Taxi driver strike

Taxipete29

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

all they did was moan though, no action taken. Unlike now, when there is something that actually doesn't suit them.

I dont understand the second part of your comment.

The protests that are going on now are over ther same issues that have been present for several years.

paulm17781

Taxipete29 wrote: »

You obviously were not paying attention when it did come in. Every radio show had a long line of drivers objecting to it. I myself was involved in objecting to it along with many of my colleagues.

I don't listen to the radio. All I know is anyone I spoke to wanted it.

Cookie_Monster

paulm17781 wrote: »

I don't listen to the radio. All I know is anyone I spoke to wanted it.

of course they did, why would they not want more money in their back pocket. I'd gladly take a raise too if it were offered so easily

Taxipete29

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

of course they did, why would they not want more money in their back pocket. I'd gladly take a raise too if it were offered so easily

As was pointed out to me by many on this forum, it wasnt a raise. It was an increase in the amount drivers could charge.

You do realise that it cost drivers €150 a head to implement that increase.???

Paulm you and I have had many little spats on this forum so I am not getting into it again. If you and Cookie think you know better than me then so be it. I could care less. You both obviously know more about it than I do.

paulm17781

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Paulm you and I have had many little spats on this forum so I am not getting into it again. If you and Cookie think you know better than me then so be it. I could care less. You both obviously know more about it than I do.

Chill. I couldn't give a toss and I am not getting into it either. What I can tell, is what taxi drivers told me at the time. Perhaps they were the minority, perhaps they were not. I honestly couldn't give a toss. What I do know, is what I was told.

Taxipete29

paulm17781 wrote: »

Chill. I couldn't give a toss and I am not getting into it either. What I can tell, is what taxi drivers told me at the time. Perhaps they were the minority, perhaps they were not. I honestly couldn't give a toss. What I do know, is what I was told.

I am well chilled. I just said I didnt care.

Spook_ie

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-settles-manhole-injury-claim-after-a-dozen-previous-claims-449725.html

Not sure if it was earlier in this thread or one of the other taxi threads that proliferate on boards when there's a protest, but wonder if this guy is driving one of them late registered luxery models that people allude to when they say taximen are making loads of money?

Howyadoing

I would have no problem giving discounts up to 50% at times when it's slow. But can I charge 50% more at peak times.
This is common practice in most free market business.

KoolKid

Howyadoing wrote: »

I would have no problem giving discounts up to 50% at times when it's slow. But can I charge 50% more at peak times.
This is common practice in most free market business.

But if things are so slack all the time, how would you define peak times?
A better idea would be to let taxi drivers compete with each other for business. Like people do in any other industry. You are in the same business , not a cartel.
Heres an Ideal Let different taxi firms bid to Dublin corporation for the rental of taxi ranks. They could then advertise thier prices at the rank & the consumer can decide to give thier custom to whoever is giving the best value. The market would very quickly eliminate those unwilling to compete. Thats how most business works. Insted of trying to figure out ways to get an extra 50%. The revenue from the rental of ranks could be used to maybe reduce the licence fee in some way.

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

But if things are so slack all the time, how would you define peak times?
A better idea would be to let taxi drivers compete with each other for business. Like people do in any other industry. You are in the same business , not a cartel.
Heres an Ideal Let different taxi firms bid to Dublin corporation for the rental of taxi ranks. They could then advertise thier prices at the rank & the consumer can decide to give thier custom to whoever is giving the best value. The market would very quickly eliminate those unwilling to compete. Thats how most business works. Insted of trying to figure out ways to get an extra 50%. The revenue from the rental of ranks could be used to maybe reduce the licence fee in some way.

Oh for someone who reckons they have all the answers I would have thought you'd know the peak hours are when all the PAYE workers are into it as well, if they had to work the non peak hours they'd soon give it up!

