Taxi Driver Online

Taxi fees could go up to cover costs


Taxi drivers say fees for their passengers may have to rise to help them offset the rising cost of their annual taxi licence fee.

Cabbies in Wellingborough say they are annoyed about proposals to increase their plate charge to £187.80.

The charge was £80 in 2009 and rose to £136 last year.

Taxi driver Karl Morrissey said the proposed increase is far beyond the rate of inflation and would squeeze drivers’ incomes at a time of recession.

He said despite drivers wanting to keep prices frozen for customers they had asked Wellingborough Council to increase the start-up rate of a journey by 20p to help offset the price rises.

The start-up rate is the amount on the meter when a journey begins.

Mr Morrissey, of The Dale, Wellingborough, said: “We have asked the council to put up the start-up rate of a journey by 20p. We haven’t had an increase in two years.

“Times are hard and the taxi drivers in Wellingborough are trying to keep their prices down.

“Takings aren’t going up at all because fuel is going up.

“We are just suffering at the moment and the council is trying to make it worse.

“The drivers are not happy. They are saying they don’t want to pay it but if it goes up, we have got no choice.”

Wellingborough Council’s chief executive Joe Hubbard said: “The basis for the proposed increase was to bring our vehicle licence fees more in line with the average – our previous fee being considerably below the local average of £191.”

He said the letter from the drivers would be considered before a decision was made.

source: http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/l

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

Ah, not what it actually costs to issue the licence then. Making profit where they are not allowed to.

so his business wont stand £2.60/wk fees?....

his insurance could be TEN times that, does he pay that?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Isn't it drivers badges, not vehicle licences that they can't charge more than the cost?

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Grandad,

Where does it say that?

CC

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

I don't know. I thought that I read it somewhere on here.

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Grandad,

They can't charge more than the cost of the licensing function for vehicles, and more than the cost of processing for drivers.

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IDFIMH