Taxis - why so costly?

urbane4u

Hi all,

Had this query for sometime now. A taxi journey from my home to the airport costs 60 quid. If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

Julius Seizure

urbane4u wrote: »

Hi all,

Had this query for sometime now. A taxi journey from my home to the airport costs 60 quid. If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

Well it would depend on where you live tbh

Atlantic Dawn

The average journey from the airport might be around €25, factor in he could be waiting an hour or longer for the fair, drive you to the destination might be half an hour over then another half hour back to the airport empty, when you take in to account fuel, cost of car etc, not making a whole lot.

GerardKeating

urbane4u wrote: »

Hi all,

Had this query for sometime now. A taxi journey from imy home to the airport costs 60 quid. If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

But there is a big difference between turnover and "profit". That €180 will be a lot less after fuel, insurance and other costs are taken out..

Where To

Well, for a start it's highly unlikely that any taxi driver will be getting three runs to your house seven days a week and if he is fair play to him.:)

You also have to realise that the driver isn't stuffing that €60 in his back pocket to spend on fags, breakfast rolls and Red Bull. If you haven't noticed, it's costly to run a car here in Ireland, and even moreso to run a SPSV.

Without posting figures, I can tell you that I would have to leave you home for €60 almost 400 times to cover my costs for the first ten months of this year. (granted this is probably the higher end of the scale)

Puts it into a bit more perspective.

Hilly Bill

urbane4u wrote: »

Hi all,

Had this query for sometime now. A taxi journey from my home to the airport costs 60 quid. If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

At least your money is guaranteed every week . Would you still be doing your job if you only got paid by the amount of different jobs that land on your desk every day .
Its not the taxi drivers fault that you are in a low paid job.

Spook_ie

urbane4u wrote: »

Hi all,

Had this query for sometime now. A taxi journey from my home to the airport costs 60 quid. If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

Hilly Bill wrote: »

At least your money is guaranteed every week . Would you still be doing your job if you only got paid by the amount of different jobs that land on your desk every day .
Its not the taxi drivers fault that you are in a low paid job.

Jeez I must be missing out on something if a €100 after tax is low paid, €500 a week in my hand to do what I like with....

Hilly Bill

Spook_ie wrote: »

Jeez I must be missing out on something if a €100 after tax is low paid, €500 a week in my hand to do what I like with....

Its good money if you are used to low wages.

Lapin

Dubhaltach wrote: »

Well it would depend on where you live tbh

It would also depend on which airport he's on about.

foggy_lad

Carlow to Dublin Airport costs €120 but some companies do it for €100, in a wheelchair taxi/8seater that works out at €120/8=€15 per passenger or even cheaper, as long as there are 8 people travelling. compare this to the bus or train and it is massively cheaper!

Hilly Bill

The train doesnt go to the Airport Foggy . Agreed that the bus can be cheaper but it doesnt pick you up at your front door unless you live at the bus stop ( I dont mean living at the actual bus stop )

foggy_lad

Hilly Bill wrote: »

The train doesnt go to the Airport Foggy . Agreed that the bus can be cheaper but it doesnt pick you up at your front door unless you live at the bus stop ( I dont mean living at the actual bus stop )

Oh god does it need to be spelt out? OK then train to Heuston Station then 747 bus to the Airport or luas then 16 or 41 bus to the airport but these options are still much dearer than a taxi!

And while the bus won't pick you up at your door it will drop you off at terminal 1 or 2 just like the taxi!

Hilly Bill

Sorry, i must have read your post wrong. I thought you said that the bus was a cheaper option than the taxi and i agreed.

mikemac1

urbane4u wrote: »

If a driver gets 3 such journeys for the whole day, he makes 180.
i slog in the office the whole day and after tax make around 100 euros a day.

You're on decent money and your employer gives you annual leave, maybe health insurance, possibly a taxsaver ticket for your commute and will give you info on a pension scheme

Self employed have none of these without paying. If taxi unions were organized they could set up a VHI group scheme with huge discounts but the unions are more splintered then the IRA!
Certain expenses can be written off but you pay an accountant to check and explain this

urbane4u wrote: »

Looks like the best job here is to be a taxi guy. Work over the weekend, I think there is no need to anythin else.