Maybe that's the answer, a return to the previous declaration and enforced that you WILL work for between 40 Hours minimum in the business and whatever maximum hours that the RSA/Garda etc. deem as sensible per week

KoolKid

Spook_ie wrote: »

Oh for someone who reckons they have all the answers I would have thought you'd know the peak hours are when all the PAYE workers are into it as well, if they had to work the non peak hours they'd soon give it up!

Generally peak time would indicate demand. In which case supply vs demand is what increases the price. I thought that one of the problems was that supply is well exceeding demand. If thats the case there could be no justification for a drastic increase in price.

Spook_ie wrote: »

Maybe that's the answer, a return to the previous declaration and enforced that you WILL work for between 40 Hours minimum in the business and whatever maximum hours that the RSA/Garda etc. deem as sensible per week

How can you force on a self employed individual how many hours he/she must work??
What has to be said or done for taxi drivers to understand they are no different from any other business owner. You can not force a shop owner to open 40 hours a week. You also can not (despite your stong desire to) prevent people from working part time. And you can not prevent people working a taxi as a second job. They invested their money the same as you did. They can work as little as they like to as long as they like (within the regulations) Of course they are going to work the busy times. Thats common sense. Imagine, if you will, a Centra & a Spar shop on the one road. Both are going to open during the busy times ,say breakfast & lunch time. If the guy that owned the Spar went to the Centra's owner & said this is not fair, you are opening during the busy times & I can't make enough money, what do you think he would be told?
Now imagine he then got frustrated & marched up to the Minister & demanded no more Spars or Centras be allowed open. Obviousally the minister can't do that , so he tell him so. What then if the shop owner got all his other mates that own shops & blocked O Connell Street & then said he was going on strike because too many people are competing with him & he can't make a living. He would look pretty silly wouldn't he?
Now imagine he done it during a recession when everyone is finding it hard?
He would look even worse..:eek:

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

Generally peak time would indicate demand. In which case supply vs demand is what increases the price. I thought that one of the problems was that supply is well exceeding demand. If thats the case there could be no justification for a drastic increase in price.



How can you force on a self employed individual how many hours he/she must work??
What has to be said or done for taxi drivers to understand they are no different from any other business owner. You can not force a shop owner to open 40 hours a week. You also can not (despite your stong desire to) prevent people from working part time. And you can not prevent people working a taxi as a second job. They invested their money the same as you did. They can work as little as they like to as long as they like (within the regulations) Of course they are going to work the busy times. Thats common sense. Imagine, if you will, a Centra & a Spar shop on the one road. Both are going to open during the busy times ,say breakfast & lunch time. If the guy that owned the Spar went to the Centra's owner & said this is not fair, you are opening during the busy times & I can't make enough money, what do you think he would be told?
Now imagine he then got frustrated & marched up to the Minister & demanded no more Spars or Centras be allowed open. Obviousally the minister can't do that , so he tell him so. What then if the shop owner got all his other mates that own shops & blocked O Connell Street & then said he was going on strike because too many people are competing with him & he can't make a living. He would look pretty silly wouldn't he?
Now imagine he done it during a recession when everyone is finding it hard?
He would look even worse..:eek:

But the maximum number of hours that a taxi driver ( self employed ) can work is already there in legislation, so therefore by your own logic they are being treated differently because it is a different industry

KoolKid

Spook_ie wrote: »

But the maximum number of hours that a taxi driver ( self employed ) can work is already there in legislation, so therefore by your own logic they are being treated differently because it is a different industry

Yes.! But you want to set a minimum number of hours a self employed person must work. That can not be imposed on someone who is self employed. They pay thier own wages. How can you say you must work 40 hours a week??

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

Yes.! But you want to set a minimum number of hours a self employed person must work. That can not be imposed on someone who is self employed. They pay thier own wages. How can you say you must work 40 hours a week??

Yes or No question for you, is it an anomaly in the EU working directive that allows someone to work a full week in a PAYE job and then by virtue of saying they're self employed allow them to work for another 48 hours if they wanted to?

