Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 7:19 am

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:04 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Slightly odd this article - ignoring the t-word as usual, it reads like a strike for a rise in the council HC tariff, but only at the end does it state that the request is for 'company owners' to increase the fares.


Bolton taxi drivers to strike over fare prices

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19 ... re-prices/

Image
Image: Bolton News

BOLTON taxi drivers are planning a strike tomorrow demanding a 'nominal' fare increase to meet rising costs.

The private hire association say they have not seen fares increase for taxi journeys for nearly four years despite the cost of running their cars going up each year.

Many drivers, who have had their business devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, are now struggling financially due to the increasing costs, according to the association.

Drivers are planning to boycott driving their vehicles from 6am this Friday all the way through to 6am Saturday morning.

A spokesman from the Bolton private hire association said: “It’s been nearly four years since the last fare increase but every year our insurance goes up, even when we don’t make a claim.

“Petrol costs keep going up, the cost of living in general has gone up. We have been asking for years for a nominal increase to fares to match this so drivers can afford to run their vehicles but nothing has happened yet.

“We have to pay the costs for running the vehicles ourselves but the fares at the moment are just not enough.”

Changes announced by mayor of Greater Manchester to taxis to try and meet emissions targets, including all private hire cars having to be white, will also be increasing costs for drivers.

Drivers say they will have to buy new cars, in excess of £20,000 to meet these emissions targets, which at the moment is unaffordable, according to the association.

The spokesman added: “We’ve been told we have to get a new vehicle to fit these new rules, how are we supposed to afford that?

“In the current climate 90 per cent of drivers won’t be able to afford to get a new car. No one has that kind of money at the moment with what we’ve been through with coronavirus and rising costs over the last few years.

“We are a public service just like trains and busses. Their price goes up every year but ours doesn’t change, it isn’t fair.

“Bolton Council have been very understanding and not taken on any more drivers but now you see drivers with a Sefton or Wolverhampton licence around which makes business harder for everyone. We have a good working relationship with the council.

“We need company owners to increase our fares, that’s who we are striking against, so many of us are struggling."


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:05 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Quote:
“Bolton Council have been very understanding and not taken on any more drivers..."

Wonder how they've managed that? :-s


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu May 06, 2021 7:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:27 pm
Posts: 19639
So it isn't hackney Fares but Private Hire fares. So it isn't anything to do with the Council and everything to do with base owners.

_________________
Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2021 6:57 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 53921
Location: 1066 Country
StuartW wrote:
Quote:
“Bolton Council have been very understanding and not taken on any more drivers..."

Wonder how they've managed that? :-s

Think it was called a pandemic.

Not easy to do routes, tests and the alike in person.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2021 8:01 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:56 pm
Posts: 2466
If all the private hire operators are charging the same rate surely that is against competition rules, after all the government over the years has advised potential passengers to phone several private hire operators to get the best price before booking.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2021 3:18 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Sussex wrote:
StuartW wrote:
Quote:
“Bolton Council have been very understanding and not taken on any more drivers..."

Wonder how they've managed that? :-s

Think it was called a pandemic.

Not easy to do routes, tests and the alike in person.

Indeed, but I'm guessing it's different with different councils, and somehow I suspect the process of gaining a Bolton PHD badge isn't too involved.

Anyway, I was thinking more about that the rep said the council "have been very understanding and not taken on any more drivers", which makes it sound like the reason the council hadn't issued any new badges was simply to appease the existing trade, which would of course be illegal.

Of course, it wouldn't be impossible that that's maybe what the rep *thinks* is the reason, but the real reason is because of administrative difficulties due to Covid.

By the way, I'm the only one who's allowed to be sarcastic on here :badgrin: 8-[


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2021 3:19 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Anyway, what's the state of play been around the country as regards the issue of *new* badges and plates.

To be honest, I haven't a clue what's been happening here - just know about renewals, testing, substitutions etc :?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2021 6:32 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 53921
Location: 1066 Country
StuartW wrote:
Anyway, what's the state of play been around the country as regards the issue of *new* badges and plates.