Streets paved with gold?
Join them so at weekends and let us know how you get on

Markcheese

Hilly Bill wrote: »

At least your money is guaranteed every week . Would you still be doing your job if you only got paid by the amount of different jobs that land on your desk every day .
Its not the taxi drivers fault that you are in a low paid job.

I'm pretty sure most taxi drivers would be thrilled with a guaranteed 100 euro after tax (and insurance and costs) a day... Throw in working nights and weekends too...

Terrontress

I agree that taxis aren't raking it in but it is interesting to consider that a taxi fare is structured to include the time spent waiting for a fare, a variable over which the customer has no control.

Are there many other self-employed professions whose pricing follows a similar system.

If a plumber told you that work was slow so he was going to add a 50% premium to his fee, would you accept it?

weddingcar.ie

Terrontress wrote: »

I agree that taxis aren't raking it in but it is interesting to consider that a taxi fare is structured to include the time spent waiting for a fare, a variable over which the customer has no control.

Are there many other self-employed professions whose pricing follows a similar system.

If a plumber told you that work was slow so he was going to add a 50% premium to his fee, would you accept it?

The taxi fare was also set in 2008 when fuel was about €1 per ltr. Anyone who thinks its a quick buck etc should buy a plate mine is up for sale as im sick to death of the abuse and people who won't pay what on the meter. The regulator has a lot to answer for telling customers to haggle and choose which taxi on a rank they want. It causes rows and fights on ranks all across the country.

CIARAN_BOYLE

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

The taxi fare was also set in 2008 when fuel was about €1 per ltr. Anyone who thinks its a quick buck etc should buy a plate mine is up for sale as im sick to death of the abuse and people who won't pay what on the meter. The regulator has a lot to answer for telling customers to haggle and choose which taxi on a rank they want. It causes rows and fights on ranks all across the country.

Would you prefer people chose not to use taxis. Sometimes you need to have an idea what the trip will cost you. haggling is the best defence against a taxi driver brining you a longer route. I've never had a taxi driver using the meter bring me directly home by the shortest route even when I give directions.

Personally I see no reason to get into a 1994 ford with ripped seats no matter if taxis want people to use the first taxi at the rank

Hilly Bill

I cant see the reason to haggle with a taxi. I usually go to the first one or if the drivers are standing outside i ask them who is next. I pay whats on the meter at the end its that simple. If i notice that an extra charge that i wasnt aware of has been put on then id query it but i wouldnt haggle with the driver for a cheaper fare. The only time i might haggle is at a market somewhere which is encouraged in some places. Ive a fair idea what the price should be and have never been charged over the odds. I once was in a taxi who took the scenic route but funny enough the fare ended up being the same as i expected . I was going over to Sir John Rogerson's quay from by the Blanch centre and the best way is to go onto the navan road down past the mater, mountjoy square , gardiner st and over the bridge at the ifc and left on the quay. Now this lad went through the centre , into Blanch , right towards Castleknock , down into chapleizod and then into town from there. I was looking at the meter and if it was going to be more than what it usual is then he wasnt getting the difference but it ended up being the same . He did moan all the way there though about foreigners etc which i could have done without.

Gillo

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

. The regulator has a lot to answer for telling customers to haggle and choose which taxi on a rank they want. It causes rows and fights on ranks all across the country.

If all taxi's kept their cars too the same standard there'd be no issue, I'm not talking about choosing a Merc over a Skoda, but general appearance and cleanliness, it's the same thing choosing a restaurant to eat in, you'll choose the one which looks better.

howiya

Gillo wrote: »

If all taxi's kept their cars too the same standard there'd be no issue, I'm not talking about choosing a Merc over a Skoda, but general appearance and cleanliness, it's the same thing choosing a restaurant to eat in, you'll choose the one which looks better.

if you want to chose a merc over a skoda you are perfectly entitled to do so

weddingcar.ie

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Would you prefer people chose not to use taxis. Sometimes you need to have an idea what the trip will cost you. haggling is the best defence against a taxi driver brining you a longer route. I've never had a taxi driver using the meter bring me directly home by the shortest route even when I give directions.