KoolKid

It probobly is. But thats Europe for ya. There are lots of quicks like that in the law as well. If it doesn't suit its an anomaly if it does suit it the law!
Are you expecting to change peoples rights here?

Ham'nd'egger

koolkid wrote: »

It probobly is. But thats Europe for ya. There are lots of quicks like that in the law as well. If it doesn't suit its an anomaly if it does suit it the law!
Are you expecting to change peoples rights here?

He isn't. What Spook is doing is showing you what EU law says; one may work no more than 48 hours a week; this is an employees right as much as it is a law and it applies to self employed people as well. It's there as much for staff safety as anything. Now ask yourself this; should a man be allowed do a typical 40 hour week and then be let do another 20+ hours in another job, be it a taxi or a bar?

Ham'nd'egger

koolkid wrote: »

Yes.! But you want to set a minimum number of hours a self employed person must work. That can not be imposed on someone who is self employed. They pay thier own wages. How can you say you must work 40 hours a week??

One of the conditions of obtaining a PSV is that one must work 40 hours a week in their cab.

KoolKid

Hamndegger wrote: »

Now ask yourself this; should a man be allowed do a typical 40 hour week and then be let do another 20+ hours in another job, be it a taxi or a bar?

Yes. Why not?
It happens all over the world.
Taxi drivers themselves are saying the work 60 or 70 hours a week. But they don't want anyone else to.?

KoolKid

Hamndegger wrote: »

One of the conditions of obtaining a PSV is that one must work 40 hours a week in their cab.

Really?
Any link to those conditions please?

2qk4u

koolkid wrote: »

Really?
Any link to those conditions please?

When I got my PSV licence I had to sign a form to say I was available for full time hours.

Mrdata

typical government, so greedy on collecting money from taxi plates and then the feck it all up agagin

KoolKid

Available for work? I doubt that means you have to work 40 hours evey week.
I would be very interested to see a copy of that. Unless someone else is paying your wages I cant see how you can be forced into working a full 40 hours a week.

Ham'nd'egger

koolkid wrote: »

Yes. Why not?
It happens all over the world.
Taxi drivers themselves are saying the work 60 or 70 hours a week. But they don't want anyone else to.?

This should be more than adequate alone;)

http://www.rsa.ie/NEWS/News/Easter_Topaz_Driver_Fatigue_Campaign.html

KoolKid

I agree that is dangerous. Probobly more so for all the taxi drivers working long hours.
I am on the road a lot & constantly driving is very tiring.If I am driving for 8 hours + I would be tired. But after a hard day of more physical work I would be fine. If taxi drivers really want to enfore this it will only serve to limit thier ability to earn a wage.
What if they cant make a living doing only 40 hours a week. In fairness they are saying they work longer & can't make enough. And don't say well the part timers will be gone. Think about it. If everyones hours are limited they are all going to want to work the busy times. Back to square 1.

dunsandin

Del2005 wrote: »

Someone could have been on the last step of a companies displinary process and getting into work late is a fireable offence. The fact that the roads where blocked by an illegal protest isn't a defense in any company, you are expected to be at work place at your start time not 10 min later. When we had the snow everyone I worked with left for work some up to 1 hour earlier. If there had been advance warning of this blockade, people could have left early or made alternate arrangements.


The big difference between the plaster and the taxi drivers is I've not seen any plasters blocking the main routes throught town on an illegal blockade.

The plasterers or everyone other job where the thousands of EU workers started working at lower rates then people where getting also didn't block roads or call for the government to bar others from doing the job. They did a few things. They lowered their own rates, changed jobs and a lot of them lost their jobs to lower paid workers.


FYP:D

I have no idea what FYP means, but if its ok to leave early, how come its not ok to be late?
Maybe the plasterers should have protested then, but I always found plasterers to be a bit woosey.

Del2005

dunsandin wrote: »

I have no idea what FYP means, but if its ok to leave early, how come its not ok to be late?
Maybe the plasterers should have protested then, but I always found plasterers to be a bit woosey.

