Taxis - Day Of Action

[Paul H]

My company will be working as normal tonight, as will almost all the taxi companies outside of Douglas.

 

There is not as much support for this strike as they would like you to think.

[WilDDog]

I hope the government take notice - however they will not, they never do, they are an entity unto themselves and take little notice of anyone.

 

Fact.

[Pat Ayres]

I sympathize with Lonan as he's only trying to safeguard his future.

Too many taxi's and there's no profit and therefore resulting in no food for the table and kids go hungry. Over dramatic I may be, but it must have an affect somewhere along the line.

 

If there were too many taxis competing for the same customers then there would be no money in it = some people stop being taxi drivers. Until a balance is reached.

 

As it is there are no taxis available in some parts of the island at some times during the day.

 

And another thing - whilst we're on this; we should be able to haggle over the price too. That's another part of competition.

 

You are allowed to haggle the price, the meter is the maximum allowed to be charged. Most people do a set charge for long runs, docks, airport etc: which are a saving if the meter was running, depends where the journey starts, and when.

[Phildo]

And another thing - whilst we're on this; we should be able to haggle over the price too. That's another part of competition.

Correct. As indeed we should when we shop in supermarkets or go to the dentist or buy electricity or petrol. Give it a shot next time you're in WH Smith's - "Um...excuse me, I'd only like to pay 15p for this copy of the Grauniad...".

 

Anyhoo, sorry to disappoint you all, but Taxi drivers (with the same exceptions which apply to any group of working people) are normal people trying to earn a living. No biggie. The antipathy we're met with by a great deal of the population still amazes me after 2 years behind the wheel. I could rant on about the crap we have to put up with from drunken idiots (and, in fact, just idiots), but I'd only be feeding the 'tards. We're providing a service. One that an awful lot of you seem to think is important enough to fight over at 12.15 on a Saturday morning outside Ciappelli's. And that's all. I'm fully aware that the public perception of cabbies would place us somewhere below the love-child of Myra Hindley and Peter Sutcliffe, but hey, what's a guy to do? It's a living - although not the license to print money that most people seem to imagine. There are rewards, yes, but there are also long hours, early calls, never-ending maintenance costs, the escalating price of fuel, the abuse, public liability insurance - the list goes on. But you know what? I'm lucky to have come to this job. My office is the roads of the Isle of Man. My hours are - dependent on income - my own. Fortunate doesn't even begin to come into it.

 

And Pongo mentioned that there are often no cabs in out-of-town areas. What, precisely do you thing delimitation is going to achieve? I'll tell you - that to the power of 10.

 

Anyway, next time any o you are in my cab, introduce yourselves and I'll be sure to give you a special Manxforums.com discount.

[Stu Peters]

What Phildo said above.

 

I had a go at taxi driving when I was between jobs (a lot of drivers don't see it as a long-term career) and decided I'd prefer being the base operator after a while...that way the only abuse I got was over the radio from our drivers!

 

I don't much like drunks when I've had a few beers - when you're sober they're moronic, messy, rude and demanding.

[Paul H]

And Pongo mentioned that there are often no cabs in out-of-town areas. What, precisely do you thing delimitation is going to achieve? I'll tell you - that to the power of 10.

 

Bollocks. Do you think we run out of town taxi companies for the fun of it? Fact is that most Douglas taxi drivers think there is nothing beyond Douglas, well, after 12 years running a rural taxi service I'm not the one going on strike and crying about the risk of competition.

 

The last thing a proper taxi company will do in the event of delimitation is abandon or neglect their customer base. Perhaps you should think about that before going on strike. Idiots.

[pongo]

I have a question: are pre booked (telephone) cabs already operating under a different licensing system? Presumably that isn't currently restricted? I know that used to be a different business.

[immortalpuppet]

My stepdad has just told me that the taxi firm he works for is taking pre bookings for the night and has made a killing so far, they are not picking up anyone off the street between the striking hours but he said they will not have chance because they are close to fully booked out until 03:00 already.

[Declan]

ai_Droid Posted Today, 11:09 AM

 

What's to know? Practically everyone else has to compete in an open market, Taxi's dont. Where am I incorrect here? Educate me.

So, for example, you could open a new Post Office next door to an existing one?

 

 

 

What a bonkers comparison!

