Taxi Driver Online

Drivers want taxi fares to be fairer



TAXI drivers in Henley are asking South Oxfordshire District Council to set their fares in order to make prices fairer.

The district council wants taxi drivers to use meters set by individual operators from June.

But the South Oxfordshire Taxi Drivers’ Association says fares should be fixed by the council in order to prevent smaller companies being disadvantaged.

The cabbies do not currently have to use a meter and many display fare cards showing the minimum fare and the price of each mile thereafter. Companies are able to set their own fares.

About 25 drivers from Henley attended a meeting with the council last week.

Munir Hussain, secretary of the association, said: “We don’t mind using meters but we want the council to fix the charges rather than individual operators setting their own.

“It would lead to more friction between the companies and the drivers on the rank. If there were 10 drivers on the rank that could mean 10 prices and we don’t want that. Most operators want the council to set the prices. There would be more complaints if every private company could set its own price.”

Mr Hussain, of Streamline Executive Cars, used to work in Reading where the council sets the fares and he says the system works well.

Drivers also objected to plans which would mean taxis could only have MOTs carried out at two garages in Didcot.

The association asked for at least one garage to be available in Henley or Reading for the 250 drivers working in Henley.

Since then, the council has said five to seven garages will be made available to drivers but their locations are still to be chosen.


source: http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/ne ... id=1188631

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

Dark ages.

How can you have a line of cabs at the rank charging different rates?

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IDFIMH

Ask Edders. That is what happens in South Kesteven.

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Grandad,

I'm confused. Don't the council already set what the maximum fare can be or is it up to the operators to charge whatever they want with no upper limit ?

If the council set the fares then there could still be ten different rates on a rank as each could charge anything they want but not over the amount set by the council. Or are they asking for the council to set rates that MUST be charged by everyone at all times , ie. no discounted rates etc. ?

I think this lot are private hire; hence the confusion.

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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.

It does say that "the drivers on the rank............" which would sugest that they are Hackney.

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Grandad,

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

If a meter is fitted to a hack the council set the maximum rates on that meter, owners or drivers are then free to discount the fare, but the meter must be on from A to B within the area, but if going out of area fares can be agreed with the driver.

Agree with Sussex dark ages dont know why they dont have them

So councils can only enforce what the maximum fare may be on vehicles with meters fitted, they can't say 'you can't charge more than £x per mile' on those without meters ?

I think they can do, but if they do they must insist on a way to check their rates are being adhered too.

Methinks a meter is the only way.

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IDFIMH

Not in South Kesteven

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Grandad,

We have had this for the best part of 20 years now !!!!!

In SK Any driver or company can set their own table of fares all we have to do is send a copy to the council and say this is what we are setting our meters to IN THEORY In practice those that have tried setting their own rates have found they have a problem so almost all vehicles stick to the council "default" rate

All these drivers have to do if they want to all have the same rate is do that

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