Taxi Driver Online

(Quite a lot of reading here, so maybe a certain someone should just ignore this thread instead of posting smart Alec remarks about all this awful joined up writing and the like

[Not literally joined up writing, but, you know...]

In fact, better still - why not do a Grandad and 'not even bother even reading any more of your posts' )


Another one from Tonbridge and Malling, but a totally different subject (which was a kind of throwaway line at the end of the card payment piece).

But the quoted driver is claiming his work has 'halved', so presumably the same daftie quoted at length in the other piece?

But, for a start, the error in the other piece is repeated in the headline here. It presumably can't be about 'capping driver numbers' rather than plates.


Calls to cap cab driver numbers in Tonbridge refused after petition launched by disgruntled taxi drivers

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tonbridge/ ... ca-304350/

Taxi drivers who say they are having to work longer hours to make ends meet have seen their calls for a cap on cabbie numbers refused.

Unlike most of its neighbours, Tonbridge does not limit the number of taxis that it licenses to operate in the market town.

But as a consequence some cabbies say there are too many taxis in town and they are having to spend too long idling on the rank while waiting for a fare.

At present there are 173 licensed hackney carriage vehicles - slightly fewer than there was pre-Covid (179).

Over the years, the figure has remained remarkably stable - but had been as high as 180 a decade ago in 2014.

However, Anthony Garnett, the licensing manager for Tonbridge and Malling council, said there was anecdotal evidence some drivers were working longer hours, which could have the effect of making more taxis available at any one time.

There had also been a change over time with more drivers holding dual licenses - enabling them to do both hackney carriage (taxi) work and private hire jobs.

In 2014, there had been 169 hackney carriage drivers and 112 dual drivers, making 281 in total.

Today, there are 61 hackney carriage drivers and 197 dual drivers making 258 in total - fewer than before.

Under the law, a borough is only able to put a limit on the number of taxis it licenses if it can show there is no “unmet demand” for taxis.

To do this, it has to employ a specialist team who look at issues such as the number of taxis at a rank at different times of the day, and the difficulty the public has in hailing a cab.

The survey is expensive but the cost is borne by the taxi drivers themselves, who have it added to their licence fee. A rough estimate was that it would cost each of them £40.

Despite that, in a quick electronic poll by the council 35 drivers said they would want such a survey to be carried out.

But that was from 261 polled and so represented only 13%.

The vast majority - 80% - did not respond at all.

If a cap were imposed, by law the unmet demand survey would have to be repeated every three years.

The council’s licensing committee agreed with Conservative Cllr Martin Coffin’s proposal that no action be taken and that Tonbridge should remain without a cap on the number of taxis.

However, one of the 49 taxi drivers who had signed a petition calling for a cap on numbers made their feelings known afterwards.

He said: “They don’t seem to realise that our work has halved since Covid, with so many people working from home and choosing not to go out.

“Drivers are having to work extra hours just to get a decent wage.

“I used to stop work at 4pm, now I’m still out till midnight or 2am trying to make my target.

“There are now too many drivers chasing too little work. Tonbridge has licensed 173 vehicles, but Tunbridge Wells has capped theirs at 107.

“Why do councillors consider Tonbridge needs so many more cabs than Tunbridge Wells? Tonbridge is dead at night!"

[quote="The same daftie driver in the other thread]“Drivers are having to work extra hours just to get a decent wage.

“I used to stop work at 4pm, now I’m still out till midnight or 2am trying to make my target.[/quote]
So he's working 10 hours more than previously? He must be doing 18-20 hours shifts?

And yet he was taking £200k per annum before lockdown finishing at 4pm?

To be fair, it's no wonder he's disgruntled if he's needing to do 20 hour shifts to make his current £90k (or whatever) simply on card payments

And, of course, as per usual maybe he's illustrating the problem - he's working round the clock to trying to make his £250k per annum, but if all drivers are working twice as many hours (say), then they're all working twice as many hours for zero gain (unless twice as many cars out at any one time represents some kind of gain )

Of course, I do exaggerate, but unfortunately that's what happens when people grossly exaggerate their case...


Well that's a compelling comparison - not

I mean, however does the like of London manage with 15,000 HCs when Tunbridge Wells only has 107?

But apart from the need for a simple population comparison, what about single/double-shifted cars, private hire numbers etc...

Not sure where this is sourced from (and, as per usual, the byline is TaxiPoint's editor), but this reads like something written by the prospective plate barons in the trade, and in fact reads like marketing spiel from the 'expert' consultancies who conduct the unmet demand surveys.

Of course, it's not difficult to see through TaxiPoint's function as a marketing/PR source for the London black cab trade ('Aren't we just so wonderful?'), but the likes of this is a bit, er, something or other


NO CAP: Tonbridge & Malling councillors reject taxi drivers call for Unmet Demand Survey

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/no-ca ... and-survey

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Councillors have rejected taxi driver calls to cap licences in the area.

A recent survey unveiled a significant call among hackney carriage and dual licence drivers for a detailed Unmet Demand Survey, aiming to reassess the number of taxis licensed to operate within the area and place a cap on the number of licences in the area.

The call comes amid growing concerns over lengthy waiting times for fares at key ranks such as Tonbridge Waterloo, heightened by an economic climate that sees vehicles and drivers under increased pressure.

As of 12 March 2024, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council has 173 hackney carriage vehicles licensed, a noticeable fluctuation from numbers recorded over the past decade. This change highlights the dynamic nature of the industry and the local economy's influence on the demand for hackney carriage services. The last review of such nature took place nearly a decade ago, in March 2014, signaling a pressing need for updated data.

The neighbouring Licensing Authorities of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Maidstone have set caps on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles that can be licensed, a move not yet mirrored in Tonbridge & Malling. However, before any restrictions can be imposed, a robust and detailed survey is mandated to provide a clear picture of the hackney carriage services' current state and demand within the borough.

The call for the survey was made through a Teams survey, reaching out to the licensed hackney carriage and dual badge holders within the borough. Out of 223 recipients, the survey saw a 25.56% response rate, with 79% of respondents advocating for the commissioning of the Unmet Demand Survey. The survey is expected to cost between £14,000 - £17,000, funded through future licensing fees.

The proposed Unmet Demand Survey could have delved deep into various facets of the hackney carriage industry, including customer needs and expectations, the significance of any unmet demand, service quality, safety, vehicle types and designs, and accessibility. This comprehensive approach could have ensured that any decisions made are well-informed, equitable, and reflective of the current and future needs of both the hackney carriage trade and its clientele.

The Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council's Licensing and Appeals Committee rejected the proposal to undertake the significant survey on 26 March.

Is this from the people who thing a double-shifted cab is the same as a single-shifted cab in terms of supply

Or, who, presumably, thought the supply of HCs remained unchanged during lockdown if plate numbers didn't change, despite the fact cars might have been mothballed and/or had no drivers?

Wonder if the likes of that was ever questioned - totes awkward if it was, but of course because it's totes awkward, it won't be questioned

Has the worked dropped, or has their share of the work dropped?

If this is the same mush that is moaning about card readers, then I suspect it's the latter.

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IDFIMH