Any money to be made as a Taxi/Hackney driver?

Sobanek

Hey guys, my current situation is as follows: I work three days a week only (but I do long hours so I make a few bob). I'm tired of sitting at home for four days in a week with nothing to do and was thinking about getting a psv/taxi licence to do some driving let's say two days a week.

Is there still money to be made there as a taxi driver or is it a lost cause?

Not looking for 2 grand a month earnings, but lets say 400 quid a month extra?

Noccy_Mondy

Will it just be around the Newbridge area. Depends if the area is already crowded with other taxi providers, I believe it can be a really competitive market. Fair play to ya anyway, ambition goes a long way!

Sobanek

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Will it just be around the Newbridge area. Depends if the area is already crowded with other taxi providers, I believe it can be a really competitive market. Fair play to ya anyway, ambition goes a long way!

Paul's Cabs in Newbridge are constantly looking for new drivers, so I guess it would be a Kildare licence.

Don't want to make a living out of it, but a few extra quid a month would be nice. I like driving, so it's not really an issue.

The issue is the car as I still don't know what the minimum age requirement is for the car. Some people tell me 10 years, other 3 years and some even say it has to be a brand new car

Noccy_Mondy

Oh so you were thinking of joining a firm, rather than go alone?

Sobanek

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Oh so you were thinking of joining a firm, rather than go alone?

Either/or Would prefer to be alone, but I don't know yet what regulations go with that (do I have to be a sole trader etc.)

Noccy_Mondy

I'm far from an expert with taxi's, hardly ever use them. With the age requirement, I was staying with my aunt in Dublin for a few days during the summer and we were in a 98 avensis hatch a few times with 200k + miles.

cabb8ge

2 day/week not enough to make money at PSV. You would not cover expenses of car and insurance. I not joking but part time, delivering chinese worth thinking about.

mgbgt1978

If you want to buy (technically a transfer) a Taxi Licence the car you are transferring the licence to may not be more than 3 years old.
You could rent a complete car (car, licence and insurance) before buying a licence to see if the plan is feasible.
Before any of that you will have to pass the PSV Test, which is in 2 parts (the 'knowledge' part is apparently fairly tough, as you can be asked about any town in the county for which you are applying)

mgbgt1978

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

I'm far from an expert with taxi's, hardly ever use them. With the age requirement, I was staying with my aunt in Dublin for a few days during the summer and we were in a 98 avensis hatch a few times with 200k + miles.

That particular car would be gone by now as the oldest a taxi can be licenced for is up until it's 15th Birthday (only applies to cars 1st licenced prior to Jan 2009, after that they can't be licenced beyond their 10th birthday).
As for the mileage, plenty of 3/4 year old taxi's with that mileage. Especially where 2 driver's share a car.

Sobanek

3 years old max which means it would have to be a 2011... Damn, not rich enough for that kind of car unfortunately - the best I could do is a 2008 Avensis.

Do you need your own insurance to rent a taxi?

What's the second part of the test?

mgbgt1978

As far as I know they changed (are changing) the rules regarding renting. The person who rents out the car must include insurance, i.e. the car must be ready to go as a Taxi.

The PSV test is in 2 parts. One part is related to the Taxi regulations etc. while the other part relates to knowledge of the area for which you are applying. This can include questions about any town in the county for which you are applying. Even though you live in Newbridge you could be asked what street the courthouse is on in Naas for example.
Most of the failures are down to not knowing the answers to questions relating to places you might never drive to .

Ded_Zebra

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

That particular car would be gone by now as the oldest a taxi can be licenced for is up until it's 15th Birthday (only applies to cars 1st licenced prior to Jan 2009, after that they can't be licenced beyond their 10th birthday).
As for the mileage, plenty of 3/4 year old taxi's with that mileage. Especially where 2 driver's share a car.

I saw a 1988 Merc taxi last week at Christ Church so I feel like you might be wrong… Do you have anything to back that up?

Gumbo

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

I saw a 1988 Merc taxi last week at Christ Church so I feel like you might be wrong… Do you have anything to back that up?

Any current taxi drivers that haven't gone through a car change can use any car up to 15 years of age, once they have been using it for the last few years. If they change then they have to abide by the 10 year rule.

New comers are 3 years or under.

OP, the taxi insurance market has tightened up in recent years, so it's a closed shop for quotes, expe to pay about €1500 if your older than 30 and have a full NCB, then factor in that you lose your private NCB when you transfer it to a PSV policy. Tax is cheaper though.

You then have your fuel costs, radio costs if joining a firm which can be €100 per week. You then have your tax liabilities so you need too align yourself with an accountant for a return each year and this is after all the set up costs, course, tests, plate, meter NCT etc

There is deffo money in it, but you have to put in the hours, you then have to be carful or the working time act and if you have an accident in your full time work, and they hear about your taxi work, could they have grounds for you not being fit for purpose etc ie check your current work contract.

mgbgt1978

Ded_Zebra wrote: »

I saw a 1988 Merc taxi last week at Christ Church so I feel like you might be wrong… Do you have anything to back that up?

