dug wrote:
things are not rosey but they would be worse with more taxis end of.....
2500 drivers driving cabs is still 2500 drivers driving cabs, whether they have one each or one between two.
Single shifters have flexibility when to work and when not to. Double shifters do not.
Owner drivers do not have extortionate rents to find on top of making a wage and up here they don't need a second mortgage to get a plate.
In Aberdeen, the vast majority of cabs are single shifted and usually driven by the owner.
Bring in a limit and competition will not decrease by a single cab.
It will follow the Edinburgh model where new drivers will end up renting shifts from owners, increasing competition and diluting what work there is. PH will increase as well, since they can't be limited.
Limits don't achieve anything except create a value for the plate - or maintain it. They don't limit competition, just change the way that the competition operates.
They do discourage retiring drivers from handing back their plate when they leave the trade. Sale of plates is illegal in Scotland and since we don't have the large amounts of corporate held plates Edinburgh has, we wouldn't have this problem. They would hire them out instead.
Nice earner for them at the rest of the trade's expense.
Control entry of drivers to the trade and you control competition. A driver's badge can't be sold, lent, rented out or double shifted.
It doesn't matter how many cabs there are because empty cabs are no competition.
Gotta agree with you there Gus regarding badges.....But when the profiteers who don't even know the make of meter in the cab let alone, drive it, ask such a small sum from drivers just enough to run the vehicle and pocket some pin money...limits on plates would eradicate such operators hence free up ranks...it's all a tax dodge at the end of the day..i've never believed in the second income squad squeezing what they could from our Trade...