[pongo]

My stepdad has just told me that the taxi firm he works for is taking pre bookings for the night and has made a killing so far, they are not picking up anyone off the street between the striking hours but he said they will not have chance because they are close to fully booked out until 03:00 already.

 

Wow - there must be a shortage of cabs in the business. Maybe it should be de regulated or something.

[Wake Up Call]

Let the strike go on and pay the bus drivers triple time pay to work till 1am if (and only if) they want to do so. Stick a security guard and CCTV on the bus for good measure and we all pay a fiver for a ride whatever the distance.

 

Is that too easy?

[Phildo]

And Pongo mentioned that there are often no cabs in out-of-town areas. What, precisely do you thing delimitation is going to achieve? I'll tell you - that to the power of 10.

 

Bollocks. Do you think we run out of town taxi companies for the fun of it? Fact is that most Douglas taxi drivers think there is nothing beyond Douglas, well, after 12 years running a rural taxi service I'm not the one going on strike and crying about the risk of competition.

 

The last thing a proper taxi company will do in the event of delimitation is abandon or neglect their customer base. Perhaps you should think about that before going on strike. Idiots.

 

Um...I'm not a Douglas cabbie and I have precisely piss-all desire to work in Douglas.

 

Added to which, the firms who've gone on strike haven't neglected their customer base, per se

- pre-booked and account work is still going ahead. Perhaps you should think about what you're saying before you open your virtual mouth. Idiot.

[Paul H]

I have a question: are pre booked (telephone) cabs already operating under a different licensing system? Presumably that isn't currently restricted? I know that used to be a different business.

This is a hard one to explain, but here goes...

 

All vehicles that carry fare paying passengers are known as "PPV's" (Public Passenger Vehicles) and are licensed and regulated by the "RTLC" (Road Transport Licensing Committee) and the 2001 Road Transport Act.

 

There are currently more than one type of PPV and these are 'Ply for Hire' otherwise refered to as taxis, these stand on ranks or pick up off the street and Private Hire which include minibuses, executive cars, limo's etc. These are only available on a pre-booked basis.

 

The PPV ply for hire's are divided up by districts in which they can 'ply for hire' or take up a fare that has not been booked and the Private Hire's can pick up from anywhere provided they are pre-booked. When a Ply for Hire PPV has been booked in advance it too can operate as a private hire and pick up from any area. The removal of the ply for hire restriction on where they can pick up a fare without being booked in advance is part of what the Douglas taxi drivers are worried about.

 

They seem to think that there is a load of taxis from places other than Douglas that can't wait to abandon their customers to come and compete for the work in town. Which, if there is a change to the rules next week and we see people who want to become taxi owners without parting with huge amounts of cash being able to do so, won't be worth bothering with anyway!

[Paul H]

And Pongo mentioned that there are often no cabs in out-of-town areas. What, precisely do you thing delimitation is going to achieve? I'll tell you - that to the power of 10.

 

Bollocks. Do you think we run out of town taxi companies for the fun of it? Fact is that most Douglas taxi drivers think there is nothing beyond Douglas, well, after 12 years running a rural taxi service I'm not the one going on strike and crying about the risk of competition.

 

The last thing a proper taxi company will do in the event of delimitation is abandon or neglect their customer base. Perhaps you should think about that before going on strike. Idiots.

 

Um...I'm not a Douglas cabbie and I have precisely piss-all desire to work in Douglas.

 

Added to which, the firms who've gone on strike haven't neglected their customer base, per se

- pre-booked and account work is still going ahead. Perhaps you should think about what you're saying before you open your virtual mouth. Idiot.

 

There is no mention in the media about pre-booked work going ahead tonight, not that I give a shite what goes on in Douglas because not unlike you, I have no desire to work in Douglas either. I worked in Douglas long enough to know its not a great way to make a living and had the good sense to get out many years ago.

[WilDDog]

All this talk about taxi drivers has made me think about a career move, yes to be a taxi driver, sounds like a great job.

 

On second thoughts, I don't like early mornings or really late nights. I take my hat off to the taxi drivers who enjoy the job but I don't think strike action will do you any good at all.

Like all strike action no matter who you are or what you are trying to change, if everybody doesn't stand together you're wasting your time and let's face it, nowadays there are to may people who will stand in at the time to take your place and stab you in the back whilst doing so.

I know, trust me I know.