Personally I see no reason to get into a 1994 ford with ripped seats no matter if taxis want people to use the first taxi at the rank

By even saying your best Defence against a taxi driver is so so wrong. Not all driver and indeed i would say very few are out to rip people off they just want a fare and to be paid what they are owed.
As for a car with ripped seats and 20 years old that's fair enough but to choose one because it a 08 or an 07 is just not on. The regulator has been so wrong telling people to do this. It happens all the time and lots of times the customer will tell you they do it just to piss a driver off who is at the front when they don't even know him. Strange way of thinking but true iv refused a fare because of this and have been told i will be reported that they know their rights.
By they way i don't take the fare and have yet to be reported. If there is no good reason not to take the top car i won't move and its a pity more drivers wouldn't do the same.

Hilly Bill

I cant see why you should be loyal to other taxi drivers by not accepting a fare that refused the first car in line. You are self employed and i would have thought that you would take any reasonable customer that asks you for your services. Let the other driver worry about why that fare didnt want to use his car.

howiya

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

By even saying your best Defence against a taxi driver is so so wrong. Not all driver and indeed i would say very few are out to rip people off they just want a fare and to be paid what they are owed.
As for a car with ripped seats and 20 years old that's fair enough but to choose one because it a 08 or an 07 is just not on. The regulator has been so wrong telling people to do this. It happens all the time and lots of times the customer will tell you they do it just to piss a driver off who is at the front when they don't even know him. Strange way of thinking but true iv refused a fare because of this and have been told i will be reported that they know their rights.
By they way i don't take the fare and have yet to be reported. If there is no good reason not to take the top car i won't move and its a pity more drivers wouldn't do the same.

Taxi industry can't be too bad if you can afford to turn down fares...

norrie rugger

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

By even saying your best Defence against a taxi driver is so so wrong. Not all driver and indeed i would say very few are out to rip people off they just want a fare and to be paid what they are owed.
As for a car with ripped seats and 20 years old that's fair enough but to choose one because it a 08 or an 07 is just not on. The regulator has been so wrong telling people to do this. It happens all the time and lots of times the customer will tell you they do it just to piss a driver off who is at the front when they don't even know him. Strange way of thinking but true iv refused a fare because of this and have been told i will be reported that they know their rights.

Well I will not take a car that is dirty or banged up. Nor will I take one where the driver has BO or the car stinks of cigarettes.
I think that they are fairly good reasons as to why to not get in a car.

I have also gotten out of a car when the driver told me that I would have to direct him to my destination, I did not know the area myself and it is his job to know the patch. (I don't mean that he did not know the street, he did not know which way to even set off)

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

By they way i don't take the fare and have yet to be reported. If there is no good reason not to take the top car i won't move and its a pity more drivers wouldn't do the same.

You do realise that every other driver is your direct competition?

weddingcar.ie

As I already said if there is a valid reason fine but if its a case of just peeing of a driver no i won't take the fare

norrie rugger

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

As I already said if there is a valid reason fine but if its a case of just peeing of a driver no i won't take the fare

How would you know the valid reason though?

cson

I'd agree that Taxi's in Ireland are too expensive when compared with the rest of Europe.

You can throw fuel/insurance etc at me til the cows come home but at the end of the day Cab driving is a minimum wage job in most of the rest of the world so I don't see why it should be any different here.

AngryLips

I don't mind paying so much for a taxi in the knowledge that there is an abundance of them around. They're meant to be the convenient alternative to public transport and for that people will pay a premium, what's the problem?

weddingcar.ie

norrie rugger wrote: »

How would you know the valid reason though?

If they have gone to the first car and come back to me. I live in a small town and we would know a lot of the customers and drivers. If a customer has a problem I won't ask what it is but take the fare. If a customer opens my car and im 3rd on the rank I will ask them would they mind taking the first car most people don't have a problem doing this but some will just say no i can take which ever car they want. This is true they can but why would anyone want to cause a row for no reason

As for why i care about the driver in front even if he is my competition its call good manners in my book he has been waiting longer than me.

foggy_lad

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

By they way i don't take the fare and have yet to be reported. If there is no good reason not to take the top car i won't move and its a pity more drivers wouldn't do the same.

I'd report you if you refused to take me.

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

If they have gone to the first car and come back to me. I live in a small town and we would know a lot of the customers and drivers. If a customer has a problem I won't ask what it is but take the fare. If a customer opens my car and im 3rd on the rank I will ask them would they mind taking the first car most people don't have a problem doing this but some will just say no i can take which ever car they want. This is true they can but why would anyone want to cause a row for no reason

As for why i care about the driver in front even if he is my competition its call good manners in my book he has been waiting longer than me.