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SPSV-Industry-Update-Issue-21-December-2012.pdf

Superdedupity

Sobanek wrote: »

Paul's Cabs in Newbridge are constantly looking for new drivers, so I guess it would be a Kildare licence.

Don't want to make a living out of it, but a few extra quid a month would be nice. I like driving, so it's not really an issue.

The issue is the car as I still don't know what the minimum age requirement is for the car. Some people tell me 10 years, other 3 years and some even say it has to be a brand new car

Bear in mind dispatch companies aren't employing drivers; they're looking for people to pay to rent radios.

If you want to commit your life to it, go ahead, but the days of handy profitable part time taxiing is over. Go deliver some Chinese. (this is the word of someone involved in the industry since 2000)

Superdedupity

That 88 merc is off the road as of last week; replaced by an 09 Mondeo. The owner has a case against the NTA coming up in January regarding the age limits:)

ironclaw

Just to chip in, the likes of Hailo is changing the game as well. I was talking to 4 drivers last week and two of them were working solo / Hailo exclusively, having been with firms beforehand. I can see Hailo and the likes shutting down fixed firms in the next 2 to 5 years. Very hard for firms to compete with that.

Superdedupity

But Hailo are steadily increasing the amount they charge to operators. But theres now a waiting list to sign up.

Dispatch companies are dead in the water, but some, especially in the outlying suburbs can still be a money earner. Most are pointless though.

Technoprisoner

plenty of money to be made if you are willing to do the work and not just sit at ranks for hours on end

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Superdedupity wrote: »

But Hailo are steadily increasing the amount they charge to operators. But theres now a waiting list to sign up.

Dispatch companies are dead in the water, but some, especially in the outlying suburbs can still be a money earner. Most are pointless though.

Supply and demand there.

OP i can't imagine there is much money to be made in taxi-ing these days. I was considering it a while back tbh, to get the cheap tax :P, but just wasn't worth it!

Superdedupity

Technoprisoner wrote: »

plenty of money to be made if you are willing to do the work and not just sit at ranks for hours on end

Have you personal experience of this?

Sobanek

There must be a lack of taxis / hackneys in Newbridge (especially on Thursdays) since sometimes it takes even an hour to get a taxi from any company!

However, for 2-3 days a week the maintenance costs turn out to be indeed too high.

L-M

OP if you say you're earning a decent amount in your own job, you could end up working for SFA after taxes etc.

Renting a Cab could be 200 a week, fuel on top and then you're giving up your nights.

Sounds like a bad buzz to me.

ironclaw

Superdedupity wrote: »

But Hailo are steadily increasing the amount they charge to operators. But theres now a waiting list to sign up.

There is absolutely nothing stopping another App (or several) entering the market and Hailo would be dead or playing catching up very soon. Functionality wise, its not very hard to replicate. A few years ago we wrote code as a team that was pretty much Hailo, but shelved the idea after some feedback from Taxi drivers (They hated the idea of being 'tracked') and also the fact the founder of Skype (I think) was bankrolling Hailo :pac:

But work wise, a decent weekend coding and you'd have a Hailo App up and running. Its nothing special.

killanena

As has been mentioned, Fast food delivery is "decent" side cash. A lot more then youd get from being a self part time employed taxi man. I don't do it myself but I have 3 friends that do it after work or during the weekends for some extra cash.

L-M

How is it decent side cash? I know a couple of lads that did it and there was nothing out of it.

Superdedupity

It's fine for young fellas that probably would be driving around anyways,

Otherwise it's between 50-100 a night, but take your fuel and the fact that flying around like that makes your car go wrong a bit out of it and it's not really much cop.

Before you even talk about insurance / revenue.

Mister Man

My father was considering the same not long ago. A few nights here and there to pick up some extra money. He has his license now - Said the test was pretty difficult and would filter out quite a few drivers in the coming years. He decided against giving it a go in the end. Only 1 real firm in my town, and he was looking for to much to rent a car for a set amount of time or something. Can't fully remember what the story was there.
As for age limit - There isn't a limit that I know of. I've seen a 00 Citroen driving around Co. Carlow the past few weeks. He's under the firm I've mentioned above. The car doesn't look nice or anything, but it's clearly legal, as the firm wouldn't mess around.
There is some extra money to be made, if you have your own car and don't need to rent from the firm. My father's friend (Who convinced him to give it a go) made loads around this time last year, working 2 nights, and 2 days a week. Said he had his Christmas paid for within two weeks of doing so. (Family of 5 if I'm not mistaken) He was able to take the week of coming to Christmas without a bother.

Gumbo

Mister Man wrote: »

As for age limit - There isn't a limit that I know of. I've seen a 00 Citroen driving around Co. Carlow the past few weeks. He's under the firm I've mentioned above. The car doesn't look nice or anything, but it's clearly legal, as the firm wouldn't mess around.

You need to re-read the rules, there ARE age limits, as i and others have already posted in this thread.