Taxi Driver Online

More tales about an undersupply of drivers. Oh to have such problems - getting on a rank is the main problem here


Taxis: Northern Ireland firms unable to meet demand

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57406316

Taxi firms have said a shortage of new drivers, combined with people leaving the industry, has left them unable to meet demand.

Official figures show the number of registered taxi drivers in Northern Ireland has fallen by a third in five years.

The pandemic has exacerbated the issue, BBC News NI has been told.

Northern Ireland's largest taxi firm said it has 400 fewer drivers compared to before the pandemic.

Stephen Anton, communications manager at Fonacab, said there needs to be more incentives for drivers to join the sector.

"Now that we have come out of lockdown the amount of bookings has grown more rapidly than the amount of drivers returning.

"Some drivers have yet to return and we've had some say they'll wait for their second jab or for social-distancing rules to be relaxed."

'Restart package needed'

He added: "Others have left the industry and have just retired, while some have gone to different driving jobs or where they could find the work.

"The major issue is at the weekends because demand is higher and because we aren't seeing a leap in drivers working. It's a stretch to cover the work that is there.

"I think from a public perspective, it's a little bit embarrassing. We are the biggest taxi firm and whenever we can't do what our customers expect from us we are as disappointed as they are.

"We would like to see some sort of restart package to either help drivers back into the industry or to make it easier for drivers to join the industry," Mr Anton said.

BBC News NI has been told that some drivers have found employment at delivery companies, supermarkets and within the construction industry.

Figures from the Department of Infrastructure show the number of registered taxi drivers has fallen from 9,590 in 2019/20 to 8,781 for the year 2020/21.

It is understood the number of working drivers could be lower than the number reflected in the latest figures.

A spokesperson for the department said the decline was likely to have been caused by the pandemic.

"There has been limited opportunity for first time applicants to apply for their taxi driver test due to Covid restrictions on driver testing.

"However, the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) resumed practical driving tests and theory tests for all categories.

"In addition, some existing taxi drivers, whose taxi licence expired during this period, may have decided not to incur the cost of renewing their taxi driver's licence until the Covid restrictions were lifted."

The struggle to find drivers is not unique to large cities.

In Coleraine, William McDonald, who owns Royal Cabs, told BBC News NI his firm had lost a third of its drivers over the last 14 months.


Image: BBC

"We have nine people working for us at the moment. The other men found other work and have left the company," he said.

"The last few years there has been a shortage of taxi drivers and the pandemic hasn't made it easier.

"Now places are starting to open we certainly need more drivers and more cars on the road. The night work is picking up a little but the drivers aren't there.

"Unfortunately you have to let customers down. It'll get to the stage where there won't be very many drivers out at night so anyone going out for drinks won't be able to get home in the later hours of the morning.

"70% of my drivers would be over 60, it is the older population that seem to be taxi drivers. There is no new blood coming in.

"There is absolutely no doubt if things keep going the way they are going, in another five or ten years there's not going to be any taxi drivers," he said.


'Not going back'


Image: BBC

Jim Bradley worked as a taxi driver in Londonderry for 40 years.

Last July he suffered a stroke, which he said was a result of the stress of trying to work during the pandemic.

"The pandemic was a very bad experience for taxi men everywhere in Northern Ireland," he said.

"I took a stroke due to the stress and the doctors confirmed that it was due to the work.

"Everywhere was closed, people were working from home and you were sitting for hours doing nothing.

"You just couldn't earn money. I am 66 now and am not going back. I wouldn't be fit health wise."

All this has got sweet f*** all to do with punter demand, and everything to do with drivers on circuit demand.

Typical of so many firms who have fought against the likes of Uber. They have never worried about loss of punters to Uber, it's loss of drivers to Uber that effects them the most.

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IDFIMH

Two minute video on website if anyone prefers this visually. In truth, not much more information than in piece below, but it's a lean and mean website and video loads and plays quickly


Taxi firms urging Executive to make it easier for drivers to enter the industry

https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2021-06-09 ... e-industry

Taxi firms are calling on the Executive to make it easier for drivers to enter the industry.

They say that new rules have made it harder to get a taxi licence, stifling recruitment.

Eamonn O'Donnell from North West Taxi Proprietors has seen the first hand impact of these rules.

"There was a problem before the pandemic and it has now been made much worse since the pandemic.

"What we have is right across the board, we're about 30% down in taxi drivers across the industry.

"I asked one taxi office for an account of how their weekend went. They had over 11,000 missed calls over the weekend," Eamonn explained.

"I asked one of the bigger Belfast companies and they had over 14,000 missed calls on the Saturday night."

"From a customer service point of view it's a disaster for the taxi industry," he added.

Responding to the issue, the Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said:

"We reopened the driver testing as soon as we could in terms of the Executive's easement of restrictions so there have been tests carried out for new taxi drivers.

