Taxi Driver Online

The ratios change.

However, my area is an extreme example not to follow, it would have been entirely different if higher standards had been set in place, i.e. nothing older than a 3 year old PCO approved vehicle on first license.

What we have at the moment is anarchy.

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

But is it that extreme, is that not mirrored up and down the country?

As I said, and as Sussex explained, if each current driver in Edinburgh chose to run their own vehicle, what difference would it make to you, assuming you don't run your own vehicle?

If you have a taxi with one day driver, one night driver and one weekend driver, and they each subsequently run their own vehicle, the number of taxis increases from one to three, but there are no more taxis on the road at any one time. Multiply this by over a thousand and you have the scenario I outlined earlier.

Granted, the scenario is hypothetical, and the numbers unlikely to got this way in practice, but the point is that concentrating on the bare number of taxis tells us little.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Not at all - this has always been my basic view.

Indeed, I think only TDO made the argument against the OFT's view that basically buyers know the risk and thus deserve little sympathy, and this piece from 2003 makes many of the arguments made in the more recent piece and has been on our front page for ages:

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/money.htm

And I made the argument for a soft landing in personal submissions to both the OFT and DfT, and of course it's not my fault that they ignored them

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

The effect of the 1985 transport act is that it became a gamble to purchase a plate.

Although your softening of attitude is worthy of note

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Had a cabbie in the taxi last night who'd just sold his Edinburgh plate for forty grand.

He sold it to an oil worker who reckoned it was a "good investment".

He was going to put two drivers on, £250 rental for night shift, £200 for days. Edinburgh's answer to JR Ewing was happy.

Obviously his market research was flawed. De-restriction IS coming. Good drivers, who won't bash the taxi or run it into the ground, are not easy to find, especially if you're new to the trade. Buying his own TX is fraught with financial penalties, and considerable expense. Insurance. Test fees ...

I'd like to see this guy's business plan, replete with SWOT analysis.

Truth is, he's listened to some braggard cabbie in the pub trying to outdo him in the income stakes, talking numbers higher than reality, and he's swallowed it.

Am I, and the myriad others denied their own licence plate by a cartel which specifically excludes them unless they cough up forty grand, supposed to feel sorry for this guy when his "investment" goes pear shaped?

Errrr. I think not.

Unless you fully understand the market you're buying into, it's entirely your OWN fault if it goes wrong.

That's free market lesson numero uno, is it not? And I'm neither an economist nor an investor.

My attitude has changed not one iota, but it's good to see that yours is hardening

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Ou err madam sounds a bit rude

My attitude has always been a mystery, even to me

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

So spare a thought for the rest of us then

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Perhaps the Transport Act made it a bit more difficult for LAs to retain controls, but isn't it fair to say that it was always a gamble, since even before the TA LAs could still derestrict when they wanted.

Indeed, the TA itself demonstrated that things were never set in stone in legislative terms, thus there's always been an element of risk involved.

But prior to that I think it was basically a case of LAs restricting numbers as they thought fit, ie as many or as few as they wanted.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I think you're assuming a certain degree of 'investor' sophistication here, while in reality that's not always the case.

Or at least we differ to the extent that I think that people need to be saved from themselves at times, after all as consumers we're all afforded a bit of protection in almost everything we purchase, such as a warranty with a car, a cooling off period with something that might be bought in a hard sell scenario, or a warning if buying a sophisticated financial product or suchlike.

If it was up to me then at the very least I would make sure that plate purchasers signed a declaration that they were aware of the risks and that the plate might become worthless.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Okay, just a little though



Perhaps, howver after the act it was clearly stated that the only instances where numbers control could remain were those places that were satisfied there was no sud.

I dont actually think we disagree on this point though

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I think you might find that the vast majority of licensing officers in restricted areas will inform prospective proprietors, that "they only issue licenses" they don't offer business advice.

I just wonder when this soft landing should start, should it start today or should it have started 20 years ago back in 1986? Should the soft landing apply to everyone or just those that have recently gambled on buying a license?

How many years do you give these unwise investors?

Since 1986 people speculating large amounts of money on something they have no control over has been what can only be described as a huge gamble. Fortunately for some this has worked in their favour but not so in the case of others.

The main overriding question is should a council exclude people from obtaining a license in order to protect a select few from competition? The OFT and DfT say they shouldn't, so under those circumstances would it not be prudent to suggest that it is just a matter of time before they put the matter straight?

Should those people who have found themselves out of work in a restricted environment have any sympathy for anyone who gambles on buying a plate? Do you think owners have any sympathy for drivers when they sack them or sell the cab from underneath them without a bye your leave? I'm afraid there is probably very little charity offered between either side. I wonder should those persons who wish to enter the trade be excluded because a council wishes to retain a stranglehold on who can or cannot have a license?

I think anyone buying into the restricted market since 1986 has taken a calculated risk if not a Gamble? Anyone who buys in now after the OFT report and the recognised position of the DfT is taking an even great risk with his money?

I would have thought there wont be too many people having sympathy for anyone buying into a restricted market at this moment in time?

Regards

JD

OMG get a priest ....we agree

Captain cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I suppose a case could be made that it did indeed start back in 1985.

_________________
IDFIMH