Taxi driver protest

Spook_ie

rubadub wrote: »

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More legally enforced business for you! I am talking of anybody working over this 40hrs that is mentioned, most would probably have to find work close to home if legally obliged to get taxis to & from work or other public transport. So should taxi drivers be forced to drive only 40hrs a week? On that submission page it said.

Should be at most 40hrs, if it really is so dangerous.

I would think the average industrial wage for 45hrs work in a low skilled job is a very high and unreasonable expectation to have.

€389.25 for a 45 hour week as a taxable pay ( based on minimum wage rather than industrial average ), I could live with that. I'm lucky some weeks to get that after 75 hours

Just remember though that I'm saying that's after deducting the required expenditure to carry out the job, and providing for holidays/sickness benefit etc. which those on minimum wage as PAYE are entitled to.

Spook_ie

steph1 wrote: »

You speak for yourself mate. And to quote you "Every full time cab driver would agree that part-time taxi drivers are scum."
Well I'm sorry but I am a taxi driver full time and I most certainly do not agree with that statement. There are people who for one reason or another - probably mainly the recessionary times we find ourselves in - who may have had their hours curtailed or lost their jobs and who also may have to mind kids elderly parents etc there are a host of reasons and they work part-time. You cannot come on here with a statement like that. You do not speak on my behalf. Its the likes of you that gets the rest of us a bad name.

Steph is that opinion confined to "part time" workers or do you not mind the PAYE double jobbers who work "part time" on Fri/Sat nights?

kajo

steph1 wrote: »

You speak for yourself mate. And to quote you "Every full time cab driver would agree that part-time taxi drivers are scum."
Well I'm sorry but I am a taxi driver full time and I most certainly do not agree with that statement. There are people who for one reason or another - probably mainly the recessionary times we find ourselves in - who may have had their hours curtailed or lost their jobs and who also may have to mind kids elderly parents etc there are a host of reasons and they work part-time. You cannot come on here with a statement like that. You do not speak on my behalf. Its the likes of you that gets the rest of us a bad name.

You would have a vested interest as a multi licence holder and did i read someplace that you use your taxi licence while you work as a limo?
I am in full agreement with one colour for all taxis and a fixed roofsign and a county crest on the car for all to see.
I am betting you would not agree to any of that on your car so the public can see what you are and what service you offer.

blahblah06

Spook_ie wrote: »

Steph is that opinion confined to "part time" workers or do you not mind the PAYE double jobbers who work "part time" on Fri/Sat nights?

Spook that's who I was also referring to

kajo

koolkid wrote: »

Running one business is pretty much the same as another. I have been doing it sucessfully for many years now.
First rule is the customer comes first. (You havn't even got that right yet)
I am running a very successfull business , so I do have a very good idea of the realities involved . As for economics, the basic rule there is supply & demand. Something you need to concentrate more on. There is no demand for ignorant taxi drives with a chip on their shoulder so I suggest you take a good look at your business practices or find a job that suits you better. Perhaps taxi driving to too high skilled a job for you.

Most customers could not tell you what colour the car was they jumped into don't mind if driver is ignorant or not.
Its rare that you get the same customer more than one time so who would know if the driver was ignorant. Its all just bull**** you need to drive a taxi to understand this business and you dont.
There is no demand at the moment we are in a recession right? when there is a little biz around the part time piranhas grab it.
You need to stop talking about a business you know nothing about and stick to what you do know and let us work on sorting out ours.
How come none of you foreseen the recession??? yeh rite!

steph1

Spook_ie wrote: »

Steph is that opinion confined to "part time" workers or do you not mind the PAYE double jobbers who work "part time" on Fri/Sat nights?

