Taxi Driver Online

The drivers are however free to discount fares if they wish.
The metered fare is only the maximum that can be charged.
Also the tariff is set by the council, supposedly with the public's interests in mind. Not by a cosy stich-up between supposedly rival firms.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

1, True....but it doesn't happen

2, True... and that's what's charged

3, True....and all firms charge that

Now....where's the public interest?

I wonder why the cab fares in say....Sefton are so low? would it be to compete with a large PH firm?

I'm not saying the OFT are wrong....just pointing to the hypocrisy.

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 did say "supposedly"

As the conditions for setting a tariff are enshrined in law, therefore lawful, I don't suppose the OFT can do anything about it. They certainly can't force anyone to offer discounts.

Question: What is stopping these PH cars fitting meters at the council HC rate, and then having the same legal protection?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

We're not too far away on this

The point surely is, I suppose the costs of operating a PH car in say Brighton, is much the same as operating another PH car in Brighton....the costs are similar.

Therefore where's the surprise when the fares charged are roughly the same?

Perhaps the OFT should look into the price of oil.....now that is price fixing!

CC

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

Now that would be a plan

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

It's not the fact that the prices are similar, or even the same that is illegal.
It's the fact that they have got together to agree not to compete on price that's illegal. Announcing it in the local rag wasn't very bright either

Let's face it, each firm works out their costs and finds out how much they think they can charge while still undercutting the local HCs.
That's fine and legal.

They then get together with the competition so as not to cut each other's throats in the process.
That's not fine or legal. That's a stich-up.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Here's what they might expect? lol

Europe hits vehicle glass cartel with record fine

COMPETITION LAW - INDUSTRY

CARTELS : EC LAW : FINES : GLASS INDUSTRY : MOTOR INDUSTRY : PRICE FIXING : TRADE SECRETS

Times, November 13, 2008.

The EU Competition Commission has imposed a record fine of almost EUR 1.4 billion on four car glass manufacturers for operating a cartel and sharing trade secrets between 1998 and 2003. The fine includes the biggest penalty ever inflicted on a single firm with Saint-Gobain of France ordered to pay EUR 896 million. Fines were imposed on UK firm Pilkington (EUR 370 million), Asahi/AGC of Japan (EUR 113.5 million) and Soliver of Belgium (EUR 4.4 million).
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British Airways executives in court on price-fixing charge

COMPETITION LAW

AIRLINES : CARTELS : MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES : PRICE FIXING : PROSECUTIONS

Financial Times, November 13, 2008.

Nov 13, 2008

British Airways executives have appeared in court charged with price-fixing in the first prosecution of its kind to target managers at a leading multinational company. Legislation specifically outlawing price-fixing first came into effect in the UK in 2003 but the Office of Fair Trading has prosecuted only one other case. A full trial for the four men, who are accused of conspiring with rival Virgin Atlantic to inflate passenger fuel charges, is not expected to start for many months.
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Well PH wont disappear in mandatory areas, or areas with a stiff knowledge test.

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IDFIMH

What's a stiff knowledge test got to do with anything or is it obvious and I'm having another blonde moment

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I think the reference is that in areas that have a stiff knowlege test for hackney drivers, private hire will always be big because they don't have to take the knowlege test. Except of course in areas that have a duel Hackney/private hire test.

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Grandad,

I think a good scenario is London.

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IDFIMH

quod erat demonstrandum

CC

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