Taxi Driver Online

I'll go for that one

There is a shed load of difference between restrictions based solely on numbers, and restrictions (or perhaps a better word is conditions) on standards.

Anyone can try to adhere to the latter, but once a limit is reached, no-one can adhere to the former.

This trade, in my opinion, will never be de-defunct. Unless of course people wish to stop traveling from A to B, for payment.

Buses wont be able to cope, and even if they did somehow bring in a rule which allows smaller buses to do the volumes that we do, they will still need people to drive them.

Our trade will always be locally sourced, if the big boys were interested, then they would be here by now.

Some may say that the big bus companies have the HC/PH trade in their sights, well I don't believe that for a second.

But saying the trade will be no-more, is a common comment from the doom-mongers, dwelling in a glorious past that never was.

_________________
IDFIMH

Andy, Question for you...

Who now owns the largets fleet of Taxis/PH cars in the United Kingdom?


(Clue: It aint Addison Lee, ComputerCab or anyone like that).

(And it ain't US either).

And another separate question:

Is Airport Carz a Taxi or a Bus Company?

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Well, I would guess it's the Singapore Bus Company.

However it's a lot easier to buy one big firm with 7000 vehicles, than buy 100 different firms with 70 vehicles on.

This trade is full of people who think a HC/PH firm is a badge of honour, it would take a hell of a lot of cash to make them sell that.

But say a firm did sell, what's stopping the drivers going elsewhere? And with that customers would follow. So is it really worth the big boys coming in, and have they got the money?

Take the London mini-cab trade, there aren't enough drivers at the moment, so the bus companies could buy out firms and have no-one to drive their vehicles.

Of course it could happen, it's just that I don't think it will.

_________________
IDFIMH

I would say it's a Airport transport company.

However I feel that any company that relies on one big customer (i.e. an airport, station, etc), is a company that's one argument away from closure.

Or one tender away from being no-more.

Thankfully the likes of Airport Carz, can only work in an airport, and their aren't that many of them. But they do use licensed PH's at Stanstead don't they? Or was I seeing things?

I suspect what they would like to do at Manchester is to run a PH system, instead of the current HC boys. The buses could be just a trial run, but I really don't know.

But in my mind the easiest HC/PH/taxi-bus firms to run, are the ones at airports. All you need to do is deal with one mush and there you are, thousands of customers.

Massive difference though in what we deal with, thousands of different mushes, in thousands of different pick-up points.

I suspect the big boys have had a peep, seen the grief, and peeped off.

_________________
IDFIMH

Well actually its first bus, but they bought these firms only cos they were doing damage with taxibuses taking big chunks of viable middle routes
but yes first bus are the biggest taxi opperator.

yes sussex and you would be wrong, and you are wrong about Man Airport
they are called taxibuses to con the passengers nothing more

OK. Guest got the answer right. The biggest UK Taxi owner is First Bus.

As for Airport Carz Andy, I think you have missed something.

Airport Carz are not the only name they trade under. They are also called Group TaxiBus Ltd. They do not only have one contract at just Airports. They have Manchester, Stanstead, Bristol, and Southampton airports too.

In Chelmsford, they are also the biggest Taxi Company bar none. Their "iron" is in several fires, and airport transfer is but a part of their business.

They also operate box fulls of schools contracts with both buses and PH cars and minibuses.

Essentially, while they started as a small local cab company, they are now a large BUS company.

They are mega efficient in management in many ways. They are not out and out law breakers either. They examine the laws in detail and know a lot about them. They, just as we do, see the loopholes and inadequacies of the existing legislation. Its just that they use them to their advantage. We should do the same, but we rarely do. If we spent as much time developing our own businesses as we do moaning about others, then we would all be as big as them.

Personally, I dont see a future for the independent hackney, if left unprotected from market forces. A big fleet can operate on economies of scale, in both muscle, purchasing power and passenger-demand coverage. With such enormoties against us, I cannot see how we can survive as one man bands. Thus my prediction for the next decade is that most of us will end it, working on big circuits (with the possible exceptions of Tom and Wharfie - who will own em).

Now, next question: Would I, if I had to be on a big circuit, rather work for Kevin and Richard as part of TaxiBus, or for one of the smaller ("shark/leech"as someone on here keeps calling them) get rich quick operators such as Nidge often refers to in his area?

Simple answer innit?

Get away from the view that the drivers control the trade. They dont. Its the guys who own the phone numbers.

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

I think Sussexman would be happy with that as long as he has got his free plate.

I wont be getting much bigger until I get more staff in place, Paddington Bill has done a good job for us that will see us through this years expansion.

However Andy you can always join us and I dont mean as a driver, by the way have you started taking Luke to school?

Luke starts back on the 5th mate. I got £62 for the seat damage.

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

And exactly where did I say anything different?

I maybe wrong over a number of issues, but for you to say I am, I must first say it myself.

_________________
IDFIMH

I cannot see your point, I know lots of firms that are big in certain areas, but it doesn't mean they will take over the country, whatever trade we are talking about.

Why aren't Airport Carz at Gatwick? I assume because the other two firms there had better tenders. One of them was at Manchester untill he left.

Why are you still earning, and your firm still operating? It's because your customers want you to take them from A to B, not anyone else.

_________________
IDFIMH

Whatever firm you/I/anyone else, choose to work on is down to individual choice.

I suspect in most areas you have the big firms, and you have the small firms. Both types exist, because they deal with their customers, as their customers wish to be dealt with. Or else they lose them.

I don't think I have ever said that drivers control the trade. I wish they did, but Mr Apathy is king when it comes to that issue.

However that doesn't stop big mouths like me sticking my nose and my ten-penneth in. It mightn't matter a jot, but at least I can say I tried.

_________________
IDFIMH

_________________
IDFIMH