Taxi Driver Online

Yes Jasbar you are right, okay we have a law which says that the number of Taxis can be limited, fair enough, therefore it follows that the method they use to allow them to limit the number must be transparent and beyond reproach, it must reflect the true situation.


But some of the figures in the report seem to me to be, at best incorrect and at worst a fantasy.

So if they are going to limit our numbers at least do it in a professorial manner, we are not all idiots.

I don't have the figures but they are all much about the same with the exception of City Cabs due to the the Waverley and Haymarket station permits. I think the figure you have quoted is inclusive of the permit charge which is not compulsory to every owner.

Good value, well it depends on how you look at it they all seem to think its the dogs bollocks but in truth its just a very expensive way to finance your new taxi. Most taxis are double shifted to justify the radio dues and the extra running costs incurred. The driver on the other hand is held to ransom and charge high rental costs to justify the owners existence within the company.

In short it's just a way to drive round in new taxis while living the illusion of making a fortune at the drivers expense.

Hence the derestriction debate.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Surprisingly it doesn't include the permit charge.

Regards

JD

Well the 311 pounds per calendar month works out at 71.76 per week. Would that be similar to what the other two main company's charge?

Regards

JD

I think that's almost what's called an oxymoron.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

The Waverley just happens to be the biggest taxi rank in town. And that's what cabs do there most of the time, rank.

Really its just a talking shop, where you go when you want a blether. The streets can be buzzing, yet there is a long queue in the station, with taxis for hire coming out cos they can't even get on the rank.

And I, when I drop off in the station, and the rank is empty cos it's busy everywhere, well I just pick up anyway. For free. Hey, I'm only providing a service. But, why would I want to buy a permit?


Anyway, £71.76 per week. When you take into accoount the ongoing costs associated with doing enough trips to cover the radio dues - rental, fuel, opportunity costs (cos you'd be other work anyway) - you'd probably be better ditching the radio and taking an extra night off. Not the popular view I admit.

Perhaps part of our problem is that the majority of hackneys are behaving like private hire at busy times, street hails become more difficult, taxibuses, night buses and private hire all become more attractive?

Because it's as bent as a nine bob note.

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IDFIMH

Yes that should have been professional, I never checked the spell checker

As I said before it is impossible to have a robust and comprehensive SUD if you leave out any of the contributing factors, such as the increase of 400 Ph or the opening up of the airport. It’s not about demand or whether it exists or not it’s about who will meet the demand in its various forms.

The fact is Jacobs knew exactly how to conduct a robust and comprehensive SUD and didn’t. The methodology behind the Jacob’s report is flawed, simply because of what was deliberately left out.

They didn’t even appear to cover their tracks. I suspect that they knew that Ian Millership was about to be moved on and it wouldn’t surprise me if he got something in the way of a backhander for doing next to nothing in assessing the SUD. At the end of the day you get what you pay for one way or the other.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I think Central and Com Cab a about the £100 mark I was paying £80 a week five years ago I believe it went up in the last year.


If you need the precise figures I will have no problem getting them?

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Well I wasn't having a dig at your spelling, it was the oxymoronic quality of what you said

Just in case anyone doesn't know, an oxymoron is where contradictory terms are used close together, eg chaste Lady of the Night.

The example given in my dictionary is "faith unfaithful kept him falsely true".

Thus 'professional unmet demand survey' is an oxymoron, in my humble opinion.

The best one for the trade, however, is the occassionally seen 'private hire taxi'

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Someone call?

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IDFIMH

I know what you were meaning TDO, but it does not alter the fact that the Law in Scotland allows the number of Taxis to be limited, so until it changes (if it ever does) at least the SUD's should be carried out in a more proffesional manner.

However due to the way this is going, I will refrain from making any more comments, it's impossible to deal with these people on a rational level.

Maybe the trade in Edinburgh should suggest to the council that a proper survey is conducted, and Jacobs should be made to fund it.

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IDFIMH

Yeah, but it's alaw that was written in the 1970's. When private hire was a few funeral cars. Or the guy who had a nice white roller you could hire to get the life controller you'd done a fornication deal with to the altar of contract.

And, long before it was ever foreseen that diddy cars would operate an alternative taxi service.

The Law isn't an ass, it's simply outdated. Times have moved on.

Having separate hackneys and private hire is a logical nonsense. If you want a hire car service to take folks from a to b, why not have a single licence type to achieve this. One level playing field. Same tariff. Same vehicles. same service.

The Scottish Parliament, a contradiction in terms, is currently rewriting the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The Scottish Executive has solicited opinion from local authorities, who have responded with their wish lish to "correct" all the points of conflict they've previously not had the powers to "deal with".

Meanwhile, on the taxi trade side, doesn't this seem the perfect explanation of where we stand?

Asked what was happening in the trade, an official of The Scottish Taxi federation is recorded as having responded, "There's a golf outing a week on Friday".

Incidentally, the same guy who, discussing the Jacob report, insisted that we don't need more taxis on the road, but he would be happier to see more buses at busy times.

Any wonder our trade is faaaakked?

Any wonder I'm angry and determined to press home the issues?