Less than a handful down here since March 2020.

I suspect more drivers have died of covid than new drivers joining the trade. :sad:

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 7:00 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:27 pm
Posts: 19639
A report going to the Council here is stating that we have 30% fewer drivers now to a year ago. And they want to know what they can do about it.

_________________
Grandad,
To support my charity text MAYORWALK to 70085 to donate £5


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 9:16 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 19110
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
No change round here there are approximately the same number of drivers as far as I am aware only 1 packed it in and there are a couple of new drivers come on albeit Rutland badged driving Rutland plated vehicles

_________________
Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 4:41 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 53921
Location: 1066 Country
grandad wrote:
A report going to the Council here is stating that we have 30% fewer drivers now to a year ago. And they want to know what they can do about it.

Well as a driver I would say sweet f*** all. 8-[

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 09, 2021 7:08 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:47 pm
Posts: 19110
Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
grandad wrote:
A report going to the Council here is stating that we have 30% fewer drivers now to a year ago. And they want to know what they can do about it.



It is probably the same situation as for us ! Our councils policy is to ensure that even on the busiest of nights there are loads of taxis so that no one complains of having to wait :roll:

_________________
Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 5:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
A few weeks ago, heathcote wrote:
If all the private hire operators are charging the same rate surely that is against competition rules, after all the government over the years has advised potential passengers to phone several private hire operators to get the best price before booking.

Meant to look that up, but never got round to it, but remember when some PH ops got their knuckles rapped by the Office of Fair Trading when they came to some sort of iagreement to fix prices, which is illegal under competition law?

Thought it might have been Bolton, but it was maybe Bury - sure it started with a B, and in that neck of the woods...

Anyway...


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 5:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Bolton taxi drivers on strike AGAIN in bid for fare increase

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19 ... are-share/

Taxi drivers are set to go on strike for the second time this month demanding a ‘nominal’ fare increase to meet rising costs.

The private hire association says they have not seen fares increase for taxi journeys for nearly four years despite the cost of running their cars going up each year.

Many drivers, who have had their business devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, are now struggling financially due to the increasing costs, according to the association.

Drivers are planning to boycott driving their vehicles from 6am today all the way through to 6am Saturday morning.

A spokesman for the association said: “We have been talking to the companies that we work for and some even agreed to put the fares up at first but many have now gone back on their word.

“Only United Taxis have said they will agree to the fare increase so far but we’re not happy until all have agreed.

“Usually when one agrees all the rest follow as drivers start moving to these companies but it hasn’t happened this time.

“Drivers have been struggling so much over coronavirus and business is only just starting to pick up slightly again.

“Fares need to go up so drivers can provide for themselves and their families. Many companies seem to just be hiring more drivers to try and get more business, but that just makes it worse for the drivers.

“We can understand that companies are trying to save money after losing business over coronavirus but the drivers are the business and so many are struggling to survive at the moment.”

The spokesman added that without a rise in fares many drivers may look to move to other firms, especially Uber, after a High Court case determined drivers should be entitled to sick pay and holiday pay.

The association said they would continue to strike until fares are increased for all companies.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2021 5:44 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 13815
Bolton PHD rep wrote:
“Only United Taxis have said they will agree to the fare increase so far but we’re not happy until all have agreed.

“Usually when one agrees all the rest follow as drivers start moving to these companies but it hasn’t happened this time.

Certainly a bit of a whiff of price fixing about all this, but with regard to what I said above about the OFT, suspect that this kind of stuff is normally such small beer for them (the Competition and Markets Authority now) that chances of them getting involved is remote.

Bolton PHD rep wrote:
"Many companies seem to just be hiring more drivers to try and get more business, but that just makes it worse for the drivers."

Who knew? :-o

He's either just been in the trade five minutes, or is trying to make standard practice in the trade seem like something new :?


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 124 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group