in the country. But not sure if he's exaggerating about his job totals and the like, but I'd guess it's worse-case scenario, as per usual.

And, of course, like the drivers quoted in the app/algorithm thread (who compared autumn totals with January/February), this time of year is never really representative of the whole...

And, although it's no laughing matter, I take it that this guy's job totals weren't really represented in the recent TaxiPoint survey

But, for example, you'd think the likes of this guy wouldn't know it's not the council that issues station permits. I mean, 30 years in the trade, not exactly a huge metropolis, and he still doesn't know how one of the town's main ranks is regulated?


Guildford taxi driver of 30 years 'beginning to wonder why I still do it' amid rise of Uber

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey ... s-30909292

He says he gets no business while "Ubers (are) picking up fares all the time"


Image: Surrey Live/Darren Pepe

A taxi driver of 30 years in Guildford has said he is "beginning to wonder why I still do it" as, according to him, business has dried up in the town while "Ubers (are) picking up fares all the time".

He claims that year on year, the amount of trips he does decreases due to the consumer shift away from traditional in-person taxis; and toward phone app pre-booked private lift services.

Paul Pearson expressed his frustrations to Guildford's flagship community page 'Guildford Town Past & Present' on Thursday (January 30) as he wanted to spread awareness of what it is like driving a taxi in Guildford in 2025.

He said: "After 30 years of driving a Taxi in Guildford I'm beginning to wonder why I still do it. I spend so many hours sitting on North Street Rank doing nothing for hours on end watching Transport for London Ubers picking up fares all the time."

Paul went onto say that on Monday January 27, he only made £30.30 for six hours worth of work, and some days it can be even worse.

Uber arrived in London and some areas of the home counties, including parts of Surrey; like Guildford in 2012. Since then, the ride-sharing service has only grown further, to become the most popular ride-share app in the UK.

In 2023, over a quarter (26 per cent) of all Brits reported that they had travelled with Uber in the last month, according to a survey by Public First. This survey also found that 89 per cent of riders believe the convenience of the online service, where Uber drivers pick you up from a location of your choosing, is the reason they use it as opposed to traditional taxis.

To learn more about the contemporary issues which taxi drivers are facing; SurreyLive decided to get in contact with Paul and have a conversation with him about life as a taxi driver in Guildford in 2025.

Paul told Surrey Live that he has noticed "more of a sudden drop" in business compared to last year, however in general, he said the number of customers he receives has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said: "My grandad was the first black cab in Guildford. It's in the blood, my older brother used to drive a taxi. I'm the only one left in the family doing it.

"These days I think why do I bother? I get a fare every 2 hours nowadays. I write down all my fares each day. In 2023, I worked from 4pm until midnight and did ten fares and that would be a reasonable day. But on Monday February 3 (2025) I stayed until after midnight and only got three fares."

As well as blaming the rise of Uber for the decline in customers in Guildford, Paul also claims that Guildford Borough Council continues to issue taxi driving licenses in the area when "there would be a market for them if Uber wasn’t in town".

Paul also said that the council reduced the number of taxis permitted to wait outside Guildford station, which has hurt business even more as "trains bring customers to you". Additionally, the taxi driver argued that there are taxi ranks in the town centre which "get no business" because they are not positioned "nearby businesses (which) people use taxis from".

Additional changes to the taxi ranks in Guildford town centre are set to be introduced this summer, according to the council. These changes involve the permanent and temporary closures of taxi ranks, as well as the creation of temporary ranks to replace them. This comes ahead of the North Street Regeneration project which is currently underway in the town centre.

In response to the taxi driver's claims, Cllr Merel Rehorst-Smith, Lead Councillor for Regulatory and Democratic Services told Surrey Live:

"We licence taxi drivers and vehicles for reasons of public safety. We have no legal power to limit the number of driver licences issued. The law dictates that if a driver meets our criteria and is considered to be a ‘fit and proper person’ then the Council must issue the licence.

"Guildford Station, including the taxi rank, is managed by Network Rail (NR). NR decide on the number of permits to issue for the rank at Guildford station. This year they have decided to limit the number of permits available to taxi drivers at Guildford Station to 70.

"This is in response to feedback from drivers, station users and the station team, to prevent overcrowding of the taxi rank and nearby roads. This will improve the safety of the rank, station and all users."

The Guildford Borough Council spokesperson also addressed Uber's business in Guildford, saying: "Uber are a licensed private hire operator with Transport for London. Legislation allows them to undertake pre-booked private hire work throughout the country."

Surrey Live approached Uber for a comment but it did not offer one.

Paul was asked if he would ever consider becoming an Uber driver, due to the similar paid car journey nature of the business, to which he responded: "Not in the slightest".

https://i2-prod.getsurrey.co.uk/incomin ... _14JPG.jpg
Image: Surrey Live/Graham Larter

And I won the Euromillions on Friday night


I hate to inform whoever wrote that for decades you've been able to pre-book a car using two tins and a length of string, so the above information is a tad selective

Seriously, though, it's the usual thing of the narrative not even acknowledging the existence of private hire, or in fact pre-booking cars at all


Looks like the penny's almost dropping there

For what it's worth, had a look at the Facebook page, and he's given it chapter and verse on there




After 30 years of driving a Taxi in Guildford I'm beginning to wonder why I still do it. I spend so many hours sitting on North Street Rank doing nothing for hours on end watching Transport for London Ubers picking up fares all the time.

It doesn't help when GBC keep issuing new Guildford licences and the station now this year has only allowed 70 permits at over £1,000 per year when there was 105 issued last year. Those that didn't get a permit are now useing North Street and M&S ranks so it's taking longer to get a job.

Monday 27 Jan I pulled on North Street Rank at 16:15 behind 6 other Taxis and sat until 17:25 for my first job that went to Little Street off of Grange Road for £14.20 then returned at 17:56. I then sat until 19:41 for my next job which went to the town end of Epsom Road for £6.00 then returned at 19:55. I then sat until 22:15 for my next fare that went to the new estate on Portsmouth Road where Treetops used to be for £10.10. I gave up after returning to North Street rank where there was at least 8 Taxis waiting. That's £30.30 for a days work of 6 and a half hours.

Tuesday 28 Jan was a better day bot not as good as it sould be. Pulled on North Street Rank at 16:15 behind 5 or 6 other Taxi's and waited until 16:49 for my first fare to High Path Road for £11.80 returning to North Street at 17:24. I then waited until 18:42 for my next fare that went to Eashing Lane in Godalming for £24.60 and returned back to North Street at 19:17. Next fare was 19:48 and that went to Milford (Yee-Haa) for £34.30 and returned back to North Street at 20:32 and sat there until about 22:30 without having a fare I went home. £70.70 for a days work of 7 hours.

Wednesday 29 Jan pulled on to North Street rank at 16:10 and waited until 16:52 to go to the town end of Epsom Road for £5.80 then returned to North Street passing M&S rank which was full of Taxi's at 17:03. Next fare was at £18.03 which went to the Premier Inn on Parkway for £8.60 returning to North Street at 18:23. Next fare was at 19:52 which went to Beckingham Road for £8.60 returning at 20:11. Next fare was at 21:33 to Co-Op on Aldershot Road for £11.10 and returned to North Street at 21:55. I then sat there until 00:15 without a fare I went home. £36.10 for a days work of 8 hours.

I just thought I would show everyone what it is like driving a Taxi in Guildford. In January 2023 I did 67 fares. This year so far I have only done 38 fares and less than 400 miles. Not very good at all.

Ah, I see - I did the driver a misservice earlier. Surrey Live has misconstrued what he said about the station permits - he's not saying that the council issues them.


Is it really that different this year compared to last, or is it just this particular driver/area?

He's running an LEVC too - won't have come cheap, particularly with that wrap

Advise certain readers put sunglasses on before viewing this

And don't know how long he's had this motor, but according to its MoT history its annual mileage is tiny. It's six years old, and the annual average is about 8,000 miles. Maximum in one year is 12,000 miles, and in two of the years it's only done 4,000 or so

Which makes no sense.

Apparently he is earning diddly-squat and moaning about Uber taking all the trade, yet he doesn't even consider joining them and not earning diddly-squat.

TBH I think he is talking bo*****s, you can't run a £70,000 motor on three jobs a day.

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IDFIMH

As I said, Sussex, if he's had the cab a few years and the mileage on the MoT database is correct then he must almost be running at a loss

I suspect he's maybe bought it recently, though, and he says he works nights and runs a purpose-built cab because it's safer. So I'd guess he'll make most of his money at weekends, just like everywhere else, and that obviously you're going to get some pi$$ poor shifts at times, especially at this time of the year.

I mean, forgot to say there are the thick end of 400 comments on the Facebook page, and there's the predictable stuff about people paying £5/6 per mile for out-of-town jobs at the weekend

And maybe it's just me, but I can never take wholly seriously people complaining about anything money-related when they have personalised number plates on their car, whether in the trade or in any other walk of life

thank you Stuart I've just thrown my breakfast up !!!!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Poor sod on three jobs a day can't afford breakfast.

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IDFIMH

100% this ^

and yet he can afford a VERY expensive taxi and have it painted into Guildford puke colour and fit it with personalised number plates.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector