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Government giving grants to unemployed to get into Taxi business...

Darragh29

Just wondering what our resident taxi drivers make of this development...

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/jobless--receiving-grants-to-become-taxi-drivers-1578862.html

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read this, it sounds like the most hairbrained response to an unemployment problem I've ever heard.

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biko

The day came when there are too many taxis. Who'd have thunk it.

hottstuff

Oh the poor ol' taxi driver.
When did it all go wrong.

I think this is a great idea, even though i don't use them at all.

Terry

So the government is encouraging people to work.

Where's the problem?

lost marbles

CreepingDeath wrote: »

That vast majority of Irish people are genuine, there's genuine shop assistants, genuine doctors, genuine teachers.

Since you are emphasizing "GENUINE DRIVERS", that seems to imply that the majority of them are robbing scumbags with filthy cars ?
theres alot of drivers who are robbing scumbags and whos fault is it?
this government for not having proper vetting of protental new entrants to the business

Which one are you ?

a) The pre-deregulation driver, who got huge compensation even though you are basically self-employed and took a business risk.

b) A deregulated driver who got in, and is now whining bitterly cos other people also got in and the government didn't close the door behind you ?

as far as i know the only people who got compensation were the guys who had paid 80k up for their plate and [id have to root it out ]but the max paid in compensation was around 12k
so not the hugh amounts that you say
as to the post dereg drivers
it would have been a right fool who thought that by buying a taxi plate post dereg that the door was going to be closed and a nice little cartel could be formed all over again .
this thread started by the op pointing to an artical in the indo that a loophole was being exploited and that the irish tax payer was footing the bill .but the usual happened
"i hate taxi drivers
"unskilled scum "
"blah fu##in blah"
its eight years ago that dereg happened and the whole thing has been fubared by this government
can yous not get it into your heads that the majority of drivers out there want to provide a decent service
dont know why im even trying here

lost marbles

hottstuff wrote: »

Oh the poor ol' taxi driver.
When did it all go wrong.

I think this is a great idea, even though i don't use them at all.

so you dont use taxis
but you are still paying some taxi drivers weekly social welfare

Degsy

Well it'll keep the ****ers in breakfast rolls for a while

Wertz

<3BeingIN6th wrote: »

So the government is encouraging people to work.

Where's the problem?

Exactly.
The back to work scheme has been in existence for well over a decade. I know a few people who availed of it to get off the dole and into gainful employment, where they remained. It encouraged employers to take them on too as they had reduced PRSI contributions and other benefits. It's inaccurate to say that people keep their full payments...IIRC it was 75% for the first year, then 50, then 25. These were people that probably would have languished on the dole for those 3 years, and probably more, anyhow...instead they were in employment and paying tax (allowance was exempt)...how is this a bad thing?
As for taxis, as others have mentioned if the supply is oversaturated then it will level off...seems to me like those already in the industry are whining about the added competition. Why should your "industry" be protected? No-one elses' is (unless you're a public service employee

)

lost marbles

oh and just to get back to the topic of this thread .
did yous know that after the four years of social welfare runs out
johnny the taxi driver changes the name on the taxi plate [usually to another family member whos getting in on the loophole ] goes back to the social and tells them that the taxi biz did,nt work out
signs back on and works the taxi at night

CreepingDeath

lost marbles wrote: »

can yous not get it into your heads that the majority of drivers out there want to provide a decent service

Really ?
So how many of them will be working on christmas day or New Years Eve?

lost marbles wrote:

did yous know that after the four years of social welfare runs out
johnny the taxi driver changes the name on the taxi plate [usually to another family member whos getting in on the loophole ] goes back to the social and tells them that the taxi biz did,nt work out
signs back on and works the taxi at night

So the €1000 grant should really be ploughed into social welfare and tax inspectors then ?

Maybe go over every taxi drivers accounts ?
Check that they declared all tips as taxable income... reduce their allowance on vehicle depreciation etc ?

hotshots85

LONG LIVE THE REAL TAXI DRIVERS !!!

