Taxi Driving

zuutroy

Thinking of doing this for a few weeks while I get a proper job sorted. Got my PSV already. Will probably rent the cab either from an ad in the paper or from city cabs. Anyone drive a taxi in Dublin? Just wondering if it's possible to make €500-600 a week without killing yourself? Any advice appreciated.

crosstownk

I don't mean to dishearten you but my Dad drove a taxi for years and gave it up after he had a syringe pulled on him twice and a knife held to his throat so he packed it in. Apparently the money isn't as good as some taxi drivers would have you believe.

Hey, be careful out there......

zuutroy

Thats nasty....I'd hope to survive working during the day, when the junkies are easier to pick out, but I guess all the money is at night. I'd hope to avoid ranks where you have to take the next muppet in line too.

AARRRGH

Well, according to this job advert -

http://www.staff.ie/jobs/4344.html

- City Cabs pay you €20 an hour. So to make €600, that's at least 30 hours driving a week. Not too bad, if you get some tips!

EdgarAllenPoo

A few things to think about. I have a cousin who is a qualified engineer, he got his psv in college for some extra money. He still drives a taxi 3 nights a week and in those 3 nights he makes more than his week's engineering wages. IE the money must be reasonably good.

My dad is a Dublin Bus driver but used to be a taxi driver, apparently they get at least one new driver a week in his garage who was a taxi driver but couldn't make enough money at it. I would say the main reason for this is that they now have to issue receipts and so can't claim to make less than they are when the tax man calls.

I would suggest working a couple of nights to get an idea of what it will be like.

zuutroy

GDM wrote:

I would suggest working a couple of nights to get an idea of what it will be like.

Not a bad idea! Though I'll have to buy a SATNAV, because I wouldn't know the south-side at all well enough. Still passed the PSV test though

EdgarAllenPoo

My dad was in a similar situation(part of the reason he's not doing it anymore). There is usually an ad for a satnav in the herald. Argos and DID sell them as well but I don't know how reliable they are. The ones in Argos are about €200 if I remember correctly. The one my dad was going to get was €1000 and had every street and house address in Dublin.

Hobbes

dublindude wrote:

- City Cabs pay you €20 an hour. So to make €600, that's at least 30 hours driving a week. Not too bad, if you get some tips!

AFAIR they don't. Your expected to give them X amount of and the remaining you own.

EdgarAllenPoo

Just out of curiousity what is the minimum age at which you can apply for a PSV? Is it 21?