Taxi Driver Online

Mar 19 2004
by Mary Murtagh, Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL taxi drivers have reacted angrily to plans to let passengers haggle over fares.
The Office of Fair Trading wanted to deregulate the taxi industry.
But yesterday the government ruled that out. They have said they will help people negotiate lower fares, though. Drivers, however, said the power to negotiate a fare could cause chaos.
Gordon Dainton, 58, of Bootle, driving his cab for 20 years, said: "It won't work. If five drunks get in my cab and start haggling, there will be chaos."
Fellow driver Brian Black, 38, of Walton, said: "I think a better way to work out the fare would be by the number of passengers you have.
"But it wouldn't be good to have drunk people in the back"

Union leaders welcomed the decision to not deregulate the taxi industry, but voiced concern on a further government announcement which said better information would be provided to help consumers negotiate lower fares.
A spokesman for Merseyside branch of the Transport and General Workers Union said: "The prospect of taxi drivers in Merseyside facing angry crowds on a Saturday night looking to haggle over the fare is not to be relished.
"We accept fares need to reflect value for money for the consumer, but also be at a level for drivers to earn a decent living."
Passengers in the city centre yesterday welcomed the chance to bargain over the cost of a taxi ride.
Paul Gibbons, 37, of Wrexham, said: "I might haggle over a fare. What would be better is to work out a fare before you start."

But doesn't that happen now, albeit with the longer distance work?

If someone asks me to discount a local job, I say no.

Why can't others?

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IDFIMH

I hope the clock goes on whilst this haggling takes place?
do it in the punters time not ours

You lot just don't understand it do you.

This is what the Government really think:

If we encourage haggling at ranks, then all the Hackney's will be tied up arguing prices and the rank queues will get longer and longer thus allowing others to prove significant unmet demand.

I think OFT understood the difficulty of haggling at ranks. I think they seem to be looking at offers from the firms, via the phone.

It was after all a taxi and PH study.

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IDFIMH

But why does this need legislation whoever heard of anyone being charged less than the metered, Legit, fare taking issue with it.

The fare current legislation is a safe-guard against I'll pay what I want to
pay bilkers. How could you prove an agreement hadn't been entered into.

In London at present you wouldn't have to prove any such thing.

Claude

Yup. Quite a good point Claude. I do grudgingly have to admit that London have some things right.

But I am still against unlicensed PH.

Sussex,
that with respect is bullshit!
regretfully you know that, the ph study was only in relation to taxis not freestanding, not a single mention of the trade in any other statement or proceedings.

not even in Brighton where they run a joint cartell.

Apart from the un-licensed PH themselves, I've yet to come across anyone who is for them.

Oh, apart from thousands of Black Cab drivers, who still wish PH not to be licensed.

Alex

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Just tell them to f*** off when they ask for a deal.
Or ring a mini cab firm.