Taxi Driver Online

New Barrow taxi firm promises to give back to the community



BOSSES of a new taxi company in Barrow are promising to give back to the community.

Cloud 9 Cars has now launched after a bar owner and taxi boss joined forces.

The firm says it will be heavily involved with the community, taking part in charity initiatives.

The new company has launched with a discount on fares in December to 'give back' after a disrupted 2020.

Eric Garner, formerly of City Lynx taxis, is heading up the firm alongside Simon Crompton, of Barrow's Cloud 9 bar.

Mr Garner, who has been involved in the taxi trade for 18 years, said: "It's the people's taxi.

"Everything we do we are trying to do it for the people as much as we can.

"It's a nice friendly firm and smartly-dressed taxi drivers and we hope people will notice that and keep coming back."

Mr Garner said he would carry on trying to help the community under the new firm.

Previous ventures included delivering food via taxi to those who needed it

"We did a lot of charity work at City Lynx that was out of this world and we will be carrying that on," he said.

"I'm very committed to charities and to helping the community.

"If charities approach us we will always listen."

Starting today, meters will start at £1.80 compared to the usual £2.40 charge generally used in taxis across the borough.

The discount will run until December 23 and be active between 6am and 6pm.

"We are trying to help people out in the pandemic because there's not a lot of money flying around."

"We wanted to do something to help key workers during the pandemic but then we thought everyone is a key worker in our eyes and anyone working through this pandemic is doing an amazing job."

The Cloud 9 Cars office is on Dalkeith Street and the firm can be contacted by calling 01229 860860.

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IDFIMH

You can hear the stampede of drivers rushing to join them now!

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

With all the charity work and fare discounting that goes on in Barrow, I'm surprised any of them makes any money

And if that's the "smartly-dressed" crew, wouldn't like to see the scruffs

If the meters in barrow are set with a £2.40 start, how are they going to start at £1.80?

Not that I care, you understand.

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Former taxi driver

Indeed, but presumably they're just subtracting 60p from the final displayed fare. Even assuming they're using meters. All very messy in Barrow, think there's mixed fleets, discounting etc, so difficult to know precisely what's going on. And we all know the way these things can be misreported sometimes, particularly when the articles are sourced from those in the trade effectively using the press for marketing purposes.

Maybe they don't use meters on pre-bookings. Of course, that probably wouldn't be legal, but we all know it goes on.

Indeed, there was that article a wee while ago about one firm there being accused of charging *more* than the flag, but what precisely was going on there wasn't entirely clear.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35468

Another possible angle is ocassional attempts by HC firms to set their meters *below* the regulated tariff. Of course, perfectly legal to charge below the tariff, but setting meters to a lower rate another matter.

Anyway, had a quick look at the new firm's Facebook page, and looks like it's more of a rebranding from City Lynx Taxis than a completely new firm - they're still using the City Lynx phone number as well as the new one.

So probably more of a relaunch than a completely new operation, and the article above simply part of that process. A few weeks ago numerous Facebook posts for new drivers - apparently slots strictly limited

But now a post saying they're "desperate" for night drivers. I'm guessing the new crew don't want to work nights, but want a few drivers to sit around doing next-to-nothing all night, but are there to cover the small number of jobs that will come in.

Who'd have expected that

They have the word "cars" in the name not cab so aren't they Pirate Hire ?

If so they can set their meters to what they want

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

No reason why they shouldn't be called 'Cars', even if an HC-only firm. Just like no restriction on PH-only firms calling themselves 'Taxis'. Although I doubt if many black cab circuits called 'Cars'.

One of our bigger HC offices here is called Club Cars.

Anyway, I suspect the Barrow firm is mixed-fleet, or at least if they're currently one or the other than they'd have no objection to taking on cars from the 'other side'.

I’m retired from the business now but from what I hear on the grapevine, the unusual situation in Barrow started at the beginning of lockdown when one of the largest PH companies there appeared to just suddenly stop trading. No reasons or explanations, they just stopped. Most drivers just moved to other companies but it’s not surprising that some would take the opportunity to give it a go themselves.

Bill

In fact one of the start-up firms earlier this year is called Coastal Cars

And photo suggests they have at least one HC, but probably mixed-fleet, which I suspect is the norm in Barrow.



Obviously an HC on the left, with PHVs centre and right - red plate and no roofsign.

So when Bill says one of the biggest PH offices closed suddenly, I suspect it was actually mixed-fleet. In fact, the original article in the summer about Coastal Cars said that they came from A1, which had closed suddenly, although whether or not that was Covid-related isn't clear.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35808&p=401066

But according to the Dft figures a couple of years ago, there were around 130 HCs in Barrow, and 170 PHVs.

But there doesn't seem to be any real difference between the two in terms of standards, so I'm assuming HC numbers are limited.

(A couple of years ago I suggested there was little real difference in appearance between HCs and PHVs, apart from subtle differences in markings and lettering, which wouldn't really be appreciated by the public. Both codes had rooflights, most obviously.

But recall that it was proposed that colour codes be introduced so the public could distinguish between HCs and PHVs. But after trade objections it wasinstead proposed that PH shouldn't be allowed rooflights. Then I think that proposal was dumped as well. But the Coastal Cars photo maybe suggests that PHVs aren't allowed rooflights now, so who knows?

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32805&p=385004#p380458

Anyway, never a dull moment in Barrow )