It is not the passenger causing a row at all, If you make an issue out of it then it is all down to you! if the passenger wants to choose their taxi they are legally entitled to do so and any driver on the rank refusing that fare is putting themselves off hire and must leave the rank or they are committing an offence and should be reported!

weddingcar.ie

Well Foggy Lad your a trouble maker if you think its ok to take the 3rd car just to piss off the first car

Technoprisoner

don't forget.... theres no money in it.....apparently lol

foggy_lad

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

Well Foggy Lad your a trouble maker if you think its ok to take the 3rd car just to piss off the first car

When I do something like that it is never to piss off anyone but to get a better service and get taken where I want to go in what appears a newer better and more comfortable car or where a driver had been smoking in or even outside the car.

Spook_ie

foggy_lad wrote: »

When I do something like that it is never to piss off anyone but to get a better service and get taken where I want to go in what appears a newer better and more comfortable car or where a driver had been smoking in or even outside the car.

****! That means I'll have to take up smoking again just to avoid you

weddingcar.ie

Spook_ie wrote: »

****! That means I'll have to take up smoking again just to avoid you

You won't have to avoid me as i don't smoke lol

Markcheese

cson wrote: »

I'd agree that Taxi's in Ireland are too expensive when compared with the rest of Europe.

You can throw fuel/insurance etc at me til the cows come home but at the end of the day Cab driving is a minimum wage job in most of the rest of the world so I don't see why it should be any different here.

I'd think a lot of taximen are on minimum wage or lower... Costs like insurance ,diesel , the car itself, are real...and they get paid for ... If there was a massive fortune to be made you'd see huge competition in pricing ( it's called free Market) the regulator just sets an upper limit....

urbane4u

Some points regarding all the replies.

1)It is not always possible to get 8-10 people to share a taxi.
2) A couple traveling with luggage. 60 quid for a taxi ride where the whole air ticket was almost the same amount doesn't really make sense. With that much money I can buy groceries for a month.
3) The flights which we take are early morning, so there is no option other than taxis. There is no luas at that time. Even if there was a luas, it is a 25 mins walk with luggage to the station; that is something I would rather skip before a holiday.
4) I do not understand the argument that the cost of the car, petrol and insurance is HIGH. If you are earning 60 quid for a 30 mins job, it will balance out veryyyy soon. You get 4-5 journeys like this; what else do you need.

I have nothing again taxi drivers, I often tip them well. But the prices are really exorbitant!!!

urbane4u

Markcheese wrote: »

I'd think a lot of taximen are on minimum wage or lower... Costs like insurance ,diesel , the car itself, are real...and they get paid for ... If there was a massive fortune to be made you'd see huge competition in pricing ( it's called free Market) the regulator just sets an upper limit....

Dude , what are you saying.
lets say insurance would be maximum of 1000 Euros (the taxi driver would have some no claims bonus atleast).
The trip to airport would be 60 quid....I think he wont spend more than 4 litres on this journey -> that comes to less than 10 euros.
Now cost of car: On an average it would be 5K at the max.
Going by this price rate, you won't need much time to start making cool profits.
Basic Maths!!

weddingcar.ie

urbane4u wrote: »

Dude , what are you saying.
lets say insurance would be maximum of 1000 Euros (the taxi driver would have some no claims bonus atleast).
The trip to airport would be 60 quid....I think he wont spend more than 4 litres on this journey -> that comes to less than 10 euros.
Now cost of car: On an average it would be 5K at the max.
Going by this price rate, you won't need much time to start making cool profits.
Basic Maths!!

If only it was that easy. Most fares you get are between 5 and 10 euro if you get a sixty euro fare per month your doing well.

urbane4u

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

If only it was that easy. Most fares you get are between 5 and 10 euro if you get a sixty euro fare per month your doing well.

What do you think the average fare is from the Airport?
Also a taxi guy would be easily getting a 30 euro trip atleast once every 3 days to say the least.

Spook_ie

weddingcar.ie wrote: »

You won't have to avoid me as i don't smoke lol

Not you I'm trying to avoid

Spook_ie

urbane4u wrote: »

Some points regarding all the replies.