FYP= Fixed Your Post. If there was advance warning people could have left for work earlier, I was talking about getting let go for being late! I have a problem with people closing roads for protests, but since our laws allow it with advance notice I have to put up with legal protests. An illegal picket with no advance warning will not get any support. Maybe the plasterers knew there was nothing could be done as it is an open market.

Ham'nd'egger

koolkid wrote: »

I agree that is dangerous. Probobly more so for all the taxi drivers working long hours.
I am on the road a lot & constantly driving is very tiring.If I am driving for 8 hours + I would be tired. But after a hard day of more physical work I would be fine. If taxi drivers really want to enfore this it will only serve to limit thier ability to earn a wage.
What if they cant make a living doing only 40 hours a week. In fairness they are saying they work longer & can't make enough. And don't say well the part timers will be gone. Think about it. If everyones hours are limited they are all going to want to work the busy times. Back to square 1.

If you are too tired to drive or not regardless what job or activity that you have worked at, then you are too tired to drive. The mere fact that taxis (And other driving occupations such as Truck and bus drivers and delivery couriers) have to work 10,11,12 hour days 6 or 7 times a week means that it is a dangerous situation to be playing with.

It's one thing for these guys to do it as it's their only income source; it's reckless safety wise when a teacher/plumber/shop keeper etc does another 20+ hours a week regardless of their grabbing at an smaller customer base and it needs to be addressed before somebody ends up in a wall.

KoolKid

Hamndegger wrote: »

If you are too tired to drive or not regardless what job or activity that you have worked at, then you are too tired to drive. The mere fact that taxis (And other driving occupations such as Truck and bus drivers and delivery couriers) have to work 10,11,12 hour days 6 or 7 times a week means that it is a dangerous situation to be playing with.

I agree with you entirly, I do. But where do we draw the line.
Anyone finding the times hard are going to work whatever hours it takes to support thier familys. Some taxi drivers are working over the hours they should to make ends meet. I am sure many of them are the same ones complaining about part timers doing the same. There are probobly many of the partimers doing if because thier own PAYE job is in a bad way. maybe they have taken a pay cut on on short time. So as an example if a PAYE worker is on 3 day week, should he ,as a PAYE worker, be allowed to work as a taxi driver?

Ham'nd'egger

koolkid wrote: »

I agree with you entirly, I do. But where do we draw the line.

Anyone finding the times hard are going to work whatever hours it takes to support thier familys. Some taxi drivers are working over the hours they should to make ends meet. I am sure many of them are the same ones complaining about part timers doing the same. There are probobly many of the partimers doing if because thier own PAYE job is in a bad way. maybe they have taken a pay cut on on short time. So as an example if a PAYE worker is on 3 day week, should he ,as a PAYE worker, be allowed to work as a taxi driver?

That is true that many of them are making up a shortfall given the current climate but in saying that part time drivers were becoming a massive problem when the economy wasn't weak. I accept that there is a need for some part time or short time drivers at certain times but this is something that the Regulator has not even began to address and I doubt if it ever will, again to the benefit of nobody.

dunsandin

There must be some compromise here somewhere - if market principals were applied, taxi drivers could charge whatever they felt the going rate should be, and the level and number of drivers in the market would be left up to "what the market would bear". I think there is an inherent contradiction with having a "Taxi Regulator" oversee the "deregulation" of a particular market. I would not like to be told what I could or could not charge for my services, I would rather the market dictated, then, If I didn't like the heat, I could get out of the kitchen, but on my own terms and decisions.

paulm17781

dunsandin wrote: »

There must be some compromise here somewhere - if market principals were applied, taxi drivers could charge whatever they felt the going rate should be

Considering the numbers, would that not just lead to an inevitable race to the bottom?

Ham'nd'egger

paulm17781 wrote: »

Considering the numbers, would that not just lead to an inevitable race to the bottom?

