Taxi Driver Online

Methinks that the single-tier is closer than is initially obvious. If there is no benefit in having a PH car, when Hackney plates are free issue, and if the qualitative standards are equal for both PH and hackney, then one wont waste time licensing a PH when its exactly the same for a hackney. End product = single tier.

The only place this will differ, will be in towns where WAVs are compulsory, where we will end up with a very strong PH market to avoid buying WAVs, and to serve the section of the market that hate WAVs.

And, the premier car market wont want to be limited in their maximum charge to the hackney rate, so will retain PH licenses.

We may also see in compulsory WAV towns, operators realising that its cheaper and better to operate a full PSV licensed 9-seat WAV, then it is to operate a hackney.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

I agree entirely Andy7, but the big if is whether or not the standards will be the same for PH.

I have my doubts, particularly as I think the OFT said something about consumer choice as regards retaining a two-tier system (ie so called 'choice' only applies away from the ranks!).

And with the DDA in the offing anyway, only the rural areas will still have even the hope of an effective one-tier sector.

It'll be interesting to see how the two tiers develop in Dundee - it seems that in the past when they de-limited the PH sector was wiped out, but this should not occur now since WAVs are required - indeed, given the smallish PH sector, it might have been expected to expand if Hacks were to be WAVs only.

But then there's the Doblo factor!

Dusty

according to a report from licensing dvla are planning tests for taxi drivers...

Wharfie

Down south here, where we have minimal unemployment, and taxi drivers earnings outside the big citys are lower than the average wages for the area, I dread anything that will make it harder to recruit good drivers into the industry, or push costs up. However, national standards and DVLA licensing of drivers would give us some consistency of standards and simultaneously help to make the industry more professional overall.

What I could not support however, are different standards of safety for PH and HC. Why should a PH car be any less safe, or any less tested than a Hackney? In a level playing field I am quite happy to compete with others. Unbalance the system, as we have with bus subsidies for example, and competition becomes less of an attractive option, and completely crabs any ideas the Government/OFT have of aiding in a developed and professional competitive transport system.

How can we operate taxis or PH in competitive fashion, when we have higher licensing costs than a 73 seat bus, more stringent vehicle testing, more limited operating envelopes, little help from the police in combatting late night crime, and:

Have to pay full VAT.
Do not get any fuel duty rebate.
Are not always allowed in Bus Lanes, and Bus only streets.
Do not get any Service Operators grants.
Do not get any capital grants.
Do not get any of the Governments or EUs veritable range of other grants.

And, proportionately, have to pay 50% more to buy a WAV, than the typical bus purchasers average 22% higher purchase cost.

And, have higher percentage running costs for a WAV taxi then DDA bus operating costs which are typically only very marginally more expensive than the operating costs for a non-DDA bus. (Note also, that Bus Operators do not have compulsory all WAV fleet requirements either).

What the taxi and PH industry needs more than anything else, is fair and unbiased treatment. A level playing field, either totally unsubsidised at all, or the same subsidies for the same provision of services.

Why does the airline industry have its insurance costs subsidised?

Why does the rail industry have its infrastructure AND operating costs subsidised?

And if the bus industry was not subsidised at all, what would happen to the Taxi and PH trade?

Its alright for the OFT to say we should be made more competitive and demand led, but how about saving a total waste of taxpayers money and apply such laudible standards to the whole transport industry instead of just us all the time !!!!

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Andy 7

You succinctly put exactly the same type of points that I tried less successfully to pout across to the Dept of Transport.

You must send those views to them. Everyone else should copy the content and send in their comments.

We all sit here moaning, lets do something and lobby the people who make the decisions.

Andy,
Here here....or is it hear hear
Ged

I actually 'put' my views.

Thought it was more effective than 'pouting'.

I would hope we would all put our points of view to the likes of the DfT.

The thing about lobbying as a group, is that we would never all agree on everything. Although I would certainly put my name against Andy7 comments.

Perhaps Andy7 would like to put those views in a piece, to go on the 'frontpage' of TDO.

Alex

I suppose it would be nice if we could have all the freebies that the bus people get. But will we then have to charge bus prices?
We we then have to drive like dick-heads, pull out without looking, treat customers like poo, block the roads when having a chat with mates, block the high streets and chuck out loads of crap from the exhast.

But then agian some of us do that already.

Presumably if it's harder to get a badge then this will push wages up??

That's the kind of thing I'd like to see in my manor - a driving test and a credible knowledge test.

As a consequence the job would become more attractive and attract 'good drivers', in a kind of virtuos circle.

Of course, many in the trade don't like to see it more difficult to get a badge because they depend on a steady supply of journeymen drivers to promote their ends, but that's the problem in many areas IMHO.

Dusty

Its a viscous circle Dusty. Push drivers wages up (good) push operating costs up (puts people out of business - the margins of profit are not that good), or push fares up to the public (good for us, ?, or make less people use cabs? Good for customers?). But, put fares up, and less people use cabs, thus less drivers needed, and so on and so on....

If the transport industry as a whole were not so heavily subsidised in certain areas and a level playing field existed, then buses, trains and so on, would be more expensive and more people would use cabs and the whole thing would balance itself out on a true supply and demand basis. And I have not even started on the question of road true-cost subsidies!!!

Pushing wages up might cut down the number of journeymen, but would it be good for the industry as a whole, if there were no other balancing factors involved?

I cannot speak for all areas, but in our district, the true operating costs are not that far removed from the gross take. I don't know any rich taxi operators around here, who have made their money from operating cabs.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

I think it very much relates to what area you operate in.

In the area I work, there are firms doing very nicely. Good contract work, and the firms don't seem to be at each other's throats.

Alex

just as a matter of interest in our town tonight the private hire firm closed for the night, half of the buses didnt run.

same in our capital town, over 80% did not turn up for work and buses missed.

the punters could not understand why! it will be near normal tomorow.

we had a field day!

Wharfie

Survival of the fittest Wharfy, let the market decide.