Taxi Driver Online

feck maybe you already here or worse still amongst us, aaaghhhhhhhh

according to jacobs that never happens, thiers always a taxi waiting, kinda like the carlsberg/edinburgh advert.

then I guess you are the kind of driver who is happy to make a few extra quid on Saturday night, but will then be sat around the rest of the week scratching his u know whats, waiting for the u know how.

No we are just the kind of drivers who want to compete in a fair and free market where the only restrictions are qualitative and not quantitative. Not too much to ask is it? Then again this would mean a level playing field for drivers and owners. No more privileged existence for the so called business owning elite. Who all go cap in hand to the local authorities with their tales of impending destruction if a few extra cabs go on the road?

We always make the distinction; we are people who drive taxis for a living and not “taxi drivers”. You see the latter wear’s the identity of the artificial Licence plate value and the TX like a tattoo. All standing with the begging bowls out while making apologies and excuses for their very existence, subservient to the control of the benevolent LA just to keep the little illusion of importance going.

How pathetic, does this remind you of anyone 187ums?

You are not fooling anyone with the “de-restriction would be bad for the trade routine” have a wee look at the London model. No problem with plates going on down there as long as you pass "The Knowledge" of course.

Why not do yourself a favour and stop patting yourself on the back like you are championing some sort of worthwhile cause.


In other words "get a life".

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I have a life, but tell you what, why dont you "get a plate" then maybe you will have a life.

As for dereg, well if it happens cest la vie, but just dont start crying afterwards.............

That sounds suspiciously like a clarion call for derestriction, but I suspect I've misinterpreted you, Mr 187ums

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

The problem with de-regulation is: A guy happily married with his kids, drives a cab for 10 years, decides to take the plunge. Convinces wife & kids that it's ok to borrow £20k for a plate plus £15k for a decent cab.

Saves paying rent to some one else. He's done the math, and worked out he would be a bit better off borrowing all this money on his mortgage. So this career cabbie struggles along for 12 months working all hours and still feeding the family. His family are wishing he'd cut his hours a bit, but they struggle on.

Then along comes DE-Reg man. Sacked from the refuse dept, got A grand or two redundancy, thinks I want to drive a cab (along with 100+ others who never done a day behind the wheel in their life) They flood the City with their £600 skips on wheels. Undercut the career cabbies. ranks are overflowing, takings plunge 60%. You cannot compare this to London where there has never been a limit on plates.

So what happens to the poor sod with a £35k loan, unable to meet the re-mortgage on ever decreasing takings. He loses his house, signs on the dole along with all his mates, who just cannot meet their commitments in this situation.

The job becomes a part timers beer money career. The free platers don't like the unsociable hours, the drunks, the violence, the abuse, the runners etc. So they slowly crawl back to their holes leaving a wake of broken lives and financial ruin.

The answer is, increase plates SLOWLY in a controlled way. Allow the Cabs to expand over a 15 to 20 year period. The market will find it's own level without destroying the livlihoods of many families.

The mistake was made by whoever limited numbers in the first place, but that does not mean the poor sod who invested in a job he enjoyed, should be bankrupted by a free for all. This is the third way.

The problem with de-regulation is: A guy happily married with his kids, drives a cab for 10 years, decides to take the plunge. Convinces wife & kids that it's ok to borrow £20k for a plate plus £15k for a decent cab.

Saves paying rent to some one else. He's done the math, and worked out he would be a bit better off borrowing all this money on his mortgage. So this career cabbie struggles along for 12 months working all hours and still feeding the family. His family are wishing he'd cut his hours a bit, but they struggle on.

Then along comes DE-Reg man. Sacked from the refuse dept, got A grand or two redundancy, thinks I want to drive a cab (along with 100+ others who never done a day behind the wheel in their life) They flood the City with their £600 skips on wheels. Undercut the career cabbies. ranks are overflowing, takings plunge 60%. You cannot compare this to London where there has never been a limit on plates.

So what happens to the poor sod with a £35k loan, unable to meet the re-mortgage on ever decreasing takings. He loses his house, signs on the dole along with all his mates, who just cannot meet their commitments in this situation.

The job becomes a part timers beer money career. The free platers don't like the unsociable hours, the drunks, the violence, the abuse, the runners etc. So they slowly crawl back to their holes leaving a wake of broken lives and financial ruin.

The answer is, increase plates SLOWLY in a controlled way. Allow the Cabs to expand over a 15 to 20 year period. The market will find it's own level without destroying the livlihoods of many families.

The mistake was made by whoever limited numbers in the first place, but that does not mean the poor sod who invested in a job he enjoyed, should be bankrupted by a free for all. This is the third way.

That's one way of seeing it.

Me I see it as one cab driver queue jumping another one on the waiting list.

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IDFIMH

How many are in front of you on your waiting list, Sussex?

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Former taxi driver

And, if a present plate holder said to you, " here's my plate, you can have it for now't" would you take it ,or tell him to hand it back to the council?

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Former taxi driver

If and when that should happen then you will be the first one I tell the answer to.

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IDFIMH

I'll take that as a yes, then.

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Former taxi driver

The fairest method of issuing I ever came across was in Melbourne Aust around 15 years ago. A driver had to work 10 years, and prove to the licensing authority he was up to date with his tax affairs etc.

Then he was issued with his hack plate, if however, after 4 or 5 years of renting, he said to himself "stuff this waiting around" he could then buy one on the open market.

The choice was his. He could serve his "apprenticeship" or buy in early.

The taxi numbers grew in line with the market. I don't think there was any need for PHV

It has a sort of merit, but we are where we are, and taxi/PH law ain't going to change that drastically ever.

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IDFIMH