Taxi Driver Online

Kind of thing that makes even anoraks glaze over a tad, and some clunky English here

And the usual stuff about minimum wage comparisons etc, while what's said elsewhere makes it clear the drivers are the ones running the vehicles.

Can't be bothered going through all the numbers, but at face value looks like he wants - and has been given - a new evening tariff which will also apply all weekend, and the overnight tariff will also now apply to 4+ seaters

And the overnight running mile certainly not cheap at £3.75 per mile, and although looks like the flag isn't changing, it's being brought down from a whole mile to seven-tenths

(And even at seven-tenths of a mile, the flagfall distance is quite long...)

So probably one of those that won't look too hefty an increase on the PHTM tables, because that's just a T1 comparison.

But obviously that won't encompass the new tariffs and changed timings etc.

But the other big point - and rightly made - is the fare-setting rigmarole and how council bureaucracy is holding it all up for months


Rhyl - Taxi drivers face wait for fare uplift to take effect

https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/2532 ... ke-effect/


Image: Rhyl Journal

A MAN who runs a taxi firm in Rhyl has urged agreed tariff increases on fares to be implemented in Denbighshire sooner.

Stephen Darbey, of Busy Bee Taxis, put forward a proposal for tariff increases to Denbighshire County Council’s licensing committee in April.

These were approved in June, but are unlikely to come into effect until September at the earliest, when the committee’s next meeting is scheduled for.

This is because the proposals had to undergo a public consultation period after being approved by the committee.

Had no observations or objections been made, the proposed fares would have come into effect on August 7, but 12 responses were submitted.

Denbighshire’s current taxi tariffs are as follows:

Tariff 1

• Between 6am and midnight
• Start fare (for the first mile) £3.50
• Thereafter 25p per 1/10th mile or part thereof
• Waiting time – 30p each minute

Tariff 2

• Between midnight and 6am
• Start fare (for the first mile) £5.25
• Thereafter 37.5p per 1/10th mile or part thereof
• Waiting time – 40p each minute

Mr Darbey’s proposals, which have been approved, are:

Tariff 1 (to help achieve the minimum wage)

£4 start for seven-tenths of a mile, then 25p per one-tenth of a mile thereafter. 30p waiting time. Operational Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm.

Tariff 2 (to encourage drivers to work unsocial hours)

£4.80 start for seven-tenths of a mile, then 30p per one-tenth of a mile thereafter. 30p waiting time. Operational Monday to Friday, 6pm to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday, 6am to midnight.

Tariff 3

£5.25 start for seven-tenths of a mile, then 37.5p thereafter. 40p waiting time. Operational 12am to 6am every day. To encourage the use of minibuses, Tariff 3 should apply when carrying more than four passengers – this will help provide the driver with the funds to cover the higher fixed costs of these vehicles, and the customer will benefit from the need of ordering two vehicles, offering a 25 per cent saving.

But Mr Darbey while appreciated the council's support for his proposals, he said taxi drivers are “furious” at the delays to the proposals being implemented.

He said: “It’s like modern-day slavery, asking us to work as taxi drivers at such a low start rate.

“To be fair, the licensing committee has supported the increases, but I would like the next committee meeting to be brought forward to earlier than September.

“I think the taxi trade has waited long enough for some sort of increase.

“We’ll have to work a whole summer on a pay which isn’t what it should be. Everything’s going up in cost – fuel, cars, insurance, but our taxi meters are staying the same.”

The consultation period was live from June 12 to July 10, to allow enough time for analysis of results (and a final revision of proposals if needed) before the next licensing committee meeting on September 10.

In response to Mr Darbey’s comments, a Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: “The council acknowledges the concerns raised by the local taxi trade regarding the timeline for the proposed Hackney Carriage fare review.

“We understand the pressures currently facing drivers and the importance of ensuring fair and sustainable fare levels.

“Following the recent statutory public notice period, the council received a number of formal objections to the proposed fare increase.

“As a result, we are legally required to follow a statutory process, which includes referring the matter back to the council's licensing committee for further consideration.

“Owing to the busy schedule of committee meetings, it is not feasible to convene an emergency licensing committee meeting before the next scheduled meeting of the committee in September.

“As a result, the fare review will be considered by the committee on September 10.

“The council remains committed to working with the taxi trade and the public to ensure any decisions made are lawful, balanced, and take into account all views received.”

Maybe unsurprising, for the reasons stated above


"Busy schedule of committee meetings"?? Absolutely nothing at all due to summer hols etc

Regular posts on Facebook page for evening and weekend drivers - 'drivers' and 'owner-drivers' - who'd have expected that?

https://www.facebook.com/BUSY.BEE.CABS. ... cale=en_GB

This on the About Us section on their main website - with a postal address in Rhyl

They certainly must be busy bees with this coverage


http://www.busybeetaxis.co.uk/about

Don't know if this link will work, but Google suggests some of the text is used by firms up and down the country - so presumably it's a website template that hasn't been properly tailored for the local business - I'd guess that that might be common if these websites were examined:

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22We+p ... 87&dpr=1.5

But who'd have guessed that generic PR/comms stuff like this was effectively just copied and pasted by various 'taxi' businesses up and down the country

It is farcical that a fare review request put in in April doesn't happen until September, but that's the rules we all have to work with.

Maybe the proposer should have put in his request earlier, or should have been advised by officials of a probable timescale.

These things always take forever, especially when you get objections.

It would be interesting to know if any of those objections came from within the trade.

_________________
IDFIMH

it usually takes the best part of a year from request to implementation here.