Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Wed Nov 12, 2025 9:01 pm

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2025 4:36 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 56636
Location: 1066 Country
I found this article in May's PHTM, which I thought was quite interesting.

https://content.yudu.com/web/43sy4/0A43 ... gin=reader

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2025 8:34 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 17127
Ain't gonna happen [-(

Or, in fact, about as likely as Jim Button's cross-border plan being implemented (ie effectively every licensing authority in England agreeing that one will become the de facto national regulator). Or as likely as that London HCD badges will become as valuable as New York medallions (my prediction - London HCD badges will always be worth zero :-o ).

Anyway, read that the other night, and intended wittering on about it a bit, but can't be bothered now, and can't be bothered going back and reading it [-(

But even if it was implemented, I just don't think it would work - it's a bit like my old argument of saying that if you double HC fares then that'll mean twice as much taking for drivers at the end of their shift. No.

So it's maybe the obverse of that - minimum fares would mean retaining more drivers, and less demand. So drivers might end up back where the started.

But that's maybe the clue to it all, and there's maybe a clue about it too in the stuff about supermarkets and waiters etc - it's not about pricing, or whatever, and more about the labour market stuff. It's a bit like saying that if a supermarket sells apples or brocolli for 10p then the shop workers will earn jack. Er, no.

By the same token, it's like saying that if a hotel is charging £500 a night then the porters will be earning an absolute fortune. Er, no - they're paid according to what the labour market pays them.

Also the stuff in the piece about dead time and dead mileage - er, isn't that the way the HC side has always worked? So whether PH fares are regulated or not, I can't really see the point about all that, in terms of basic economics as least.

Also interesting was the very vague reference to the Supreme Court decision and to whom it applied, which I couldn't understand. Then, of course (silly me), why would the vice chair of the nation's most prominent legacy trade representative organisation be a bit vague about the applicability of the supreme court's decision? 8-[

He does make some good points about the Supreme Court's decision only applying to loaded miles, or whatever, but this has been pretty evident ever since the judgement, and it's surely now simply more a case of what can be done about it, if anything?

And I'd guess his suggestion is likely to go down like a lead balloon with the vast majority of his members, so kudos for that =D>

(Also, as per previous stuff, I'm not sure at all what the reference to peer-to-peer apps was all about? Excuse my ignorance, but aren't all apps peer-to-peer, or is it, er, just the peer-to-peer apps? :-s Or, I mean, maybe peer-to-peer means the same as 'ride-hailing', and is just really a meaningless term meant to mean app-only providers, rather than app bookings via legacy firms, or whatever?

Or even assuming 'peer-to-peer' doesn't just confuse matters, maybe it's yet another term used to make it sound like the app-only platforms are fundamentally different to the likes of Delta and Veezu, while in reality all that's different is the peer-to-peer stuff, or whatever that means. Presumably #-o )


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2025 7:33 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 56636
Location: 1066 Country
Quote:
Also interesting was the very vague reference to the Supreme Court decision and to whom it applied

The Supreme Court basically said that drivers working on/with a radio/app firm have some kind of working status and should, therefore, be entitled to workers' rights such as the minimum wage and holiday pay.

Now only time will tell if the law, as laid down by the Supreme Court, is followed universally or adapted by parliament.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2025 10:55 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:06 pm
Posts: 24371
Location: Twixt Heaven and Hell, but nearest Hell
what, the want £12.22 per hour? before tax...

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri May 16, 2025 5:48 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 56636
Location: 1066 Country
wannabeeahack wrote:
what, the want £12.22 per hour? before tax...

And before expenses.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 26, 2025 5:29 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 17127
Forgot about this, which was mentioned in TaxiPoint last week.

First question and answer pretty predictable (although maybe the question would have made slightly more sense without the word 'taxi' in it), and maybe it's instructive that it was another Blackpool Labour MP who was banging the drum about 'unlicensed' Uber drivers working cross-border. (And which in turn seemed to lead to Uber getting an op's licence there - you'd need a heart of stone not to laugh :lol:)


Lorraine Beavers, Labour MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Uber accounts are not used by unlicensed taxi drivers.

Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Enforcement of the private hire vehicle licensing regime is a matter for licensing authorities and the police. Any licensed private hire vehicle operators found to be enabling the use of unlicensed drivers or vehicles to carry passengers may be prosecuted and risk revocation of their licence.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?i ... .52775.h&s


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 26, 2025 5:30 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 17127
...but second question maybe slightly more interesting. And maybe not unrelated to the article above :-o

But the answer also quite predictable, and is the stock response to this kind of thing. Although maybe the modern twist is the bit about effectively mandating multi-op/multi-app working...

And the term 'maximise earnings' in particular sounds like something from an Uber press release :roll:


Lorraine Beavers, Labour MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory fare meters in private hire vehicles.

Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Licensing authorities have the power to set maximum taxi fares for journeys within their area. Regulated fares provide an important element of customer protection in the rank and hail market where passengers do not have a choice over which vehicle they hire. A uniform set of tariffs enables taxi meters to be used to ensure taxi fares are accurately calculated.

Licensing authorities have no power to set fares for private hire vehicles (PHVs). Fares for PHVs, which must be pre-booked with a licensed operator, are set by the PHV operator. The competitive pre-booked market allows PHV operators to compete on price as well as other factors such as quality of service.

Apart from in London, meters can be fitted to PHVs and these would need to reflect the relevant PHV operator’s tariff. As different PHV operator tariffs may vary this could have the effect of restricting the range of operators which drivers could work with. Mandating the fitting of meters in PHVs would reduce the flexibility in the PHV sector and potentially affect the availability of vehicles for passengers and the way in which drivers can work to maximise their earnings.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?i ... .52777.h&s


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon May 26, 2025 5:34 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
Posts: 17127
...but, of course, the 'competitive pre-booked market' allowing 'operators to compete on price' also means the labour market, and thus downward pressure on earnings, particularly via Labour-controlled Wolverhampton City Council's competitive approach to handing out badges and plates like sweeties [-(


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group