Taxi's - Should you rely on them?

[sidekickdmr]

Just found myself in a bit of a discussion with a taxi driver on Facebook and wondered what peoples thoughts are.

I live in a little village, about 5 miles from my nearest Devon town (Ilfracombe), I've only been into Ilfracombe twice, the first time I went for a meal with the wife and a few drinks in a pub afterwards finished about 12.30am and on calling for a taxi home, couldn’t get one for an hour and a half, as they were busy so stood around, grumpy and tired, until one finally arrived.

The next time, me and some friends went out and left the (absolutely packed) bar about 3am, and not a single taxi company was still open, not even picking up the phone, and I tried about 7 different companies multiple times, as a result, we were stranded in the centre of town until 7.30 am when my wife woke up, panicked and came to get us. Luckily it was warm and I was able to sleep on a wall for some of it, but if it was winter, and minus 10, I genuinely dont know what I would have done.

He's saying people are ridculas, and it’s not the taxi drivers fault, I’m saying it’s not the drivers fault, but taxis are a service that people should be able to rely upon, and the taxi business's are silly for not taking advantage of this potential trade (charge double, you will still have a queue of people).

It's got to the point now, where I cant go out at all now, unless I’m driving, on the basis that I might not get home.

I know it’s a first world problem, and simply driving all the time isn’t an issue, but what’s peoples thoughts?

[Hugo a Gogo]

pre-book

[ooo000ooo]

You should start your own taxi company, there's obviously a need for one there.

[Supernova190188]

Yes taxis can be annoying when you can never get one when you need it, the reply usually along the lines of ''we're flat out, gonna be an hour and a half before I can get to you'', if it was Ilfricombe you went out in though couldn't you have walked the 5 miles back or have got hold of your wife in the intervening 4.5 hours?

[devnull]

I found this the hard way myself!

Where I grew up was hardly a big city, but you could get a Taxi anytime 24 hours a day. Where I'm moving to (close to bristol) if you haven't rebooked or it's past 7pm, you don't have a taxi until 1am. Definitely changed how evenings are planned. Either don't drink, book or walk!

[xRIEx]

sidekickdmr said:

but taxis are a service that people should be able to rely upon

Are they?

[Rollin]

xRIEx said:

sidekickdmr said:

but taxis are a service that people should be able to rely upon

Are they?

No

[Ari]

sidekickdmr said:

I tried about 7 different companies multiple times, as a result, we were stranded in the centre of town until 7.30 am when my wife woke up, panicked and came to get us.

Why didn't you ring your wife?

[Issi]

Without being funny, but a brisk 5 mile walk instead of sleeping on a wall all night, would be the option I would take.

[Hugo a Gogo]

and lose the apostrophe please

[227bhp]

There obviously aren't enough Asian people in those areas, sort that out and Bob's your Uncle.

[Rosscow]

I live a similar distance from our local towns.

When we go out, we pre-book (and pre-pay) for our taxi. It's normally very reliable, and works out cheaper than trying to get one on the night.

I've been in a similar situation to you before, came out of the bar at 3am and couldn't get a cab for love nor money. It was a fairly mild spring dawn, decided to walk home. Took me an hour and a half, but it was great! Heard all the night time animals, saw a few badgers/foxes, the moon was out and by the time I got home it was almost like I had walked off any hangover!

[Hugo a Gogo]

227bhp said:

There obviously aren't enough Asian people in those areas, sort that out and Mohammed's your Uncle.

fixed

[Robbo 27]

Taxis are privately owned and run, if they are busy doing daytime work there is not much incentive to provide 24/7 cover for the infrequent fare during the night.

There is a much bigger issue on quality licencing and a good vetting procedure that weeds out criminals from becoming licensed private hire drivers, but as this wasnt the opening question I will park it for the time being.

[Vaud]

Plan, prebook. Not an unusual small town problem.

[227bhp]

Hugo a Gogo said:

227bhp said:

There obviously aren't enough Asian people in those areas, sort that out and Mohammed's your Uncle.

fixed

That does read much better, thank you.
It is the heart of the matter though, i'm guessing house prices are just too much for taxi driver types. There was a thread on here maybe 6 months ago where a taxi company owner in that area posted up that he couldn't get staff, if there was a run down slum like Bradford nearby he wouldn't have an issue.

[surveyor]

Our local town is annoying. Usually pretty reliable, but every now and then there will be a meltdown, especially sunday nights and it's 1AM, when calling at 6.

[Robbo 27]

227bhp said:

That does read much better, thank you.
It is the heart of the matter though, i'm guessing house prices are just too much for taxi driver types. There was a thread on here maybe 6 months ago where a taxi company owner in that area posted up that he couldn't get staff, if there was a run down slum like Bradford nearby he wouldn't have an issue.

Yup

I know someone with a taxi company in the middle of Huddersfield, he has to operate round the clock and has a waiting room in the town centre. He regularly gets bookings at 3:00 am, callers ask for a white driver, he asks them to wait nearby and someone will pick them up.

Sometimes he forgets to ask the drivers to go and pick up the waiting caller, Iqbal can be very forgetful.

[grumpy52]

Most private hire drivers that I know only do one late night a week ,they are fed up with dealing with drunken twunts at 2am .
They prefer doing the silly o'clock airport runs .
We are dependent on taxi services to travel as buses finish at 6pm and the last trains finish by 11-30pm .

[Robbo 27]

grumpy52 said:

Most private hire drivers that I know only do one late night a week ,they are fed up with dealing with drunken twunts at 2am .
They prefer doing the silly o'clock airport runs .
We are dependent on taxi services to travel as buses finish at 6pm and the last trains finish by 11-30pm .

Around 2000 - 2004 I was a part owner of a business that rented out taxis to private hire drivers, 61 in total, mainly Mondeos and Octavias. Many of the drivers drove their car during the daytime and employed a 'night man', fairly common practice in Liverpool and Manchester. Being sick in the cars is a common problem, there was supposed to be a £50 clean up charge but chances of them paying up were next to nil.