Taxi Driver Online

Why can't you get enough local drivers?

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IDFIMH

think we have got the majority ie.1/3 of the drivers in our license authority

the rest are maybe of the mind that dont want to work our area as we are geographically in north tyneside but the majority of our work is in Newcastle !! which is why we went to court over cross border hiring.

there may be drivers that are just scared of the size of our business. they maybe just using it as a stepping stone and we have a more serious long term approach to the job.

i dont really know there answers but there is only two large firms in north tyneside ourselves and a firm called EASTCOAST which we work very close with each other to the extent we jointly operate a ferry port together and between us we have 50% of all the drivers licensed in our area so i feel i need to look further afield as the new people to the trade are lost by the natural wastage of drivers leaving dying etc etc

Thanks for that.

The reason I ask is that, from my experience, if the drivers were, or could, earn bundles, then I would imagine you would have them queing at your door.

From time to time, on TDO, we get people coming on saying they are working 100+ hours a week, yet can't make a living even though they are non-stop. The reason they are non-stop yet can't earn a living is that they are far too cheap.

Suggest to them that they need to up their rates, and they then think you are stark raving bonkers.

We recently had another op on here who has loads of cars, but when you divide the number of jobs to the number of cars, from a drivers point of view it's not too good. Unless of course each job is a long one.

So my point is that if people knew they could earn out of this trade, then they would join. The fact that they aren't leads me to believe they can't, thus they aren't.

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IDFIMH

I have spoken to numerous people who tried this job and left shortly later after realising they could not put up with the passenger side of it,drunks,abuse etc.Another reason was that when they were in a taxi most drivers whinged all the time and they did not want to end up like that.

All i am saying is that there are a number of reasons why people are reluctant to join the taxitrade.

Some people cant Hack it(excuse the pun)So if people are willing to work hard for a living and enjoy the job, there is no problem..

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

our drivers are doing an average of 25 jobs in a 10 hour shift making the expected £10 at bad times and up to £25 hour at good

the money i don't think is the big issues i think it is the anti social hours the people we are dealing with these days and the general perception people have of this industry such as the portacabin in a pub car park or what they See in things like Coronation street !!! so people do not see it as a professional industry providing public transport ! rather just a stepping stone when they have no other option while they look for what they think is a proper job !!

only my thoughts !!

What are your rates ians, £10 per hour is low even the £25, I think you should be in the region on £30 to £35, I can and do the £25 even on the slowest of days and that's just 1 car, double that and more at weekends.
try to match driver and customers so they can build up trust, and ask the drivers to help customers with shopping and luggage instead of just standing there with there fingers stuck in neutral, the more they help the more custom you get

Maybe we have had the "fly-by nights" through the trade.

Maybe not many people are getting laid off long term jobs and so haven't got the levels of redundancy.

Maybe people are worried about their own safety whilst at work.

Maybe people just simply do not want to work.



I think that we need to change the perception of a taxi driver.

I went into town over the weekend, I was looking at the bouncers and thinking "he doesn't look like he could look after himself" ............... then after talking to some "old timers" I discovered that they don't have to do the gruff and intimidating thing now .............. they use technology.

Now if we got the trade into a position where new drivers were professionally trained to a Nationally recognised vocational qualification, I believe that would be the first step into solving the problems of our trade.

If we then sorted out (as best we can) the driver safety element by installing CCTV into the vehicles and linking into monitors within the offices ............. then we may attract people who would normally not feel up to the job.

Installation of CCTV systems is now inexpensive, even for the all singing all dancing versions. I had a quote for 4 cameras and recorder for under £250 which could be linked to my home computer.


I know how much some operators invest in their businesses ................ but I think this type of investment in the safety of drivers is something that would give them good publicity as well as attracting some new drivers who could have been put off because of the lack of protection.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Interesting.

Maybe it's the quality of some of our vehicles and drivers that give punters a poor view of our trade, and maybe it's the quality of some of our punters that give drivers a poor view of our trade.

If we could get rid of the scum punters, and get rid of the scum drivers and their sheds, than maybe paradise beckons.

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IDFIMH

I hope you're not advocating the removal of private hire

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

in this area the average of a p/h is about 4 years younger than a hack

but we also only have about 200 hacks against 1000 p/h

No, but I had a feeling you might accuse me of that

What I meant is that you want the rules to suit you, Skippy wants the rules to suit him.

Personally I have a bit more sympathy for someone with one car rather than several hundred and, even leaving that aside, surely it's a bit rich to accuse Skippy of looking after himself (which is patenty true) when you're also self-evidently trying to look after yourself?





No problem with that, but how do the drivers benefit by you taking on more drivers?



Doubt it, but as I don't know who you are I don't know

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

Well if you're taking on immigrant labour and shopping around for the LAs for the lowest standards then that's why people view it as a stepping stone until they get a real job.

Not that I'm blaming you, but you can hardly complain about the consequences of your own actions.

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

Seems to be a bit of a contradiction here Skippy.

Or perhaps it's me who thinks taking £25 an hour minimum and £50+ when busy isn't exactly fecked?

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

I have some friends in the taxitrade who come from different parts of the globe and they are hard working,friendly and go about the job in a professional manner.Most of them do not see it as a stepping stone to another job,they see it as a job for life and take pride in what they do.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U

Is their any chance of coming up there with a Berwick plate,a phone, sat nav and a very fast car to make that amount of money.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07K29Fc15U