Taxi Driver Online

Wharfy, it's not that long ago when you criticised me for using your first name on here (but since it's in your publicly available e-mail address then I don't know why), and you also asked me to edit someone else's post to delete a reference to your location more specific than that available in your proflile.

So could you please refrain from speculating about people's identity if they obviously want to remain anonymous??

Dusty

yes sorry!

Perhaps Eastbourne would be a good place to start.

Well at least Eastbourne shares something with the likes of Gateshead, and that is neither place is going to be the Cultural Capital.

Yes Mr Cruisin', the bottom line is that the more difficult it is to get a badge, the more people will earn at the end of it, and the more committed they will be in the job.

On the other hand, with the London minicab trade and many provincial HC and/or PH trades, badges are handed out like confetti, the black economy is rife, and the trade is full of part-time/occasional/itinerant drivers.

In my manor it's probably as easy to become a HC driver as it is to become a minicab driver in the capital at present, and once minicab licensing is fully implemented in London then the latter will be a lot more difficult than the former.

I don't know if you know much about provincial licensing, but the answer adopted is to limit the number of HC plates, and this does nothing about part-time/occassional/itinerant drivers, but just means that they are packed into a smaller number of taxis (perhaps the equivalent of 10,000 HCs in London, or even as few as 5,000).

As a consequence of this, plates attain a value (say £50k in a place like Manchester) and the part-time/occassional/itinerant drivers may get more work than without limiting vehicle numbers, but much of this goes to pay for the rent of the plate.

Good that, innit?

Dusty

We in London have no concept of plates having a value. They are free - except for the annual cost of the proprietor's licence, (£157 from memory)which also includes the cost of the annual vehicle inspection. I'm not sure I like the thought of it as it does bring its problems - and what happens when local authorities want to do away with this? It must be a financial nightmare if you've paid out all that money and then someone wants to move the goalposts and take it away from you without compensation.

It is well known that New York is famous for the cost of the Medallions which I believe are now running at something around $250,000.

Just as an aside I listened to a New York cabby on the radio (LBC - 97.3 FM) and he gave his website address as www.Gabby.com so it might be worth a look, though I must admit, I haven't looked myself yet.

Regards,

Cruisin' Cabby

Yes, I suspect that this issue will come to the fore in the very near future given there's a fair probablility that the OFT will recommend that restrictions on license numbers in the province be opened up.

However, your example of the New York yellow cabs shows the folly of the whole principle of limiting plate numbers - the actual drivers are probably not dissimilar to the London minicab drivers.

But they probably do a lot more work in New York, but the extra income goes to pay to lease the plate, perhaps $100 a day.

And the cars are never off the road - about half the number of taxis as compared to London, but getting on for twice the number of drivers.

Dusty

just a quick point, and me be controversial?.....

why are a significant number of new minicab licencees hackney carriage (both green and yellow ) badge holders

me be controversial? ................

Apparently there are around 12,000 taxis and 40,000 drivers.

There's never enough drivers though, since all cars won't be on the road 24/7, which will be the aim of each owner.

Dusty

Having looked at 'Mini-cab and Courier', there are jobs advertised saying you can earn up to 7/8/900 pounds a week.

Now either I'm naive and believe that, thus the drivers are on a winner, or the adverts are being 'economical with the truth'.

If we were to do a poll, more than likely the latter, I believe.

Alex

Hmmmmm. Maybe they are "couriering" high value `substances' ...?

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Some of these adverts are so vague as to be meaningless.

Presumably these figures are gross?

So take off perhaps up to £400 for office dues, fuel, insurance and car running costs.

So you're left with £400 net,say.

How many hours for this? 80?

That works out at £5 per hour.

Probably working nights and most Fridays and Saturdays too.

Dusty

Do they chant Taxee as well?

Lurk Lurk.

No but the owners of Comcab do.

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IDFIMH