"I'm also of the view that a number of taxi drivers have possibly held back on taking the test or renewing their license because they want to see the impact of the reopening of the economy and how that would impact on them.

"But of course, we will continue to work with the industry and I will continue to work with all my colleagues as we put the industry on a stable footing."

Different world to up here, obviously. Waited around two hours at one point last night. Car from one of the biggest offices was in pole ahead of me and must have waited around two hours as well

Can't say I've even seen any queues at the ranks here since things started opening up either. Maybe the odd person waiting, but not for long. And if there's any kind of rush it's because everything closes at exactly the same time.

now that sounds far more familiar than the stories of huge amounts of work going begging

as for the drivers



do they seriously expect those who left the trade to come running back ?

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

A good bit more detail here.


Taxi shortage: One Derry taxi company had 11,000 missed calls last weekend

https://www.derrynow.com/news/derry-new ... ekend.html

Local taxi companies are calling on the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) to 'temporarily suspend' entry requirements to allow them to recruit more drivers

Taxi companies in Derry are struggling to meet growing public demand as society reopens after the Covid-19 lockdown.

People are having to wait for long periods or walk home after a night out due to a shortage of drivers.

There is a concern that it could affect city centre trade if people decide against going out due to a fear of being stranded at the end of the night.

Those representing local taxi drivers are now calling on the government to support the industry.

Over the weekend in Derry, one of the bigger taxi companies had over 11,000 missed calls, demonstrating the level of unmet demand for taxis.

Across the city and Northern Ireland as a whole, the number of taxi drivers is down by around 30 per cent.

Taxi drivers have left for work as food delivery drivers or to secure work of another kind.

Eamonn O’Donnell (above) of NW Taxi Proprietors said that two local men who work in the industry died in the past year after contracting Covid-19.

Some other drivers have recovered from severe Covid infections, older drivers who suffer from breathing conditions are reluctant to return and drivers are still worried about bringing Covid home to vulnerable family members.

Mr O’Donnell says that pre-pandemic entry procedures for new drivers were an obstacle to recruitment.

Post-pandemic those pressures have become unmanageable as society reopens and people return to pubs and restaurants at the weekend.

Speaking to the Derry News, Mr O’Donnell said: “We have asked the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to relax and suspend the entry procedures to the taxi industry, that being the taxi theory test and taxi driving test until such times as we get the numbers back in place.

“We need breathing space to recover from the pandemic, and that is what we’re asking for from them.

“If they did that it would allow us to recruit, not just drivers, but younger drivers.

“People need to be able to get in cheaper and quicker.

“If it’s not addressed, come September when society is reopened and schools are back we could be looking at a serious shortage of taxis.

“Not only to support the city centre, but to supply the school and hospital work that we do as well.”

In order to encourage more drivers to work weekends, he added, increased weekend fares will have to be given consideration.

Otherwise, it is his view city centre business could be ‘strangled’ because people will not want to go out if they risk being stranded at the end of the night.

It could lead to anti-social behaviour in the city centre with intoxicated people unable to get taxis and an increase in ‘unregulated’ drivers.

‘WORSE’

Businessman, Tony O’Connor, who owns a number of hospitality venues in the city including The Bentley, The Magnet and Molly Malone’s, said that customers have been experiencing difficulties at the end of the night.

Worryingly, he said, a wait for taxis was normally restricted to the weekends but since businesses reopened people have been waiting for long periods during the week.

“There was an issue with getting taxis at weekends before the pandemic,” he explained, “but it has gotten a lot worse.

“I’ve contacted Jim Roddy and the City Centre Initiative about it because it could become a problem for businesses with less and less people willing to come out.

“It could also cause bother with people waiting in queues who have been drinking.”

Mr O’Connor agreed with principle of paying taxi drivers more at weekends.

He suggested that a tariff could be put in place whereby the cost of a taxi increases as the night goes on to make it more enticing for drivers to work.

LEGISLATION

A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said any relaxation to the current entry requirements would require further legislative consideration by the department.

Officials have already met with industry representatives to discuss similar issues and will continue to do so, he explained.

A DfI spokesperson added: “The Department is aware and mindful of the impact the pandemic has had on the taxi industry.

“Throughout the year the Minister and Departmental Officials have met regularly with the taxi industry and their representatives and this engagement will continue.

“In addition to recent financial assistance schemes, the Minister has also introduced regulatory easements for the sector amounting to over £1million.

“This has included allowing the automatic renewal of taxi vehicle licences, free of charge and without a prior test for a period of 12 months up to the end of May. The Minister also authorised the delivery of on-line periodic training and renewed 5 year licences without a medical report.

“The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) resumed practical driving tests and theory tests for all categories, including taxi drivers, on 23 April 2021.”

What a great idea!

It might even catch on

Anyway, don't know if it's universal, but suspect unmet demand problems maybe caused by all the venues closing at the same time. That's certainly evident here in that the peak demand 'window' is quite narrow, but certainly no real *unmet* demand here