Taxi Driver Online

Interesting story in the Courier about Fife taxi fares. Seems the proposal is to increase the flag by a hefty amount, but to compensate the flag distance will be increased commensurately, so that once that distance is achieved the fares will be the same as before the increase.

So only the very shortest trips will show a difference. Couldn't see that going down well with the punters, even if for most of them at the end of the day it won't make a difference.

Councillors asked to back taxi fare hike

Starting taxi fares for passengers in Fife are poised to go up.


Councillors on the regulation and licensing committee will be asked this week to back an increase in stage one flag fares (6am-10pm) from £2.30 to £2.80 for the first 1270 yards, while it is proposed stage two flag fares (10am-6pm or where the hire extends beyond Fife) should rise from £2.90 to £3.50. Any journeys beyond 1270 yards would remain the same.

Following a taxi fare scale review last month, a report says the council's taxi fare scale review sub-committee felt there should be a "fair" increase. As part of the review, Fife Taxi Owners Association said members felt a change is needed.

"We know unemployment is rising, tax is rising and public spending is falling and because of this we do not wish to see an increase in fares this year," a statement said.

"Starting your vehicle for £2.30 for the first 770 yards isn't worth the start-up cost these days when the driver may have been sitting for an hour or so and then has to join the back of the queue and wait for another hour or so for another hire.

"We believe the drop should start at £2.80 for the first 1270 yards stage one and £3.50 for the first 1270 yards stage two. This equates to no increase in the current tariff, no movement on the national or Scottish league tables, no rise in fare for any person travelling any more than 1270 yards, no increase for any person who normally pays more than £2.80 stage one or £3.50 stage two per taxi journey and would take the flag price a step closer to a price worthy of starting your car, with little and in most casts no effect on the customer."

The 'soiling' charge of £35 is also likely to go up to £40.

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Dundee rocks. Almost.

Not far of Dundee s proposal

Rank insanity!

Based upon your extensive knowledge of owning and operating taxis in Fife?

CC

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

Based upon his knowledge of being insane

CC

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

Insane and fecking dangerous , hes a numpty

There are other ways to do it; keep the flag drop as it is & still get the same effect by having a few very short drops & then reverting to the standard mileage rate.

For instance £2.40 Flag Drop & the first 880 yards at say £5.00 a mile, before reverting back to say £1.80 a mile; all in 20p units, clicks, drops whatever you want to call them.

That way the punter don't get scared off with a £3.80 Flag Drop or whatever.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

But it is his human right and he is the tool of the trade

Brummie i do not normally Disagree with you but i think you are wrong.
So i will put that down to the different sizes of cites and because i think Birmingham has more work than Dundee.

In Dundee we have a lot of belters (short fares) and we regularly wait up to an hour for a £2.40 fare. very in fact suicidal

That's because you don't understand the fare structure I was proposing.

What is your flag drop & how far does that take the punter before the next 20p? drop & what is your mileage rate?

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Down here the nearest definition to 'belter' would be a very good job.

How strange.

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IDFIMH