Taxi Driver Online

well jasbar

im not a street cab - work on o radio circut and i have no problems about picking customers up outwith the city centre - its not just PHC that do the home pick ups you know

try getting in one of the 3 radio circuts and you will see how much work is actually available out there out with the city centre - and can you reply without resulting to petty insults and valid points?

I take it you are happy with the supply of work from your radio circuit, is demand greater or less than supply, or does demand vary depending on certain factors such as, time of day or night and day of week?

Regards

JD

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Didn't we discuss recently that moves are afoot to reform this?



The railways are unsuited to unbridled competition, and instead an alternative franchising method has been introduced to instil a bit of competition, which is evident at the tendering stage, as is usual in any tendering process. But once the tender is granted, then subject to the terms of the contract being met then it's an effective monopoly.

Clearly not perfet, but to allude to some analogy with the taxi trade is wrong in my opinion.



In fact the Monopolies and Mergers Commission ceased to exist about ten years ago, and was replaced by the Competition Commission - as things evolved, it was changed to a body better suited to the times.

Indeed, I think part of the reason for reform was to take the politcal element out of competition issues, which is instructive as regards taxi trade regulation.

It's still a monopoly though

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

This thread started with mention of Sheffield by someone who got an impression of what work is like from what he saw. There seems to be a general clammer to rubbish anyone saying "too many cabs".
I work in Sheffield and would not be in this trade had it not been for the coulcil decission to delimit. In three years I have seen number of cabs rise further from 520 to 790(and rising), and earnings fall to 70% of three years ago.
Can any of the big guns on here ever accept that there may actually be an upper limit to number of cabs a particular region can support?
Also that experience of London or even Edinburgh can't simply apply to every other locallity in Britain?

There may be a choice for anyone entering this so called free market to choose not to do so, but what of the ones already committed?

I suppose the answer is yes, but who is to decide what that limit is and when it's been reached?

And should any of us be saying 'yes I got a plate for nothing, but I want others to pay'?

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IDFIMH

So therefore anyone who didn't get a plate for nothing CAN want others to pay?

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Former taxi driver

Well they would have more reason to say so.

But as those folks just paid to queue jump the waiting list, I tend not to take any notice of what they say in relation to quotas.

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IDFIMH

As ever the problem of numerical restriction becomes a debate on plate values. I have never defended plate values nor have I any interest in them as I just rent the cab I drive.

I am in favour of the numerical restriction model as it allows a reasonable level of income to be maintained, and an overall good service level to the public. Jim Taylor rabbits on about the rise in PHC numbers. Much of this is playing with numbers and as we all know numbers can be made to say anything. Many PHC are on weekend only deals with PH circuits, many are plated only for school runs and some are plated to do chauffeur work (the main reason for introducing PHC status in the first place.

As for Jim's war cry that they are taking the work of Taxis (HC), that's just wrong. What's really happening is that the hail to hire and street rank markets are shrinking - generally because of the use of the mobile phone - people now expect to be able to phone for a "taxi" and have it waiting outside wherever they happen to be when they come out, and if that "taxi" is a PHC then the majority don't care. Street cars (like Jim) won't gain from any increase in taxi numbers, in fact they will suffer most. The real beneficiaries will be the radio circuits - the barriers to entry of the co-operative circuits are the joining fee, and so the real beneficiaries in Edinburgh will be ComCab with no buying in to the co-op, and neither of the other two offering rental only membership (Central's withdrawal from that market was a mistake IMO) and the kind of flexible radio deals which are something Ali T is in favour of, and Jim's streetcar hail to hire market will diminish even further.

Any views without hijacking to another plate values thread are welcome

and for all your smilie fans -

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Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

The 'London model' is mentioned time and time again. If Authorities introduce our stringent Taxi tests, great, standards will never be higher. But does a small town or city take 3 years to learn?

However, as it always seems to be overlooked, theres a small bonus to London in that we have access to Millions of customers, Sheffield and other area's don't.

If you had your own cab how much would you save each month??????????
Then you could go down to the Little France esso on a Sat night and try to do the Skippy impression better than the Muppet who tried it at the weekend, how you can all make a living when your all sat about doing nothing there was at least 10 cabs there

It's not so much how much I'd save, but how much it would cost me in terms of maintainence, hassle, repayments (and nothing to do with plate value) costs continuing to run up when off on holiday, getting reliable holiday cover, etc etc. The Easy Life is something you can't buy. I just get to hand the cab back when I'm finished with no thought of anything other than I've paid my rental, I've got cash enough to pay my debts, and a little bit left over for a holiday - Happy Days

Maybe they're sitting about Little France as it's cheaper than cruising the streets looking for work at certain times or just moaning to other cabbies about work related issues which wives just don't seem to understand - well mine at least

Come to think of it, for a Borders cabbie you spend an awfy lot of time in Edinburgh - your Waverley Bridge story springs to mind

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Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

Cheapest in the Borders £40.00 for a run to from the smoke, and with now 117 cabs in the town i could get to and from the smoke quicker than some can get to the front of the rank , and save 5p a litre in fuel prices. and I can do it on 8 quids worth

For who?

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IDFIMH

Those of us in the driving seat - who'd you think I meant

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Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

For the cab drivers to be able to give to charity. Or would you rather the cab drivers should remain deserving of it themselves?
By the unfortunate tone of a lot of posts on here it seems taxi trade is a non profit making charity, and they are insistant that it remains so.
Why not accept there is a balance to be maintained and local authority in tune with local situation is best placed to do that. We have experienced free for all in Sheffield and although benefits were there two years ago, things have since changed.
Who should decide when it's enough?
well.....Certainly not someone who's never been here, or know very little of the local market.