Spook my point that I made is in relation to part-time workers. And I think this is where we need to make the distinction. Part-time working is just that. Part-time. And a lot of people have no choice. I take people in my taxi who have two and three jobs and they are all part-time trying to make ends meet, pay bills etc. and sure we all have those things. Double jobbing is a different thing altogether. However if a person is a legitimate driver has the licence and most importantly from the passenger's viewpoint has valid insurance to drive a public service vehicle thats fine. I dont think there is any law in this country that says that a person cannot have two jobs. There may be restrictions in certain employments that state that a second job must not interfere with a person's main occupation.

blahblah06

steph1 wrote: »

Spook my point that I made is in relation to part-time workers. And I think this is where we need to make the distinction. Part-time working is just that. Part-time. And a lot of people have no choice. I take people in my taxi who have two and three jobs and they are all part-time trying to make ends meet, pay bills etc. and sure we all have those things. Double jobbing is a different thing altogether. However if a person is a legitimate driver has the licence and most importantly from the passenger's viewpoint has valid insurance to drive a public service vehicle thats fine. I dont think there is any law in this country that says that a person cannot have two jobs. There may be restrictions in certain employments that state that a second job must not interfere with a person's main occupation.

Well steph can you explain what double jobbing is.
I wonder would Dublin bus appreciate there drivers driving cabs taking business from the buses themselves. I suppose that's why they all put l plates over there yellow daisys when in Dublin bus depots. What are they afraid off?

steph1

Well blahblah if they are working at night they are not really taking jobs away from the buses apart from the nightlink and they dont run all night do they?
Anyway where I operate from we dont have the luxury of nightlink or luas so people do depend on taxis to bring them home.
Double jobbing would be if a person has e.g. a full-time job 9-5 or similar hours and then takes up another job in the evenings or at night. Loads of people do it or have done it. And the way things are going in this country at the minute a lot more may think about doing it.

blahblah06

I suppose it may be different for u not being in Dublin.
But you are saying bus drivers are double jobbers?

It's a big if as bus drivers don't all work nights in the cars so there classed as what?

Don't understand the logic really you say your ok with people having 2 - 3 jobs then drive a cab either at days nights weekends is ok but people with 1 job work weekends or nights your not ok with? It's all tthe same Thing really. How do u think other limo drivers would react of they knew about you doing that part time. I suppose that's why you wouldn't agree to a fixed roof sign on your car?
Do you have a limo licence for your cab in guessing not. So your working in your cab illegally right. Do you have limo insurance. Also while I'm at it how do you feel about part time or double jobbers coming to your town to work if they have no licence for your area.
Would you class yourself as a double jobber by working taxi full time and bit of limo work on weekends with cab work?
Sorry about sp but writing this in a rush on the phone waiting on a call

ps what i can't understand is why would a part timer double jobber pay 5k for a plate then the meter etc, nct, insurance depreciation on car bother there arse. How many weekends or nights are they going to have to work before they make profit. I'd say at least 6-12 months I'd rather spend the time with my family

steph1

How can I be working my cab illegally? My cab is a public service vehicle. It just happens to be a merc and anything I do e.g a wedding is done for people that I know e.g my regulars who like the car and book me for the couple of hours that it takes to do a wedding. They hire me for the few hours the price is agreed there is nothing illegal in that. I have proper insurance The people who use my car are fully covered in the unfortunate event of an accident.
I am sure there are a lot of people out there who have classic cars and who do weddings for their friends/family and get a few bobs are they fully covered for hire and reward in the event of an unfortunate accident?

The people that I know that have two and three jobs have two days here, two days there one day some other place. Thats the way it is. They can be bar persons, bouncers. waitresses etc. Any job they can get. They do what they have to do to make a living. Pay their rent, mortgage or whatever. The county I operate in has been devastated by unemployment. The last summer here there were very few tourists, people are staying at home. etc. Taxi businesses in rural areas has been decimated by the recession. The fear of being bagged on the way to work has stopped a lot of people going out midweek. And its too expensive. The increase in the taxi fares was brought in at the wrong time by the regulator.

blahblah06

Maybe I'm wrong but I didn't think u could limo in a taxi? So u offer discounts to all your customers because of the increase?

I take it you don't have a silver daisy?

I suppose you can't argue at all about double jobbers or part timers cause they don't really effect one of there own, have u ever used your taxi plate in your "limo" to avail of the bus lanes because you know limos can't use them right

micks

Isn't it just as well all these partimers and double jobbers dont go full time at the taxi-ing they'd ruin it for ye honest taxi folk!

Terrontress

It seems to me like Steph is showing initiative by offering a limo service. I dare say her customers are happy too in not having to pay a fortune for a garish pink stretch American pile of junk to travel 100 miles to get to her. They can get a nice Merc that they know already. Steph makes an extra quid and doesn't moan like the others.

