Taxi Driver Online

For a start, if your LA has an age limit on licensed vehicles and the DfT's Best Practice Guidance were to stand as it is on age limits being arbitrary and that older vehicles can be just as safe, then would that open the flood-gates to old or very old licensed vehicles in your area?

At the moment these areas limit by age, a kind of pseudo limited / restricted numbers game that fools no one.

What would happen to your business if you were competting in your 11 plate Skoda Superb with others running a Datsun Bluebird?

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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I think an age limit has got it's pros and cons.

Maybe the answer is more tests each year the older the motor.

But since our area increased the age limit, office cars are getting more to look like a sack of sh** than a sack of sh**.

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IDFIMH

Perhaps if they stated that there was no age limit on vehicles that are currently licensed but they had to be new or damn near new on first license and licenses where not transferable that may help a little bit. Combined with high national standards on the vehicles which should weed out the sheds

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

Now you multiply that by 2 or 3 for the present age limit in your LA and what do you have?

Suddenly, all those who had previously looked at the PH or HC trade as a way of earning in your LA, but did the maths say 5 years ago and were not confident of making a reasonable return on their £10-15,000 investment are now saying, "Hey, I can go to the auctions and buy a car to license for £500 and now I can make money!"

And there will be loads of people like that in a year or two and the like of those with 11 plate Skoda Superbs won't have a prayer in the new game that could evolve almost overnight.

And another thing; once there are 'too many' of them your £1.50 or £2.00 a mile becomes £1.00 or £1.20 a mile, because the old banger PH brigade can afford to run at those prices and you have to reduce yours to match them or go out of business.

Nice scenario isn't it?

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

If there were mandatory vehicle inspections every 3 months on old vehicles, then it might work.

But one annual inspection for a 15 year old vehicle would be a joke.

Now non-transferable plates?

I'm with you on that one.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

The biggest problem is consistency between testing stations at the moment most local taxis are going to a particular testing station in Bourne because it is letting them through with lots of scratches etc. one of my drivers has just put his car through there and it has been keyed down one side plus a scuffed bumper they didn't say a word so my driver insists as long as they pass the car he won't spend money on tidying it up

My vehicles go to the local testing station in town and they won't allow a car through with that amount of paintwork damage so there is a problem to start with

If there was a national standard for testing which was regulated by vosa maybe age limits would become meaningless because the quality of the vehicle would be tested not just it's roadworthiness

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

Our LA solved the problem of garages passing vehicles that weren't really up to standard visually by threatening to remove their license to test taxis/private hire, simples

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