BURN THE SCUM ONES

ARRRRIIBBBAA AAARRRIIBBBAAA

hottstuff

lost marbles wrote: »

so you dont use taxis
but you are still paying some taxi drivers weekly social welfare

What do you suggest , give up work and sit in my car all day long complaining?

lost marbles

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Really ?
So how many of them will be working on christmas day or New Years Eve?

So the €1000 grant should really be ploughed into social welfare and tax inspectors then ?

Maybe go over every taxi drivers accounts ?
Check that they declared all tips as taxable income... reduce their allowance on vehicle depreciation etc ?

well i for one will be working new years eve .the only day/night im off over the christmas is christmas day
but according to some i should be sitting outside their front door at their beck and call and charge then 2e down to the mates

ahh i was waiting for that old chestnut "yous taxi drivers dont pay the right tax yada yada yada ":D whats this 1000e grant thing?
and yes you are right
there should be more social welfare /tax inspectors

pipsqueak

hotshots85 wrote: »

LONG LIVE THE REAL TAXI DRIVERS !!!

BURN THE SCUM ONES

ARRRRIIBBBAA AAARRRIIBBBAAA

bit harsh man

lost marbles

hottstuff wrote: »

What do you suggest , give up work and sit in my car all day long complaining?

plus sign up to the B.T.W loophole. get your social
dont pay any tax
taxi driving is,nt work its a piece of piss
what are you doing in that job of yours ??
join us taxi drivers
its money for old rope

hotshots85

:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

lost marbles

hotshots85 wrote: »

LONG LIVE THE REAL TAXI DRIVERS !!!

BURN THE SCUM ONES

ARRRRIIBBBAA AAARRRIIBBBAAA

bloody mexicans

hotshots85

You my friend are a racist... I will have none of that in the AH ...

Two week ban from today. Sorry to do it over christams but can't stand for remarks against our mexican brethran.

See you in two weeks.

Spook_ie

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I remember years ago when then were queues down Dame Street and it could take an hour or more of queuing to get a taxi home around the Christmas season.
Fecken taxi drivers had a business model protected by the limited numbers and guaranteed income.

Deregulation was the best thing in the interests of the public and finally the supply versus demand imbalance is see-sawing until it finds a natural sustainable balance. Deal with it, every other business does.

And I've love to know what your definition of a GENUINE driver is...

Ah jeeze Granda and what did you do in the war....

Every thread about taxis someone comes in and says before dereg it took me x hours to get a taxi, well listen and listen good, dereg happened and for the most part was a good idea, but if it had been handled properly would not see the taxi industry ( and it is an industry ) in such a mess as it is now. Many of the taxi drivers on the roads now are post dereg drivers and are suffering the mess foisted on them by a shortsighted government that wanted a quick fix to the lack of public transport infrastructure, the situation is not sustainable and your petty misgivings and moans about queuing in the cold back in 1996/7 or whenever are old hat and about as much use in a qualified debate as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest...

Spook_ie

thelordofcheese wrote: »

One who complains about deregulation, i'd imagine.

So seeing as I'm mainly in favour of deregulation, but with qualified exceptions, does that make me a non genuine taxi driver?

Volvoboy

I'm a taxi driver, and i like my job i paid in excess of 10K to get into the business (not complaining stating a fact) i dont moan about the job because its what i choose to do, yes there are the undesireable elements to the job, people getting sick, doing drugs and mating on my back seats. But its all par of the course.

People who get into my taxi get respect as soon as they get into my cab till they get out, you give respect and you get it. Some people get in and think they own your sole and that i'm the monkey and thier the organ grinder.

To those who have had a bad experence in taxi's or by taxi drivers, can you hand on heart say you've never had a bad experence by, bus drivers, waiting staff??

Everybody has thier story to tell, and to those who have had a bad taxi journey, call the Gardai or Taxi Regulators office.

But when your gibbering drunk and cant see let talk and a taxi driver brings you home, then the next your calling him every name under the sun a scumbag f**king w****r c**t dirtbag for having to wait 5 mins to get a taxi get out and look in the mirror, coz you are a hippocrite, suits ya to put them down every minuite and then wanting thier services the next.

It dont work like that. I love my job even if i have to drive some arseholes around funny i think theres a few on here. Funny life eh?:)

Spook_ie

engrish? wrote: »

1) Fares have been increased to match petrol prices at their highest. Petrol prices are plummeting, taxi prices are the same.

2) Driving a taxi does not warrant a large income. In most countries it is a poorly paid job. It should be the same here.

3) Yes, if I walk into Dublin City now, I will see a queue of taxi's, but at peak times I will still find it difficult to get a taxi.

I think its a great idea. Larger taxi companies simialar to those you see in New York, Dubai etc should be encouraged. Taxis should be generic with a plastic barrier between the customer and the driver so the customer doesnt have to listen to the taxi drivers ****e.

In short, a taxi service should be cheap. To keep costs down the job should be given to the unskilled work force, prices should be increased and decreased according to inflation and the cost of fuel.

Any moron could drive a taxi, the only skill that was involved was knowing street addresses..... Now you can give a give a give a Garmin....

1 And there was I was under the impression that fares had been raised to reflect the costs of running a service, including such things as insurance, maintainance, fuel, replacement vehicles etc. Just shows how wrong I can be...
2 And just why should it be a poorly paid job? I always thought that I was in a self employed business...again just how wrong can I be, maybe thats the answer then Nationalise the taxis and pay everyone minimum wage, some nights I'd welcome it....
3 Up until the law was changed to empty out the majority of clubs/pubs at 2.30 you would have been fairly assured of getting a taxi within a reasonable time frame ( assuming you dont look as obnoxious to taxi drivers as you seem to feel about them! ) now what you have is a mass frenzy of people looking for cabs at 2.30 to 3.15 and then nothing more than a trickle after, the only way you would be moved any faster is if you had 50% of the population of Ireland driving the other 50% home in their taxi...a situation that without regulation of numbers isn't so far off as it sounds.

Plastic partitions between drivers and passengers... love the idea, TBH after some people have been out drinking the smell off you is worse than any pre dereg taxi driver...maybe thats why you have a problem at peak times...no offence,but if you can't get a taxi there has to be something wrong with either the way you look, smell, talk, act or try to get the taxi drivers attention...If you don't believe me then just sit and and watch how quickly the rest of human society manages to get a taxi home ( except on realy bad nights like GAA finals ) and take lessons...

Savman

Volvoboy wrote: »

It dont work like that. I love my job even if i have to drive some arseholes around funny i think theres a few on here. Funny life eh?:)

How is that funny??

Nobody ever said ferrying around drunk muppets is a worthwhile occupation, then again nobody asked you to join the taxi game. Over the years I had close dealings with many taxi drivers and suffice to say, there are some real scum driving taxis. I couldn't care less if the entire industry went tits up, it's a case of only the strongest survive. Welcome to real world business, yiz got away with having things cushty for far too long, and thankfully them days are long gone.

This is the way it always should have been.

Savman

Spook_ie wrote: »

now what you have is a mass frenzy of people looking for cabs at 2.30 to 3.15 and then nothing more than a trickle after, the only way you would be moved any faster is if you had 50% of the population of Ireland driving the other 50% home in their taxi...a situation that without regulation of numbers isn't so far off as it sounds.

Seriously though, who cares? If a few hundred freeloaders have to pack it in and consider another career, that's really the worst that'll happen. So long as there is people, there will be taxis. The number of taxis should be decided by the free market, not by the taxi industry itself. Natural selection, tbh.

