Taxi Driver Online

Calm down Sussex, it's not that old chestnut.

But another.

Fare increases for Hackney Carriages are controlled by the district council, as after all, they know best. The reality of the situation here, at least, is, that if you don't ask, you don't get. A situation repeated across the country, I would suspect. It should be easy, should it not, to get an agreement amongst proprietors for an increase, and the level of increase to be applied for, particularly since the last increase here Diesel was 89.9 a litre, (£4.09 a gallon) and is now 111.9 (£5.09 a gallon) and other general cost increases, (council tax up by 11%, gas electric etc) PH round here have been "hiking" (hate that word)fares for months, with minimum fares of around £3:50 to £4:00. County Cars famously having a minumum weekend fare of £6:00 (pay up for 900 yards or go to jail, do not pass go...).

Hackney Carriage fares are rate one £2:20 flagfall, and £1:37 per mile.
It was suggested that be increased to £2:60 flagfall and £1:43.
You would think that would be acceptable to all, but you would not believe the reaction from a vocal minority, who believe it will be the final nail in the coffin of the Hackney trade in Lincoln.

So here is the big question, for all you Hackney Carriage drivers out there.

Why are drivers so afraid of increasing the flagfall, in this case by 40p?

They say, that punters go ape, and say £2:20 and we haven't gone anywhere?

True, I have heard it the odd time (yawn), the last time I was asked why it did not start on zero, there is not a taxi inthe WORLD that does that, is there?

An example of a two mile journey, courtesy of the TPHM tables.

London flag £2:20 two miles £6:40
Warwick flag £3:40 two miles £4:80

So what the flip does the drop matter?

Because of the May elections the idiotic (I would describe them but the admin won't let me) morons have delayed things for at least two months.

Does everyone, (apart from London) find themselves hogtied by proprietors, rather than Councils, when it comes to a very neccessary increase?

So. A "High" Flagfall puts off punters. MYTH or REALITY?

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Former taxi driver

yes....and you spelled necessary wrong

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Did I? Oh burger.

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Former taxi driver

I think you have to mug punters, in the nicest sense.

If they get in the car and see a large (in their opinion) flag, then they think they are being turned over even when they are not.

I would go for a conservative flag and increase the mileage, cos that way the increase isn't apparent until they get out.

Talking of mugging, it's also a good idea to mug councillors and the press by arranging the drops in a way that gives the impression you are being very fair in relation to your new proposed fares.

When councillors/officials work out the proposals they often ask for the 1/2/5 mile fares. So make the drops drop at 1 mile and a yard, 2 miles and a yard, and five miles and a yard.

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IDFIMH

IMO apart from Jimbo's spelling mistake (sorry but you have a go at streetcars).

Drivers are worse than punters, whatever the minimum fare they moan, I can remember 75p flagfall they moaned, it went up to 90p, they moaned, it went to £1.00 and they said the punters will never have it and they moaned.

There is a general tone to this

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The way I see it is this: Fares are controlled within the City, you can charge an agreed fare outside of the City boundary. If you increase the drop by 40p as in this instance, the driver is guaranteed to recieve an additional 40p on every job they do. If you increase the mileage charge from the present £1:37 by five, or ten, or even fifteen percentage points, there is no guarantee that the driver will get an increase on every fare, particularly in a small city such as Lincoln.

When I do get a whinging whining punter who queries the flagfall, at £2:20, in a "Gosh, £2:20 and we aint been nowhere mate?" sort of way, I answer, "Go by a train ticket to London, they want you to pay for coming back before you've even been"

BTW, the speling mysteak was fingerslip.

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Former taxi driver

Your far more polite than me, I tell them to get out and walk

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Another point.

I must have been asked thousands of times, "chisit?"

In "Chisit to Birchwood?"

One thing I have never, ever, been asked, in 25 years. "What's your meter start at?"

QED?

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Former taxi driver

What these people forget is that the fare set is a maximum, if they want to knock pennies off then they can.....but personally I wont.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

It would appear you have a dilemma Jimbo. Whatever you decide I suggest you try and get the council to agree an annual increase based on inflation or perhaps even one point higher than inflation.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I would decide on what you want for the first mile and every subsequent mile and then set out the formula accordingly. You may wish to have a reasonable flag fall with frequent increments or perhaps a higher flag fall with less frequent increments. The ball is in your court.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Tariff increases are always controversial issues.

1) I have always found that they are looked upon by different points of view, depending on the individual. If you consider taxiing a business, then obviously you would not wish to out price yourself from the competition e.g. if you were to increase your tariff but the private hire (your competitors) remained the same, would it then not place you in a position of losing work to them? In effect, encouraging them to grow.

2) The view of a night driver regarding increases is always different to that of a day driver, so fare increases are governed by locality and the strength of the competition. I seem to remember Trading Standards prosecuting a number of taxi and p.h. firms in one particular area for working as a cartel and setting their rates to the same level.

3) Although the council have the ultimate authority for setting the rate, the rate is usually arrived at by negotiations with the hackney trade. I am always very sceptical at rates that are linked to a yearly increase as this could put you far outside of the competition........ i.m.o.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Only to councillors.

The Taxi trade have no issues when they apply for a fare increase. All the T's are crossed and all the all I's are dotted, the problem lies with councillors who think they have a piece of you and expect you to run around for nothing.

Take licensing out of the hands of councillors and you wouldn't have this problem year on year.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Councillors aren't the problem with fare increases here the difficulties lie with drivers who refuse to live in the real world.

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Former taxi driver

The public always gripe and moan when the fares go up. Doesn't matter by how much. It settles down again after a couple of weeks.

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