toots wrote:
Sussex wrote:
No, because working in partnership to the betterment of customers that also leads to the betterment of the trade
Does it really? In theory that sounds quite good, have you ever lived with it in practice? All the customer really needs is safe vehicles, safe drivers and low prices. Most if not all areas have safe vehicles and safe drivers (with the odd exception) so the crunch comes when you want low prices. Low prices can only be obtained if there is an abundance of work. When drivers do not earn enough money something has to give and that is usually vehicle safety and/or driver safety (because of the long hours they have to work). I find it strange that one of the only businesses that makes huge profits regardless of sales is the ph trade. If the likes of Tesco/Asda employed staff at the rate ph operators do, well they don't but you know what I mean, they'd go bust and we all know why.
How something can be called a 'free market' when it's costing tax payers millions to subsidise incomes is beyond me and it only shows what a complete failure the 'free market' is and that is not just within the taxi/ph trade.
toots.. I often compare the extremely large private hire companies with the mill owners of the last century.... cheap labour and if you don't like it starve....
As you say the company set the rate that the drivers will charge, but it is the owner drivers that have to bear the burden of cost, and do long-hours to make a living.. recently Delta has stipulated to its drivers that if they continued to work after 12 hours they would have to press a button saying they were still safe to work... win-win -win for the company.. now these companies also have a effect on the more reasonable small companies that actually care for their drivers and customs.... tired drivers are a danger to the public. we all know this.... the Law Society seems to be hell-bent on market forces.. what is best for the public regarding cost.... they don't seem to be interested in the public's safety..or the drivers' safety... they are not interested in whether a driver earns a living.In a safe manner... I see nothing in their questionnaire relating to fairness for drivers.....
So the truth is... the company keeps the rate down... the company keeps the drivers down... and the company owners make a fortune....