Taxi Driver Online

Volunteer drivers 'hurting taxi business'

A Central Somerset businessman says the Big Society is threatening his business.

Chris Wickham, who runs Glastonbury-based CJW Taxis, says volunteer drivers are increasingly taking on the role of taxi drivers.

"I am a big believer in doing what you can for the local community but think it should never be at the expense of the tax paying employed," he said.

"Volunteer drivers formed groups all around the country about ten years ago trying to fill a gap within rural transport, the idea was that the old, infirm and vulnerable could use a transport system within their own village making use of people that lived nearby that they would know.

"This service was set up in areas where no other transport was available."

He says that in the last 10 years, councils have relied more and more on volunteer drivers.

He also says that Somerset County Council have a number of volunteer drivers who drove more than six million miles between them last year.

"The volunteer drivers are being employed by social services taking kids to and from school from foster careers," he said.

"Almost every patient visiting hospital is being carried by a volunteer driver. Taxi companies are now struggling to survive as the work is drying up from the council as it is given to volunteer drivers."

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: "All drivers are CRB checked and given training before taking on any duties.

"Volunteer drivers sometimes have to deal with vulnerable people so we make sure they're fully prepared.

"Vehicles are checked and must pass an MOT before going on the road.

"We're actually increasing checks on cars.

"We use a large number of volunteer drivers for community and school transport services. For the council, it is the most efficient way to provide the service as it represents good value for money and provides people with the opportunity to volunteer."


source: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Volunte ... story.html

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

I mentioned this in here years ago.

Volunteers may seem efficient to the shortsighted councils that sing their praises, but they forget that its the hard working, tax paying professional drivers who are paying their sumptuous Council wages and it's these very people they are putting on the Dole.

Instead of working drivers Contributing as Tax payers many will become unemployed and will live off Benefit payments.

It's something the Government should be seriously looking at, whats more useful to the state? a Tax Payer or a Benefits receiver?

On one hand the Councils crow about their wonderful job creating Initiatives, on the other hand they are stealing the work away from the employed like some perverted Robin Hood and giving it to the Volunteers who they sponsor excessively.

I'm not saying all Volunteers are bad....But to many of them are not necessary a good thing either.

you're right, there's a few drivers claiming tax credits bacause of the lack of work.

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

same round here there are quite a few volunteer drivers putting in full working days and that has certainly taken out a chunk from the granny trade but we also have to contend with call connect which is a heavily council subsidised minibus service providing £1.40 anywhere fares fortunately it is so unreliable it's inpact has been limited !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Then we all need to get the Law Commission to look at these scams.

However, sadly, I suspect all the trade's effort will be on keeping restrictions.

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IDFIMH

Ive tried to get my Local MP on the case, but no one in Politics at any level will ever, ever, ever will speak out publicly against charities or Volunteer groups....even though these so called Volunteers can be raking it in faster than a Professional Driver ever could and get subsidies to boot.

The taxi and PH trade couldnt handle the work if it was thrown at us.....and the country probably couldnt afford it if we tried.

CC

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

It wont get thrown at us ever....You'd best not rush out today and buy new Vehicles nor Employ new Staff.

But.......we know they Could afford us as we charge for the Vehicle as a whole and not up to 40 pence per passenger per miles as some of the so called Volunteer Charities do...even though the V-Driver might just get 40 pence a mile all in (no Tax, Chunky HC/PH insurance included)...we would be competitive to say the least.