It already is a race to the bottom, a thought I pondered tonight as I passed a 86 D Honda Accord taxi that had been pulled over by Gardaí.

corktina

on the one hand there are too many taxis on the road for drivers to make even a miserable living and on the other hand there are too many new taxis flooding into the industry every day in search of a living wage.

How does that work then?:rolleyes:

At our local Railway Station theres a train an hour in each direction plus the Kerry branch and shuttles to and from the City and how many Taxis stir them selves to meet the trains? NONE, never seen a taxi on the rank there. Theres money to be made in the taxi Industry I judge if the taxi-men want to be enterprising and innovative .

bk

dunsandin wrote: »

There must be some compromise here somewhere - if market principals were applied, taxi drivers could charge whatever they felt the going rate should be, and the level and number of drivers in the market would be left up to "what the market would bear". I think there is an inherent contradiction with having a "Taxi Regulator" oversee the "deregulation" of a particular market. I would not like to be told what I could or could not charge for my services, I would rather the market dictated, then, If I didn't like the heat, I could get out of the kitchen, but on my own terms and decisions.

Again, the taxi fare is only the maximum allowed, there is absolutely nothing stopping any driver from charging less and advertising as such (just like 8202020 cabs do with 20% off).

If you are complaining about it not possibly going over the maximum fare, well given the massive over supply of taxis, that isn't going to happen anyway and I believe it would lead to a massive decrease in people using taxis as people would be afraid of being fleeced.

The whole argument that the problems in the taxi industry are due to it not being a truly open unregulated market is completely bogus. The problems we are seeing are due to it being almost a completely open and almost 100% unregulated market, with the ensuing race to the bottom.

What most taxi drivers want is more regulation, not less. They want to return to a much more stricter licensing policy. The problem is how do you put the genie back in the bottle.

Who gets to decide which unlucky 50% of taxi drivers get turfed out of their job (taxi driving) so that the industry can return to a sustainable level?

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

I agree with you entirly, I do. But where do we draw the line.
Anyone finding the times hard are going to work whatever hours it takes to support thier familys. Some taxi drivers are working over the hours they should to make ends meet. I am sure many of them are the same ones complaining about part timers doing the same. There are probobly many of the partimers doing if because thier own PAYE job is in a bad way. maybe they have taken a pay cut on on short time. So as an example if a PAYE worker is on 3 day week, should he ,as a PAYE worker, be allowed to work as a taxi driver?

As far as I'm concerned the answer is no, if they can't make ends meet with a single PAYE job ( short time working or whatever ) then get a 2nd part time PAYE job or throw in the PAYE job and become a full time taxi driver ( if your business research and business model make you think that it's a wise move ) but don't mix the two options of PAYE and Self Employed, it's that simple

Spook_ie

bk wrote: »

Again, the taxi fare is only the maximum allowed, there is absolutely nothing stopping any driver from charging less and advertising as such (just like 8202020 cabs do with 20% off).

If you are complaining about it not possibly going over the maximum fare, well given the massive over supply of taxis, that isn't going to happen anyway and I believe it would lead to a massive decrease in people using taxis as people would be afraid of being fleeced.

The whole argument that the problems in the taxi industry are due to it not being a truly open unregulated market is completely bogus. The problems we are seeing are due to it being almost a completely open and almost 100% unregulated market, with the ensuing race to the bottom.

What most taxi drivers want is more regulation, not less. They want to return to a much more stricter licensing policy. The problem is how do you put the genie back in the bottle.

Who gets to decide which unlucky 50% of taxi drivers get turfed out of their job (taxi driving) so that the industry can return to a sustainable level?

Stricter licensing isn't that what the public want to, remove the scammers, unhappily because the "tap" has been left on for so long, and it being illegal/immoral/unjust ( depending on where you sit in the system ) to just remove people from any industry it's going to take longer for them to drop out of the system by natural causes

Spook_ie

dunsandin wrote: »

There must be some compromise here somewhere - if market principals were applied, taxi drivers could charge whatever they felt the going rate should be, and the level and number of drivers in the market would be left up to "what the market would bear". I think there is an inherent contradiction with having a "Taxi Regulator" oversee the "deregulation" of a particular market. I would not like to be told what I could or could not charge for my services, I would rather the market dictated, then, If I didn't like the heat, I could get out of the kitchen, but on my own terms and decisions.