Spook_ie

Wertz wrote: »

Exactly.
The back to work scheme has been in existence for well over a decade. I know a few people who availed of it to get off the dole and into gainful employment, where they remained. It encouraged employers to take them on too as they had reduced PRSI contributions and other benefits. It's inaccurate to say that people keep their full payments...IIRC it was 75% for the first year, then 50, then 25. These were people that probably would have languished on the dole for those 3 years, and probably more, anyhow...instead they were in employment and paying tax (allowance was exempt)...how is this a bad thing?
As for taxis, as others have mentioned if the supply is oversaturated then it will level off...seems to me like those already in the industry are whining about the added competition. Why should your "industry" be protected? No-one elses' is (unless you're a public service employee )

Isn't one the conditions of the BTW allowance that it's not supposed to force other people out of a job...i.e those that haven't the fall back of a Social Welfare payment in lean times? Also isn't there supposed to have been a business plan agreed with the SW dept. If thats the case how come they admit that they don't know how many people are actualy on the BTW allowance driving taxis?

As a personal side to this it does make my job much harder to make a living for my family when I have to compete with competitors that ARE being subsidised by the government to the tune of €200 a week in year 1, €150 a week in year 2 etc.
(based on minimum SW payments )

Volvoboy

Savman wrote: »

How is that funny??

Nobody ever said ferrying around drunk muppets is a worthwhile occupation, then again nobody asked you to join the taxi game. Over the years I had close dealings with many taxi drivers and suffice to say, there are some real scum driving taxis. I couldn't care less if the entire industry went tits up, it's a case of only the strongest survive. Welcome to real world business, yiz got away with having things cushty for far too long, and thankfully them days are long gone.

This is the way it always should have been.

In those who survived the taxi game ''being the strongest'' what would your opinon be of them?

I love my job those are some of the aspects i could take or leave. I dont know you but assuming you have a job would i be wrong in thinking that you love your job even all aspects of it?

Spook_ie

Savman wrote: »

Seriously though, who cares? If a few hundred freeloaders have to pack it in and consider another career, that's really the worst that'll happen. So long as there is people, there will be taxis. The number of taxis should be decided by the free market, not by the taxi industry itself. Natural selection, tbh.

You see this where your logic falls down..

1 Why is any non free loading taxi driver having to compete with people on a BTW allowence ( thats the original start to this thread )

2 Why does any non free loading taxi driver have to compete with part time taxi drivers that only come out during the cherry hours of Fri/Sat night and then tell the tax man " I didn't work that weekend at all, so I don't have any tax owing to you!, but BTW I'm still deducting the wear n tear on my car"

It's not natural selection, as has been said before if you want a quality industry, with quality drivers earning a quality of life then it has to be regulated for numbers, for standards and for fares!!

Savman

Volvoboy wrote: »

In those who survived the taxi game ''being the strongest'' what would your opinon be of them?

Ask me that in 5-10yrs

Volvoboy wrote:

I love my job those are some of the aspects i could take or leave. I dont know you but assuming you have a job would i be wrong in thinking that you love your job even all aspects of it?

Not quite getting what your point is here??? We're not talking about job satisfaction here, we're talking about Public Service Vehicles that are there primarily to provide a service to the public. Everything else is secondary. Granted we've gone from one extreme (too few taxis) to the other (far too many) but as I said earlier, the market will and should dictate how many it can actually sustain. And if there is a few extra on the street, the Public won't be complaining will they?

Spook_ie wrote:

2 Why does any non free loading taxi driver have to compete with part time taxi drivers that only come out during the cherry hours of Fri/Sat night and then tell the tax man " I didn't work that weekend at all, so I don't have any tax owing to you!, but BTW I'm still deducting the wear n tear on my car"

Like Taxi Drivers never did this before dereg! This was always common place in the industry, hence why there'd be 200 cars q'ing for fares in t he Airport every weekday but a fraction of that doing the graveyard shift. People wanted and needed more taxis.

Spook_ie wrote:

It's not natural selection, as has been said before if you want a quality industry, with quality drivers earning a quality of life then it has to be regulated for numbers, for standards and for fares!!