You can describe her as part time but she is not getting sick leave, pension scheme, health insurance etc. What is the difference between her part time and full time work. If someone sells both apples and oranges are they part time in their apple sales?

And there have been times when every taxi driver collects above the MAXIMUM taxi fare. The meter shows €18 and the customer says "take €20". That makes you illegal. So stop getting in to technicalities of what being part time or illegal means.

This whole row seems to be getting taxi drivers turning on each other, which surely will make the drivers' position weaker.

Spook_ie

Terrontress wrote: »

It seems to me like Steph is showing initiative by offering a limo service. I dare say her customers are happy too in not having to pay a fortune for a garish pink stretch American pile of junk to travel 100 miles to get to her. They can get a nice Merc that they know already. Steph makes an extra quid and doesn't moan like the others.

You can describe her as part time but she is not getting sick leave, pension scheme, health insurance etc. What is the difference between her part time and full time work. If someone sells both apples and oranges are they part time in their apple sales?

And there have been times when every taxi driver collects above the MAXIMUM taxi fare. The meter shows €18 and the customer says "take €20". That makes you illegal. So stop getting in to technicalities of what being part time or illegal means.

This whole row seems to be getting taxi drivers turning on each other, which surely will make the drivers' position weaker.

The argument here seems to be along the lines of you are not supposed to use a plated taxi as a limo, if it's a taxi it's a taxi, if it's a limo it's a limo, they are subject to different rules and regulations. That being the case then Steph would indeed be operating illegaly if she took people to weddings etc. using the taxi as a limo ( no roof sign ) The illegality would however be easily overcome by the use of a pre booked waiver BUT that wouldn't allow you to not have the roof sign on. There were discussions hinted at by the TR to allow the removal of the taxi sign for "ceremonial" work but AFAIK this wasn't an option that made it into law.

As to the deiver collecting above the maximum fare, really! As long as the driver doesn't ask for any figure above the price shown on the meter it isn't illegal, it's classified as a tip and that kind of statement would normaly herald the issuing of an immediate TROLL alert!

Spook_ie

micks wrote: »

Isn't it just as well all these partimers and double jobbers dont go full time at the taxi-ing they'd ruin it for ye honest taxi folk!

I actualy wish they would, at least then I could be assured of competing on the same playing field, maybe then we might get some sembalance of order into the taxi industry

Terrontress

Spook_ie wrote: »

The argument here seems to be along the lines of you are not supposed to use a plated taxi as a limo, if it's a taxi it's a taxi, if it's a limo it's a limo, they are subject to different rules and regulations. That being the case then Steph would indeed be operating illegaly if she took people to weddings etc. using the taxi as a limo ( no roof sign ) The illegality would however be easily overcome by the use of a pre booked waiver BUT that wouldn't allow you to not have the roof sign on. There were discussions hinted at by the TR to allow the removal of the taxi sign for "ceremonial" work but AFAIK this wasn't an option that made it into law.

As to the deiver collecting above the maximum fare, really! As long as the driver doesn't ask for any figure above the price shown on the meter it isn't illegal, it's classified as a tip and that kind of statement would normaly herald the issuing of an immediate TROLL alert!

Don't call me a troll!

All my point was that if a customer thinks he has got good service and gives a tip above the metered fare then he has paid above the maximum amount for that journey.

As for knowing that a clean Merc will show up at a certain time, driven by a well presented driver, hang around all day and not break down then what better service can you expect? So what is the issue of paying greater than a metered fare for that?

And as for roof sign for bus lanes, do they have bus lanes in the Wild West?

I believe that taxi drivers have legitimate grievances due to shoddy regulation but members of the public and other hard working taxi drivers who show initiative are not the people to take it out on.

blahblah06

Ye spook that was my point. It's shows how easy it actually is to operate wrongly in the psv system.

I was simply asking steph weather she offered discounts because she said the hike came in the wrong time but if I'm right she doesn't offer discounts at all from herself or her other drivers. So making a comment like that is just a contradiction.