It's been mooted before, if the demand is high, some weekends, days when the taxi strikes are on, Christmas etc. then why shouldn't the taxi drivers be able to be charge whatever the customer is willing to pay, conversely at slack times the fares can be discounted in a market free for all.

Del2005

Spook_ie wrote: »

It's been mooted before, if the demand is high, some weekends, days when the taxi strikes are on, Christmas etc. then why shouldn't the taxi drivers be able to be charge whatever the customer is willing to pay, conversely at slack times the fares can be discounted in a market free for all.

Because the customers wouldn't get them if they didn't know how much, roughly, it was going to cost. Airlines rise their prices when demand is high, but you can log onto their site and see the price and decide if you are willing to pay it before leaving the comfort of your home. The airlines get enough grieve of the talk to Joe gang when they do, can you imagine the whine line if taxi prices went up and down every 5 minutes.

No one wants to sit in a Taxi at 3am on a Saturday morning trying to agree a price and I really doubt that any Taxi driver wants angry drunk punters in the back of their vehicle thinking their are being scammed/ripped off.

Also if the price can go as high as the market demands, do you not think that all the drivers will go out at these times and therefore the price will drop again? Then the peak time will change and create absolute chaos for drivers and customers as the drivers won't know when they can charge higher/lower till they go out.

KoolKid

Spook_ie wrote: »

As far as I'm concerned the answer is no, if they can't make ends meet with a single PAYE job ( short time working or whatever ) then get a 2nd part time PAYE job

So its ok to get 2 PAYE jobs??? LMAO:D
But its not OK for your second job to be as self employed??
Sorry , but that makes no sense..

Spook_ie wrote: »

don't mix the two options of PAYE and Self Employed, it's that simple

That is discrimination plain & simple. Who are you on anyone else to say someone can't work a PAYE job & be self employed.
As long as someone is paying thier due taxs etc, whats the problem with doing this.

Spook_ie wrote: »

It's been mooted before, if the demand is high, some weekends, days when the taxi strikes are on, Christmas etc. then why shouldn't the taxi drivers be able to be charge whatever the customer is willing to pay

Its quite simple.. People would not trust taxi drivers. Imagine the poor tourists.. Santry luv??? its peak time that'll be €100. Shall I go via the M50???:rolleyes:
Isn't thgere already higher rates on the meter for peak times anyway. So while you discount at quiet times you can charge the higher meter rate at peak times.

Spook_ie

Del2005 wrote: »

Because the customers wouldn't get them if they didn't know how much, roughly, it was going to cost. Airlines rise their prices when demand is high, but you can log onto their site and see the price and decide if you are willing to pay it before leaving the comfort of your home. The airlines get enough grieve of the talk to Joe gang when they do, can you imagine the whine line if taxi prices went up and down every 5 minutes.

No one wants to sit in a Taxi at 3am on a Saturday morning trying to agree a price and I really doubt that any Taxi driver wants angry drunk punters in the back of their vehicle thinking their are being scammed/ripped off.

Also if the price can go as high as the market demands, do you not think that all the drivers will go out at these times and therefore the price will drop again? Then the peak time will change and create absolute chaos for drivers and customers as the drivers won't know when they can charge higher/lower till they go out.

Isn't that what free market is all about? After all every 2nd/3rd post in a debate seems to include the phrase " free market" and "find it's own level"

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

So its ok to get 2 PAYE jobs??? LMAO:D
But its not OK for your second job to be as self employed??
Sorry , but that makes no sense..

That is discrimination plain & simple. Who are you on anyone else to say someone can't work a PAYE job & be self employed.
As long as someone is paying thier due taxs etc, whats the problem with doing this.

