Taxi Driver Online

Welling taxi driver hardly sees kids due to cost-of-living

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/2280 ... of-living/

A taxi driver from Welling says he “hardly” sees his kids anymore as cost-of-living crisis pressures mean he has to work extra hours.

Kemal Kabak says that he is struggling to make ends meet at home and provide for his family of three.

He leaves his house at 5am everyday to start his shift and doesn’t return home until 8pm most days.

He told the News Shopper: “How can I spend time with the kids, relax from work and have dinner all in the space of an hour?

“It wasn’t like this before as I was able to both balance work life and family time together.

“This crisis has made life so difficult for us.”

Energy regulator Ofgem announced that from October 1, most people will pay around £1,570 more per year for gas and electricity.

This means that the energy price cap is set to jump by 80 per cent to reflect the rise in wholesale energy costs for energy suppliers.

Kemal, 50, said that the rise of petrol prices and the costs of soaring energy bills has also affected his relationship with his family.

He said that his having to limit the things that he can buy, which can causes arguments between them.

Kemal said: "Although the cost of living financially affects our pockets, it has also affected our relationship.

“For example, I get asked by my kids sometimes for toys but it’s hard to say no.

"If I do say no, they get angry and always compare themselves with their friends and they say to me:

"They have this toy, so why can't we have that."

“It's really sad to hear these things, so this also pushes me to work the extra hours."

Kemal, who has been a driver for 15-years, wants to increase journey fares but doesn't want to take the risk of losing more customers.

He added: “I’m having to fill up nearly an extra £80 for fuel every week.

“It’s just ridiculous, I’ve never seen the price of fuel go this high.

“It was up to nearly £2 per litre a couple months ago which got me really worried.

“I’ve realised that I’ve lost customers as people are using the services a lot less now."

Kemal is now planning on working night shifts so that he can spend time with his kids during the day.

He explained: "My friends tell me that it's better to work the night shift.

"It'll be better for me to spend a couple more hours with the family.

"But I'm not sure how long I can keep this up for as I also need to think of myself."

If he's working all those hours and still aint making enough to live of then I suggest he jacks it in and finds a new career....there is a shortage of workers at present.

Yes, but trouble is that unless he's got a specific skill, then it'll be less a 'career' than scraping along the bottom of the jobs market. Lots of jobs, apparently, but maybe that's because they're rubbish jobs not paying particularly well

And I'd guess that at 50 and in the trade for 15 years, he's probably got little in the way of transferable skills, and is stuck in a bit of a rut.

Anyway, at least his friends have told him that he'll make more working nights (who knew?), but I'm guessing that when the heating bills start to hit the mat then that will dampen the night trade as well

All of this is why I got out of the trade in Romney Marsh and went back to bus driving. I've had my PSV licence 49 years now, just had another week in Manchester on tram replacement work. Who'd have thought that at the age of 70 I'm still in demand?

The fella has got one skill that appears to be welcomed by some employers and that's the ability to drive.

If he can't earn doing crazy hours then he does need to think about life outside of the trade.

I'm not sure about the levels of work in other areas, but down here it is very good at the moment.

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IDFIMH

If he has a serious accident in the later part of his 15hr shift and it’s down to him he’s going inside.

Aye...and he'll see even less of his three children then.

Especially if he is killed in a crash caused by tiredness.

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IDFIMH