I offer 20% off all the time weather i'm booked or flagged down as my car is advertised like that. I know people are suffering and am prepared to drop prices


I've no prob with steph or anyone charging more for a limo service as it's of the meter. But if your a taxi your only allowed carry taxi passengers and so on that's the licence we carry

taxi drivers can show as much initiative as they want as long as the rules are followed. I even mailed the tr to ask was advertising allowed on the cab before I did it.

KoolKid

kajo wrote: »

Most customers could not tell you what colour the car was they jumped into don't mind if driver is ignorant or not.
Its rare that you get the same customer more than one time so who would know if the driver was ignorant.

If you have any business sense you will be able to answer this question.
Name one line of business that won't benefit from repeat business?
Ofcourse people will remember an ignorant driver.
Heres a basic tip for you. people will remember bad service a lot quicker than good service.

kajo wrote: »

Its all just bull**** you need to drive a taxi to understand this business and you dont.

Please explain why this industry is so special?
Why does normal rules of business not apply to you?
And again i ask Why should the taxi industry be protected from competition over any other industry?

kajo wrote: »

There is no demand at the moment we are in a recession right? when there is a little biz around the part time piranhas grab it.

Ahh theres no demand. There is a market there for taxis. If there is no demand why are more people still getting into the business.
If the part timers are able to grap this business doing half the hours you are then who do you think is the one doing it wrong???:D

kajo wrote: »

let us work on sorting out ours.

But ye are not sorting it out. You want someone else to sort it for you.

kajo wrote: »

How come none of you foreseen the recession??? yeh rite!

LOL even the dogs on the street forseen the recession.

population

This whole suspension (temporary or otherwise) of licenses thing is just not realistic! Imagine me saying "Right that's it now, no more electricians"

MOH

kajo wrote: »

The fact is most people who complain about taxis don't use them or don't use them very often.
The people who use them support us 100% and i have never had anybody in my car say otherwise.

I use taxis often, but there's no way I support the nonsense that went on again last week.

Spook_ie wrote: »

I would suggest though that the answer is partly with the public. When you get a taxi make sure it's legit, check the drivers ID, check the meter is sealed and hasn't been tampered with and above all STOP taking the taxis that are illegaly ranked at places like the bottom of Grafton St, stand by them and flag a passing taxi down or cross the road and use the legal rank. You ( the lazy customer who would aid and abet some taxi drivers to break the law ) are the ones causing some of the problems..

Yeah, that's right, it's all the customers fault.

mikemac wrote: »

Just throwing it out there.
I've been there trying to book a wheelchair accesible cab, it was done hours in advance and the driver was still late. Probably dictched us for a more lucrative fare!

I booked one a day in advance, it didn't turn up, when I rang they said it was stuck halfway across the city, would a regular one do?

steph1

blahblah06 wrote: »

Maybe I'm wrong but I didn't think u could limo in a taxi? So u offer discounts to all your customers because of the increase?

I take it you don't have a silver daisy?

I suppose you can't argue at all about double jobbers or part timers cause they don't really effect one of there own, have u ever used your taxi plate in your "limo" to avail of the bus lanes because you know limos can't use them right

Hi blahblah if you look at my details you will see that I operate in the West of Ireland. We dont have bus lanes here we only have bus eireann expressways and they are few and far between plus some other small private bus operators I dont go to Dublin to work or go into any other county to work save when I am bringing a passenger into the next county or as I was lucky enough last year to get to bring a fare to Dublin Airport.

KoolKid

Spook_ie wrote: »

I actualy wish they would, at least then I could be assured of competing on the same playing field, maybe then we might get some sembalance of order into the taxi industry

So then, if all the part timers gave up thier other job & worked driving a taxi 70 hours a weeks, competing with you even more, you would be happy?
Can you please explain to me how these part timers are able to make money working less hours than the full timers who can't make a living??

I rekon you should be looking at what the partimers are doing right & what you are doing wrong?

blahblah06

steph1 wrote: »

Hi blahblah if you look at my details you will see that I operate in the West of Ireland. We dont have bus lanes here we only have bus eireann expressways and they are few and far between plus some other small private bus operators I dont go to Dublin to work or go into any other county to work save when I am bringing a passenger into the next county or as I was lucky enough last year to get to bring a fare to Dublin Airport.

