Taxi Driver Online

While since I've read one of these (maybe because I've started to body swerve them), but this is an interesting enough read.

But, typically, everything's very happy clappy, and no-one on the rank has ever fallen out, or whatever


Darlington taxi driver Peter Mudd retires after 50 years

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/ ... -50-years/


Image: The Northern Echo

A Darlington taxi driver has dropped off his final fare after 50 years on the road and an estimated quarter of a million pickups.

Peter Mudd, a well-known face in the town, is hanging up his keys for good after 50 years of ferrying customers around Darlington.

Now 71, and with his 72nd birthday just weeks away, the veteran cabbie says “the time has come” to retire, although he admits the decision has not been easy.

He said: “It’s scary to retire after all this time, but I’ve done enough now.

“Now’s the time for me to go. I think you know yourself when you’ve had enough.”

Originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, Peter moved to Darlington as a teenager and has lived and worked in the town ever since.

His career began by chance at the age of 22, during a period of financial difficulty.

He said: “I was having a rough time, my job wasn’t going so well, and I was tight for money.

“I saw taxi driving and thought I’d do that until I found something better. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Over five decades, he has witnessed major changes in both the trade and the town itself.

He said: “There’s a lot more rules now than there used to be, but the cars are a lot better.

“When I first started, your first job in the morning was to push the cars to get them started. If it was raining, your feet would get soaked through. Thankfully, you don’t have that now.”

His very first day on the job proved to be memorable, and for all the wrong reasons.

He said: “They put me in an old Austin Cambridge to see what I was like and how I'd get on.

“It was shaking that much, the police pulled us over and said you can’t drive that. The floor had gone through as well. That was my first experience of driving a taxi.”

Despite the challenges, Peter said the job has given him a lifetime of stories and encounters with people from all walks of life.


Image: The Northern Echo

He said: “You meet all sorts of people in this line of work. Of course, there’s some you don’t want to talk about, but there are a lot of really good people.

“One man I picked up had been a prisoner of war in Italy. He escaped twice and got caught, then the third time he made it out. He told me everything, what a man he was.”

He added that the camaraderie among the other taxi drivers has been one of the main highlights of his career.

Peter said: “You go down the rank and it’s the crack, laughing and joking, that is the best part. That’s what I’ll miss the most.

“It’s such a close community. If someone needs help, everyone mucks in. There’s not one of them down the taxi rank I don’t like.”

On Friday evening (March 27), members of the taxi community met in the ranks in Darlington at 5.30pm to surprise Peter with a token of appreciation for his 50 years of service and celebrate his last shift.


Image: The Northern Echo

Peter said: "I wasn't expecting any of this. It feels weird finishing after all these years - I've worked since I was 14 years old and have never been out of work.

"The kids I take to school got me a present today, and my last shift will be driving back home."

Colleague Anthony Loy said Peter is a "friend to everyone".

He said: “One thing I'd say about Peter is he's a friend to everybody. We will miss him and he's done the job proud.

"He's been a father figure in the community for the last 50 years and he is a true gentleman."

Looking ahead, Peter plans to take things more slowly after years of long hours on the road.

He said: “I just want to take it easy from now on and not have to do much driving anymore.”

Would certainly be a very easy decision for me. If I could afford to

Certainly hoping to be well out of it by the time I'm his age, which is another 10 years away. And even then I'd still be a junior compared to him, with only 40 years in the trade


I was saying that back around 1999


As have most of the other millions of drivers who've came and went while he's been soldiering on


No doubt it's all pally-wally with his close circle of friends. But I'd guess his name is Mudd with the rest of the trade. Literally

I wish him well.

But I'm never retiring.

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IDFIMH

Never say never there's other things out there other than work such as volunteering ,U3A , booking last minute holidays to get a bargain

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

Well, I've done the volunteering lark for the last 18 years, as well as sharing my highly professional views on here for the last 23 years.

As for last-minute holidays, I think I've been able to do that for the last 34 years.

But on a more serious note, I suspect I will cut down on my hours in 10 or so years, but never ever reduce them to 0.

I'm not sure Mrs Sx would be able to cope with me at home.

Might send her back to India.

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IDFIMH