Its quite simple.. People would not trust taxi drivers. Imagine the poor tourists.. Santry luv??? its peak time that'll be €100. Shall I go via the M50???:rolleyes:
Isn't thgere already higher rates on the meter for peak times anyway. So while you discount at quiet times you can charge the higher meter rate at peak times.

Pont 1 Two PAYE jobs would be subject to the EWTD, whereas one PAYE and One Self Employed only the PAYE job would be subject, contradictory YES or NO

Point 2 Refer to point 1 Contradictory YES or NO

Point 3 You mean people trust taxi drivers now, perhaps a better way though would be for a per Km charge that was displayed, you pick the taxi you want based on their per Km charge or just pick whoevers shouting out the cheapest flat fare, again free market

Point 4 There are times when I would if I could charge more than the meter rate, NYE for example just prior to my giving up on the road conditions, I was offered €50 to do Wright Venue to Coolock, I declined as I'd already decided it was too hazerdous to continue BUT suppose I had decided it wasn't too hazardous, shouldn't I be able to avail of the free market that so many people quote as the panacea for all that's wrong in the taxi industry

KoolKid

Point 1 . People are allowed to work PAYE & Self employed. End of. Are we debating the taxi dispute or the rights & wrongs of working directives in general?

Point 3 If there was a workable solution to this I would have now problem

Point 4 I personally would consider that an example of taking advantage of peoples situation & ripping them off.

Del2005

Spook_ie wrote: »

Isn't that what free market is all about? After all every 2nd/3rd post in a debate seems to include the phrase " free market" and "find it's own level"

Shops are in free market and they had the groceries order. When it was removed prices didn't go up or down. Off licences could use the same reasons as you, charge more on Christmas eve and holy Thursday, but they discount in the lead up to their peak times and they have much more regulation then Taxis.

KoolKid

TBH Taxi drivers are the only ones I have heard looking for ways to charge more,
Every other sensible business are reducing prices. Peak or not!! Del2005 example proves the point.

corktina

you never hear Plumbers or Electricians moaning because theres too many of them do you.... maybe they should go on strike too:rolleyes:

If there wasnt money to be made taxi-driving, why do so many want to do it? Could it be because its not exactly hard work to drive round all day and you get to put all your car expenses against your tax?

dunsandin

A question has just popped into my head though - why are there so many new entrants queueing up to get into taxi-iing? When they first de-regulated the job, I got my PSV licence, got a car tested and passed, etc etc - sure why not I figured, and promptly realised after about 5 minutes that it was a mugs game with no real money to be made, and I exited stage right at double time. And back then, there was some money to be made - not great, but a living. Now, any twit with half a brain can look out and see the queues half a mile long outside Heuston station and Stepehens green, and realise that taxiing is dying on it @rse. Why would anybody in their right minds want in??? I think it is a case of "Bouncy Castle syndrome". In the early days of that game, some guys were making a killing, so every wannbe "entrepreneur" dashed out and bought three and set up in business(I did anyway!!) After a while, they realised it was no easy play, and got out (I bought my castles in the UK, so was able to sell them at a nice profit to another "entrepreneur). I think Taxiing is the same - the barriers to entry are low, peole get made redundant etc, and think - I Know, I will be a taxi driver - I dont know how you overcome this issue, but if you give it a while, the problem might sort itself, the hustlers will get out as there is no profit. I now(older and wiser) know enough to stick to what I do best, that realisation may well come to others at the cost of a lot of the old guard of taxi men for whom it was a long term career. One of my friends, who mortgaged his family home back in the day, to buy a "plate" for 100k plus, is sick at what has happened to his industry. I dont have a solution, but being an arrogant sod, give me time...

JHMEG

corktina wrote: »

you never hear Plumbers or Electricians moaning because theres too many of them do you.... maybe they should go on strike too:rolleyes:

In fairness there were never that many plumbers, and the (many) surplus electricians have gone to Oz.

