Taxi's are they serviced?

[Davidth88]

Hi,
Listening to newstalk this morning around 06:40 , I heard the head of the something called ' The taxi drivers council' ( or something like that , I can't find anything like it on google , but maybe a taxi driver out there might enlighten us )

Anyway , this guy was asked about the Times report out today that stated that car servicing was 30% cheaper in Belfast compared to Dublin. The presenter said he assumed all taxi drivers know this anyway and are taking their cars up north.

This guys response was frankly incredible ,he basically said

" Well its not an issue right now because we ( the taxi drivers ) don't have the money to services our cars , so they are not being serviced ! "

To me an admission like that is unbelivable !

Taxi Drivers , I assume this guy is wrong , are you happy that such a statement was made on a national radio station ?

[triple-M]

I think that once they can change/check some of the basics themselves e.g engine oil and filter, check fluid levels, check brakes, check suspension and steering,check tyre pressure and threading left on the tyres etc etc.then they can probaly get away without spending a fortune on servicing their cars especially the likes of the drivers who have mercs which cost probaly over a weeks wages nowadays to service

[corktina]

well assuming the vehicles have to be tested, not servicing them doesnt imply they are dangerous, just that they arent going to last as long as otherwise they might. I do all my own servicing, it isnt rocket science.

[TiwstaSista]

wasn't able to watch the statement but i presume he's speaking on his behalf. however, whatever would be agreed upon and put into law should be imposed and be respected by the operators, drivers and commuting public. be rest assured that we are operating a fully-serviced machine since commuters' safety is primarily our basic concern.

[Del2005]

Any proper Taxi driver will service their car more often then necessary and if they aren't servicing their cars then they won't last very long.

I think he was just playing for the sympathy vote by saying they don't have enough money to service their cars. If my car breaks down I can manage without it, if a Taxi breaks down they've no wages at all. Bit of peotic licence was being used.

[amacachi]

Anyone driving as much as most taxi drivers do should be able to do most of the servicing of a car themselves, and, from the people I know, they do.

[Davidth88]

Thanks, I guessed as much.

Any idea who this guy was making stupid remarks like that on a national radio station ?

If I was a taxi driver I would be annoyed that people who are meant to be representing me in public make such silly remarks .

He of course was going for the sympathy vote , ohhh whoa is me stuff.

Maybe at 06:40 his mouth was enagaged before his brain was.

[Taxipete29]

Originally Posted by Davidth88

Thanks, I guessed as much.

Any idea who this guy was making stupid remarks like that on a national radio station ?

If I was a taxi driver I would be annoyed that people who are meant to be representing me in public make such silly remarks .

He of course was going for the sympathy vote , ohhh whoa is me stuff.

Maybe at 06:40 his mouth was enagaged before his brain was.

Frank Byrne, he is the Chairman of some new taxi council.

[Wishbone Ash]

Originally Posted by TiwstaSista

commuters' safety is primarily our basic concern.

That's good to hear but difficult to believe since most taxi drivers that I've used have very poor driving skills. I'd be more concerned about standards of driving rather than vehicle servicing as most accidents are as a result of human error.

[Spook_ie]

Servicing isn't realy the issue, it's cost cutting ( like any other business ), I used to put premium branded tyres on, then I went to non premium now I put part worns on, I used to change the oil every 5000 and oil and filter at 10000 now I stretch it to 6/7 and 12/15 approx, I would have put the car into the local mechanic on a regular basis for any brake relines now I wait till it sounds that they need doing, unhappily not an ideal situation but economics are to the fore and if you can't increase your customer base then you have to cut costs to stay viable

[oisindoyle]

Originally Posted by Davidth88

Thanks, I guessed as much.

Any idea who this guy was making stupid remarks like that on a national radio station ?

If I was a taxi driver I would be annoyed that people who are meant to be representing me in public make such silly remarks .

He of course was going for the sympathy vote , ohhh whoa is me stuff.

Maybe at 06:40 his mouth was enagaged before his brain was.

Well firstly they were not stupid remarks and he was not playing for the sympathy vote .the simple facts of the matter for all taxi drivers throughout the country is this .Everyone is finding it incredibly difficult to make ends meet ,i for one cannot afford to get my car serviced this year for the simple reason being I havent got the money ,,,pure and simple,,,
And before this thread desends into another "I know a taxi driver who makes a huge wage ect ect " or "All taxi drivers are robbing bastards "ect ect ,just accept that things are getting worse and worse in the taxi business.

[Davidth88]

oisindoyle sorry they are stupid remarks.

It's the same as a tradesman admitting he doesn't look after the tools of his trade.

It's one thing to cut back , but it's totally another to admit on a national radio station ( and indeed on an internet forum ) that you are not looking after your car , which after all is your livelyhood.

I think not to service your car is possibly a false saving , but at the end of the day it's your business. I just hope the saving you make does not impact on the safety of the PSV you are driving.