You're suggesting the pre-dereg drivers are houlier than the rest of us, I think you're fare-tinted specs are affecting your memory. I'm not saying open up PSV licenses to ex-cons but hey, they have been giving scumbags taxi licences for years and, for a matter of fact, long before dereg took place.

The old school taxi heads are quick to point out the flaws in the new system (albeit lack thereof) but very few are prepared to be honest enough to acknowledge the cartel that was the taxi industry in the 80's and 90's.

Spook_ie

You're suggesting the pre-dereg drivers are houlier than the rest of us, I think you're fare-tinted specs are affecting your memory. I'm not saying open up PSV licenses to ex-cons but hey, they have been giving scumbags taxi licences for years and, for a matter of fact, long before dereg took place.

The old school taxi heads are quick to point out the flaws in the new system (albeit lack thereof) but very few are prepared to be honest enough to acknowledge the cartel that was the taxi industry in the 80's and 90's.

I'm not sure what your trying to say here? but I don't think that pre dereg drivers are holier than the rest, in fact that is one of my arguments against the usual suspects who cry " They had it too good in the old days" fact many of the taxi drivers of today weren't in taxiing in the 80s/90s but are still being tarred with the same brush by the same posters who just can't let go off the past. As for the PSV licenses and ex-cons it's been brought up before, ask the minister for transport why he hasn't enacted Section 36 of the 2003 Taxi Act to remove ex-cons with serious and ongoing criminal records, as to the cartel of the 80s/90s I'm not going to argue it with you or are you again one of the usual suspects that is still living in the past?

The fact that deregulation happened is that, a fact, the fact that deregulation as it is, isn't working as it should be, is also a fact and no amount of people saying taxi drivers deserve all they get is going to sort it, and thats a fact :rolleyes:

Spook_ie

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spook_ie
2 Why does any non free loading taxi driver have to compete with part time taxi drivers that only come out during the cherry hours of Fri/Sat night and then tell the tax man " I didn't work that weekend at all, so I don't have any tax owing to you!, but BTW I'm still deducting the wear n tear on my car"

Like Taxi Drivers never did this before dereg! This was always common place in the industry, hence why there'd be 200 cars q'ing for fares in t he Airport every weekday but a fraction of that doing the graveyard shift. People wanted and needed more taxis.

You seem to think that taxi drivers formed the sole basis of the black economy, so tell me how many self employed people do you think are paying their full share of income tax, Plasterers maybe?, how about Dentists and GPs?, what about Shop Owners?, Ah surely the PAYE sector must be paying it then, What about the PAYE sector with under declared BIK, you know the company car that's only valued as €17000 when it's realy cost €25000 or the car thats only ever used on company business, it's never used for taking the kids to school on the way to work? the PAYE computer technician who fixes their "friends" PC, for an undeclared consideration? The student working the lounge of their local pub, surely they're declaring it?

In fact there's a question for you, Is there any sector of the country that doesn't have a certain amount of tax avoidence? be that basic under declared income or just "benefits" that by rights should be declared but are conveniently forgotten?

Darragh29

Spook_ie wrote: »

You seem to think that taxi drivers formed the sole basis of the black economy, so tell me how many self employed people do you think are paying their full share of income tax, Plasterers maybe?, how about Dentists and GPs?, what about Shop Owners?, Ah surely the PAYE sector must be paying it then, What about the PAYE sector with under declared BIK, you know the company car that's only valued as €17000 when it's realy cost €25000 or the car thats only ever used on company business, it's never used for taking the kids to school on the way to work? the PAYE computer technician who fixes their "friends" PC, for an undeclared consideration? The student working the lounge of their local pub, surely they're declaring it?

In fact there's a question for you, Is there any sector of the country that doesn't have a certain amount of tax avoidence? be that basic under declared income or just "benefits" that by rights should be declared but are conveniently forgotten?

Ya left out mechanics there bud!

:D:D