Spook_ie

koolkid wrote: »

Point 1 . People are allowed to work PAYE & Self employed. End of. Are we debating the taxi dispute or the rights & wrongs of working directives in general?

Point 3 If there was a workable solution to this I would have now problem

Point 4 I personally would not consider that an example of taking advantage of peoples situation & ripping them off.

Point 1 If you want to debate the taxi industry you need to understand what is viewed as wrong with it from the industries point of view and possible ways of fixing it! if you don't want to debate it then fine


Point 3 Providing you are willing to carry on debate without trying to exclude arguments that you feel you are losing, alternative suggestions?

Point 4 I would, as it stands at the moment I have a taxi, a license and a meter, if I were to have taken them and charged the €50 I would have been guilty of overcharging and ripping them off, so you think it's OK to overcharge people then dependant on circumstance?

bk

Spook_ie wrote: »

Isn't that what free market is all about? After all every 2nd/3rd post in a debate seems to include the phrase " free market" and "find it's own level"

As I've previously said, if there wasn't a maximum price cap, the industry would lose 50% of it's customers overnight due to people being afraid of being fleeced.

The maximum fare is there to protect consumers and even taxi drivers.

Anyway you are in cloud cuckoo land if you think you could actually charge more then the maximum fare. There is such an oversupply of taxi's at all times now (peak or off peak) that people would quickly learn that walking up and down the rank and offering €10 flat free for almost any destination in Dublin would get them a taxi driver willing to take it.

KoolKid

corktina wrote: »

you never hear Plumbers or Electricians moaning because theres too many of them do you.... maybe they should go on strike too:rolleyes:

I agree, but these are all skilled jobs & emigration is an option.
Emigrating to be a taxi driver is not really an option now, is it?

corktina wrote: »

If there wasnt money to be made taxi-driving, why do so many want to do it?

A good point , and one I still have not heard a logical explaination to.
The taxi drivers will go back to the same old cry of part timers.
A part timer still has to be making money. If not he's gone off to do something else. Here is an idea. The part timers all work weekends because thats where the money is, right.
If taxi drivers were so organised & united, like they claim to be. Why doesn't every full timers get out & work the weekends & make it impossible for the part timers to get any business.?

JHMEG wrote: »

In fairness there were never that many plumbers, and the (many) surplus electricians have gone to Oz.

Like I said, skilled labour vs non skilled

Spook_ie wrote: »

Point 1 If you want to debate the taxi industry you need to understand what is viewed as wrong with it from the industries point of view and possible ways of fixing it! if you don't want to debate it then fine

Ok so. Is it on the taxi drivers demands that the working directives affecting all industrys be changed?
From listening to taxi drivers & whats wrong with the industry thats a lot of topics. Good weather is bad for business , bad weather is bad for business. The Roads, the recession,the government,the bus service,hackneys,limos, part timers, full timers, too may cars, the traffic,
The list goes on. Ye blame everyone & everything for your problems.
If we are going to discuss them all this thread is going to get very off topic.

Spook_ie wrote: »

Point 3 Providing you are willing to carry on debate without trying to exclude arguments that you feel you are losing,

If you are going to claim I am losing arguments, please support your claims with some examples. As for excluding points, well, the words pot kettle & black come to mind. If I missed any questions please point me to them & I will answer them.

Spook_ie wrote: »

so you think it's OK to overcharge people then dependant on circumstance?

No. Basic economics again. Supply in relation to demand.
As there is an ample supply of taxi's there is no need to overchange now, is there?

bk wrote: »

There is such an oversupply of taxi's at all times now (peak or off peak) that people would quickly learn that walking up and down the rank and offering €10 flat free for almost any destination in Dublin would get them a taxi driver willing to take it.

Now theres an idea. Is there any Taxi driver or company with some business sense to take up that?
Might even be worth an investment on a plate , a car & some magnetic signs. I gaurantee anyone doing this would make a killing.