Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Sun May 03, 2026 10:50 pm

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:45 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:02 pm
Posts: 83
Had an email from a company trying to sell '03' numbers as they say they are a cheaper alternative to '08' numbers as they are cheaper to call from a mobile considering more people use mobiles these days.

Does anybody know of a taxi office that uses '03' number instead of the '08' number and is it any good as I had never heard of it before now?

It seems most taxi firms in my area have a freephone number so am considering it at a later date when I have more drivers.

I have been running office now for over two years but still only have a handful of drivers due to the office being run into the ground and when I took it over it was down to open a few hours a week with only 1 driver! Am struggling to recruit drivers as I am sure they think we have no work but we are as busy as the other offices. The office does not have a day receptionist due to not having enough drivers to pay wages so the door only open when I am not on a job, I think this is putting drivers off but I dont know anyone who will sit there for free so I am caught in a catch22 situation! Anyone got any ideas?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:55 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:33 pm
Posts: 1357
Location: grangemouth
wrexhamdriver wrote:
Anyone got any ideas?


relatives, guilt trip, your dad/uncle/brother ran off feet needs help 2-3 hours a day and you lot do nought to help? might work.

_________________
My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:48 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 57358
Location: 1066 Country
wrexhamdriver wrote:
Anyone got any ideas?

A freephone in the office for when no-one is there.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:22 pm
Posts: 14152
Location: Wirral
If the work is really there than why doesn't the one month free settle work or have you already tried that?

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:41 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:49 pm
Posts: 1331
Location: Midlands
wrexhamdriver wrote:
Had an email from a company trying to sell '03' numbers as they say they are a cheaper alternative to '08' numbers as they are cheaper to call from a mobile considering more people use mobiles these days.

Does anybody know of a taxi office that uses '03' number instead of the '08' number and is it any good as I had never heard of it before now?

It seems most taxi firms in my area have a freephone number so am considering it at a later date when I have more drivers.

I have been running office now for over two years but still only have a handful of drivers due to the office being run into the ground and when I took it over it was down to open a few hours a week with only 1 driver! Am struggling to recruit drivers as I am sure they think we have no work but we are as busy as the other offices. The office does not have a day receptionist due to not having enough drivers to pay wages so the door only open when I am not on a job, I think this is putting drivers off but I dont know anyone who will sit there for free so I am caught in a catch22 situation! Anyone got any ideas?


Get call divert put through to the radios in the car, this can be done because a firm round our way uses what's callled a night mike where all the calls after a certain time go straight through to the car who has the night mike.

_________________
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Image
Believe me, don't get Mercury X2


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:08 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:02 pm
Posts: 83
I have tried giving drivers a weeks free settle on a couple of occasions but each time they leave after the free week so they dont have to pay any settle. Not sure what else I can try to lure drivers in as they just seem to pass the office by as it used to be really bad when I took it over. The first saturday night I took over between 2 driver we only did 16 jobs all night and that was in 2008. The other saturday with 5 drivers we did 99 jobs and that was a quiet night and considering we get alot of long distance walk in jobs which can take up to 1 hour, so as you can see a big improvment but I cant grow any bigger without drivers!

Never heard of a system where the drivers mike gets the calls? The problem is that the drivers I have cant or wont work any more hours than they are doing and if they work too much towards the day shift then my money goes down which means less money for the business!

Catch 22 I think I am caught in!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:34 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:07 am
Posts: 2596
Location: Hampshire (HC)
'Encourage' your drivers to talk to other drivers:

'You're only doing how much???? Give my guvnor a ring. I'm doing a damned sight more than that!!'

Or words to that effect!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:43 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 57358
Location: 1066 Country
wrexhamdriver wrote:
Catch 22 I think I am caught in!!

Could you not do a deal with some of the hackneys, maybe they give you 10% of every job you give them?

Or maybe buy a few old motors and employ drivers, or rent them out cheap?

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 242 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group