1)It is not always possible to get 8-10 people to share a taxi.
2) A couple traveling with luggage. 60 quid for a taxi ride where the whole air ticket was almost the same amount doesn't really make sense. With that much money I can buy groceries for a month.
3) The flights which we take are early morning, so there is no option other than taxis. There is no luas at that time. Even if there was a luas, it is a 25 mins walk with luggage to the station; that is something I would rather skip before a holiday.
4) I do not understand the argument that the cost of the car, petrol and insurance is HIGH. If you are earning 60 quid for a 30 mins job, it will balance out veryyyy soon. You get 4-5 journeys like this; what else do you need.

I have nothing again taxi drivers, I often tip them well. But the prices are really exorbitant!!!

What we need ARE the 4-5 journeys doh!

weddingcar.ie

urbane4u wrote: »

What do you think the average fare is from the Airport?
Also a taxi guy would be easily getting a 30 euro trip atleast once every 3 days to say the least.

Most of the complaints you hear on here are from the short fares out of the airport.I don't work the airport so im not sure. What i do know is that there are drivers selling up and dropping by the day. If it was so good why would drivers be giving up. I for one will be getting out ASAP

tuborg_man

urbane4u wrote: »

What do you think the average fare is from the Airport?
Also a taxi guy would be easily getting a 30 euro trip atleast once every 3 days to say the least.

They do have a long wait for the decent average fare from the airport. Never worked there myself but 3.30 am is when they start lining up on the rank for the first flight that comes in at half 6.

I work as a Taximan in Navan and spend most of my week earning 5 euro an hour outside the shopping centre. That's the downside. But bank holiday weekends and christmas times are a plus and it all even's itself out.
I'm definitely not rolling in the money and it is a great test of your patience waiting for a fair.
But i'd much prefer to be struggling with a taxi then on the dole.

Spook_ie

urbane4u wrote: »

Dude , what are you saying.
lets say insurance would be maximum of 1000 Euros (the taxi driver would have some no claims bonus atleast).
The trip to airport would be 60 quid....I think he wont spend more than 4 litres on this journey -> that comes to less than 10 euros.
Now cost of car: On an average it would be 5K at the max.
Going by this price rate, you won't need much time to start making cool profits.
Basic Maths!!

Oh God please save us from amateur economists...

You're like yer women I picked up in Malahaide who wanted to go to Drogheda at 1.00am all she kept saying was " I work in the airport, it doesn't take €40 of fuel to go Drogheda to airport I'll give you €25"

Wasn't until I pointed out that you need to include running costs, replacement costs for the vehicle at it's demise, fuel, some profit for myself etc. that she calmed down, which was too late for her by then as I just told her €11 please and dropped her off for the 101 bus in Swords

blahblah06

urbane4u wrote: »

Dude , what are you saying.
lets say insurance would be maximum of 1000 Euros (the taxi driver would have some no claims bonus atleast).
The trip to airport would be 60 quid....I think he wont spend more than 4 litres on this journey -> that comes to less than 10 euros.
Now cost of car: On an average it would be 5K at the max.
Going by this price rate, you won't need much time to start making cool profits.
Basic Maths!!

I wish insurance was that low. I've 6 years no claims n it's €2790 a year.

norrie rugger

Look; the poster does not have a clue what he is talking about and has an axe to grind. No amount of reasoned discussion is going to change the mind here

Hootanany

Spook_ie wrote: »

Oh God please save us from amateur economists...

You're like yer women I picked up in Malahaide who wanted to go to Drogheda at 1.00am all she kept saying was " I work in the airport, it doesn't take €40 of fuel to go Drogheda to airport I'll give you €25"

Wasn't until I pointed out that you need to include running costs, replacement costs for the vehicle at it's demise, fuel, some profit for myself etc. that she calmed down, which was too late for her by then as I just told her €11 please and dropped her off for the 101 bus in Swords

Hope your proud of yourself.

Spook_ie

Hootanany wrote: »

Hope your proud of yourself.

Yep, Not proud but not ashamed either, she got what she wanted back to Drogheda for less than €25

€11 for me and €7 to pay for the 101 and €7 for a taxi at Drogheda.

And if anyone else wants to get to Drogheda for €25 at 1.00am then that's the way they'll have to go.

Either that or cut short your time in the pub and catch the 23.50 commuter

I suppose you think I should have taken her to her door for the €25 and been grateful

Hootanany

And you run a business. :eek: