Taxi Driver Online

After 18 years in the PH/HC trade I am now totally disilutioned with it and I am planning to get out in the next couple of years.A few ears ago, my local council introduced an age limit of 3 and a half years for any newly plated PH/HC vehicles, which incidently, was instigated by a fellow owner driver, (prat).I sold my HC 2 years ago and went PH, I suppose because I thought it was one foot out of the door.I currently own a 2001 VW Passat with just me driving on days, so I reckon my current vehicle should do me for the next 3 years as I maintain it properly. I am not putting any money aside to replace this vehicle because, as I said before, I would like to leave the trade.My question is this; If my car gets written off through no fault of my own, say it gets hit by a lorry whilst parked outside my house, the insurance company would pay me out for the value of a 2001 model VW Passat.But if I needed to carry on driving a PH, I would need to purshase a 2004 model vehicle, so I would be forced into taking out a loan to make up the difference, even though there was nothing wrong with my previous vehicle and it still had plenty of working miles left in it. Or worse still, if I was deemed to be uncredit worthy, and could not secure a loan, I would be unable to purchase another vehicle and I would be out of work, and all this because my LA have this 3 and a half year age limit on newly plated vehicles. Surely this cannot be fair. Through no fault of my own, I could be out of work! This must be against my "human rights" the fact that I could be forced into burdening myself with a bank loan through no fault of my own.What do you all think? I hope you can understand what I am ranting on about, and there was not too many spelling mistakes.Also, this is my first post on here so would just like to say "Hello" to all of you. Many thanks.

You cannot put a car on if it is over three-and a-half years old, but it can then be used up to five or six or seven or more, so they already State a older vehicle is fit to be used, I don't think a magistrate would agree with them. IMO. it does not seem reasonable

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

Thanks for your reply MR. T. I agree, it is not reasonable, although it has been very useful for Skoda UK ! I suppose if this scenario did happen to me, and I took the LA to court I would be OK, especially as I have a Wife and 4 kids to support. But of course this would take time and money. I just feel that this rule introduced by my LA is so restrictive, it really does need to be kicked in the balls.Unfortunately, everyone in my town seems to just lay down and take whatever the LA throw at them.Just like the fact that we were the first area to make the b- tech a condition of licence!

Jay if you have a look at some of the posts on TDO you will find that there are a few company's that will bring you a replacement taxi /PH within 24 hours, they will even put it through any council test as long as its a no fault accident, at no cost to you.
I am sure that someone on here will be able to post a few links to them.
BTW welcome and dont be afraid to ask anything

Just don't expect to get the answer you want.

_________________
Grandad,

At least not all the time

_________________

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

Welcome to TDO Jay.

To start surely this is an insurance issue, so it's not really the fault (if it happened) of the trade we all love.

Their must be an insurance company out their that will insure you for the full replacement cost of a like for like vehicle. It might cost you a bob or two more than you pay, but it might be worth it.

That said you can buy a 3.5 year old Mondeo for around £5,000. The price for a six year old Passat has got to be around £2-2,500, so we are not talking massive differences.

Over a year just put aside a £50 a week.

_________________
IDFIMH

The point he is talking about is replacing the vehicle on a existing licence not a new licence, so if he replaces a four-year old vehicle with a four-year-old vehicle, and the council refuses I would like to see their argument in court. ..... I am sure JD will have his view which will be interesting...

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

Sussex a 6 year old passat will still cost you at least 4.5k
You can get a 4 year old mondeo for under 3.5 and they are not hard to find with the new model being out

But the chances of anything like that getting to court?

Slim at best.

_________________
IDFIMH

Thanks for all your replies.I understand about replacement vehicles for non fault accidents etc, although thanks for bringing it to my attention.My question was purely hypothetical to highlight how unfair having a rule that says you can not plate a HC/PH vehicle which is over three and a half years old.If my six year old car gets written off (through no fault of my own), the insurance company will pay me out for a six year old car (fair enough).If I take this money down to "Honest Johns Motors" and buy a six year old car, as this is all I can afford, my LA will not let me plate it.So before I go down to "Honest Johns Motors", I will have to pop in to "Thieving Bas****s Bank PLC", and take out a loan for, say, £3k.All through no fault of my own. Or worse still,if the bank say "no", I am then out of work because I cant afford a 3 and a half year old car.I am sorry to harp on about this, but it could happen.Because of this age limit on newly plated vehicles, someone could be out of work through no fault of their own.Phew.... I hope that made sense!

Jay you're a winge bag - at least you know the rules before you start etc

TBH that's the problem with the trade, not only do most not know the rules when they start, only a few know them when they have finished.

_________________
IDFIMH

Yes Trigger, I know I am a Winge-bag.But I've just turned 40, so its allowed now, right? Thing is though mate, when I first started,there was no age restriction. Just one of the many new regulations our council have thrown at us. Like we were one of,if not THE FIRST to HAVE to do the B tech. Also, now having to have 2 vehicle tests a year even if your vehicle is brand new.We also use to be able to drive both PH and HC if we had a HC licence.Now, even though I have a HC licence,when I renew, I have to pay for HC and PH. I'm just fed up with having to take all these new regulations from 7 councillors who dont have a clue about the taxi trade. And, with every new HC inspector, comes a new broom, a new ego and new "ideas". Any way Trigger, whinge over for now mate,but thanks for taking the time to read my rantings.

Sorry mate, just realised your Triggy not Trigger.....Must have been a Freudian slip