Taxi Driver Online

It would seem that many L.As up and down the country are having a rant about the age of vehicles!

In Cardiff for instance; back about 7/8 years ago we had approximately 450 hacks (mostly saloon) with the age for say a London style cab being 10 years, followed up by plating after that age (I believe) every 6 months for some time afterwards until it basically fell apart.

Today we have over 960 hacks the additional 510 being WAVs (mostly 6/7 seaters)!!

Now here is the thought - the work have been cut by OVER half because now they have introduced 6/7 seaters increasing the seating capacity from the original of say 400x 4= 1600 + 50x6 = 300 giving us an approx original seating of say 1900! we now have an additional 510 mainly 6/7 seaters + a mix of doblos giving us say a plus seating capacity of another 3000 seats As you can see we now have seating for over 4600 passengers in one hit diluting the work by approx 66% ( the figures are not totally accurate but you can see where I am going), plus we have the recession that has had a bad effect meaning even less work.

The question being is why are associations still talking to the L.As about 10/12/14 year life spans on vehicles, of which was the criteria 7 years ago......................when we are now doing probably overall 50% less mileage/usage.

On the basis of usage - we should with good reason be talking about using them for longer.

Any thoughts?

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Our LA has changed the rules so vehicles can stay licensed passed the 8 years they previously allowed. They still have to be less than 5 years old when first plated. The reson given being that in the tough economic climate, its costly to replace a vehicle.

My thought has been that the mileage a vehicle has covered should be what determines when a vehicle should be decomissioned as a taxi. My thoughts are that anything with over 200000 miles on the clock has probably had its day.

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.

Not true.

My current vectra has 200k+ on the clock and is fresher than some cars with. Half that mileage

It all depends on how it's been looked after

Spot on.

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Agreeing there with gusmac and foxtrot26. It is the overall condition of the vehicle that should be the determining factor. It may be that emissions will come into the equation at some stage, so I would not be happy to see vehicles over say 10 years old in service for much longer on that reason alone.

I believe the Law Commission consultation is addressing vehicle age so there ought to be a set standard once that report has been completed.

It seems daft to me that in my area, Shepway, there is a 7 year limit on ph and hacks, but a 10 year limit on London style cabs. Mileages here are far greater than in towns and cities because of the rural nature of most of the area and the roads probably worse than in cities! Neighbouring Dover has a higher age limit, and Tonbridge has no age limit. We have lost work to Tonbridge cabs despite them being about 35 miles away because they can do it cheaper than us by using clapped out cars.

Londons 15.

I'm surprised they made it so high, I was fully expecting 12.

They will be dropping a year every year until they reach 12 Brum, they have done this due to the high cost of buying a new cab

Eh?

I take it you dont read the London forums GBC, or that daft tw@t Johnston's bulletins

I read this forum about once a month, I don't read the London forums.

Why? Is there another 12 conspiracys being suggested that the age limit is coming down?

Really?

my 55 plate/2006 Mondeo is now subject to 4 month tests+plates and costs me £170 extra to plate a year above the cost of a normal plate, its on 157,000 miles, the maximum allowed is 200,000 miles, its had all four coils, new struts, drop links, clutch, DMF, starter, aux belt and tensioner, new rear brakes, water pump but the 200K limit leaves me only 43,000 miles useage

good job ive got a laptop int it.....nudge nudge wink wink

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

we are 12 for wav's 10 for saloons

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

North lanarkshire the PH's and saloon taxis are only allowed on for 5 year and the hackney cabs 10 one of the lowest ages in the country i think

and 9+ seaters running on an O-licence can be older than steptoes horse...

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

how do the council know what millage you are on? is it through the taxi test