And the discounts do u offer them. U also skipped the part about the silver daisy and operating a limo illlegallly

Calhoun

koolkid wrote: »

So then, if all the part timers gave up thier other job & worked driving a taxi 70 hours a weeks, competing with you even more, you would be happy?
Can you please explain to me how these part timers are able to make money working less hours than the full timers who can't make a living??

I rekon you should be looking at what the partimers are doing right & what you are doing wrong?

The current business model seems to be Phase 1: get taxi, Phase 2: ? Phase 3: Profit.

blahblah06

koolkid wrote: »

So then, if all the part timers gave up thier other job & worked driving a taxi 70 hours a weeks, competing with you even more, you would be happy?
Can you please explain to me how these part timers are able to make money working less hours than the full timers who can't make a living??

I rekon you should be looking at what the partimers are doing right & what you are doing wrong?

first it would free up jobs for cab drivers to take. Secondly there not making money by working weekends. On a good fri sat night 8 hour shift they would get 150 per night so that's 300 without any expenses taken out. U may say 150 is low people earn more. Average that's what they would earn. So they Need to work 6 months to pay for there plate. That's without fuel insurance and depreciation taken into factor tax then paid and yearly nct etc. then minus the time they lose with there family on weekends
by staying in bed after there shift

Zulu

Calhoun wrote: »

The current business model seems to be Phase 1: get taxi, Phase 2: ? Phase 3: Profit.

Ah now in fairness - it's a little more complex. For example it has:
Phase 3 contingency 3.1: Hold city to ransom until profit is increased.

steph1

blahblah06 wrote: »

And the discounts do u offer them. U also skipped the part about the silver daisy and operating a limo illlegallly

The only discount I give and this is to my regular punters is that I dont charge them the 2 euro call out charge. Some people are looking for discounts for unrealistic amounts. Had a punter a few weeks ago who wanted me to take him out to the next village for a fiver. The fare on the meter came to 17 euro. I charged him 15. Some people have a cheek. These are the same people who sat in the pub all night drinking away and then expect us to take them home for next to nothing :mad:
If I agree to do a wedding that is an agreement between me and the customer so I suppose you could call that a private hire arrangement. No I dont have silver daisies. The car is a taxi its not a limo its a public service vehicle. I am a fully legal psv driver.

blahblah06

ok so why dont you like other people are saying offer discounts all the time since you say the increase was brought in at the wrong time?

We both know that you have said you wont give discounts at all in other places and that you refuse to let your other drivers give discounts and you had trouble with them giving discounts because you were loosing out

even if you say a private hire its still double jobbing the people you dislike?

im not trying to knock you down but people are right if we want to get business we need to offer customers something special.

steph1

The problems I had with my other driver was that they were not putting on the meter and people were being given unrealistic discounts all over the place and sometimes the drivers were giving credit to people who had no money and saying they would pay next day or next week and in some cases next day or next week never came as these so called 'regulars' then went off and used other drivers and did the same 'craic' with them. I am a solo operater now. We have serious problems here in the west where I operate with drivers who are operating unrealistic discounts who are undercutting the rest of us. I do discounts and the way I do it is bar the call out charge say a fare comes to 16 or 17 euros I will ask the punter for 15. Most people respect that and then in some cases those people become regulars. They get a nice car and a nice driver and all they want is reliability and a safe journey home.
There are just some cheeky members of the public out there who having spent all night sittin on a high stool - wonder did the barperson discount the pints - then have the cheek to try and get into a taxi wanting unrealistic discounts or who have no money at all and want to be taken home and believe me this happens a lot here. The reason that I say some of these people have a cheek is how do they think I keep my vehicle on the road with the cost of insurance which is a hell of a lot higher than a private car, keeping it serviced, keeping it clean, putting fuel in it. Its an expensive business - yes I am making a living from it but our customers are dwindling as nobody goes out now during the week as they are out of work or on reduced hours, the fear of being bagged on the way to work has stopped a lot of people going out mid-week as people cannot be without their cars in a rural area. And people are socialising more at home now with the takeaway and the few beers. Regularly I get calls to pick up takeaways and beers. Suppose now you will tell me that I should not be doing that either

blahblah06

jaysus double jobbing now takin the jobs from the delivery drivers. lol. just kidding. Na i understand steph must be harder for you. but hey im in galway this weekend so might give you a shout if i see you ha