Taxi firm start up?

[robinh73]

Afternoon all. A bit of advice please. I run my own tree surgery business which does nicely, however I had open heart surgery mid June this year which whilst that went well in itself, I have suffered with complications and now diagnosed with an auto immune condition. Not the end of the world but I feel that my role in the tree game has to change whereby I am not as hands on but instead focus on the quoting etc. This got me thinking about a second line of work to top up the income and I wondered how mad it would be to set up a taxi business? Are there any taxi drivers on here? Is it lunacy or a positive step?

[sherman]

Lunacy.
With Uber etc the local taxi firm with a catchy phone number is dead.

[robinh73]

sherman said:

Lunacy.
With Uber etc the local taxi firm with a catchy phone number is dead.

I probably should have added that I am based in North Wales where Uber isn't exactly prominent. Were I in a city I would totally agree but up here private firms are the norm.

[Sheepshanks]

We had a guy who was semi-retired from Ruthin way do our airport taxi run home from MAN to Chester - he was subcontracted, I think twice based on text messages we got, by our local firm who we booked with.

He said he tended to do the night time airport runs - he picked us up, we were an hour late, at 1AM. He had another one to go to straight after, he was a bit tight for time, it was landing as he dropped us off. That would have stressed me a little, but he didn't seem bothered. He said he very little normal taxiing, but it was there if he wanted it. Seemed to suit him.

[Om]

There is certainly a market for it. Taxis are few and far between and those that are around know how to charge!

Worth considering how robustly the incumbents may defend their patch though.

[smifffymoto]

I live in a leafy Cheshire village where the local council won’t licence Uber cars ,whether out of principle or to protect the already licensed taxi and private hire cars.

All that is happening is an influx of Uber cars registered in Wolverhampton taking local business.

[TheDrownedApe]

smifffymoto said:

I live in a leafy Cheshire village where the local council won t licence Uber cars ,whether out of principle or to protect the already licensed taxi and private hire cars.

All that is happening is an influx of Uber cars registered in Wolverhampton taking local business.

I live in south warwickshire and the majority here acquire their licence from Wolverhampton due to the prices they charge. I think they are the cheapest in the country.

[ashenfie]

I think to make any money you need to get contracts. School runs and medically related regular jobs are particularly lucrative. Don’t worry about drivers and cars if you have work they are easy to find.

[Sheepshanks]

smifffymoto said:

I live in a leafy Cheshire village where the local council won t licence Uber cars ,whether out of principle or to protect the already licensed taxi and private hire cars.

All that is happening is an influx of Uber cars registered in Wolverhampton taking local business.

They may still be local people - Wolverhampton has made a business out of issuing private hire licences, regardless of where the drivers live.

[the-norseman]

My dad took over a taxi firm that his brothers had been involved in for many years, dad has since died and his younger brother run it into the ground but it was a very hard business to run, insurance being the main ££££ on a fleet of cars. Then there is the need for apps these days etc.

I was talking to a local driver the other week who has switched from a firm to Uber and says its the best thing hes done.

[TheDrownedApe]

Might be wrong but I recall, from a chat with a uber driver, that all cars must be PHEVs now too? You might need a new car OP. He said insurance was about £9k and year amd that was Chatham area.

[robinh73]

Thanks for the insight guys. It isn't something I had ever considered going into but felt it may be something that may be feasible under the current circumstances. Insurance was going to be my real concern and will do further research into that. As for Uber, as mentioned, were I in a city or the like then I would totally and utterly agree but up on Anglesey, Uber is non existent.

[Scrump]

I know of a local chap, semi retired, who has an S class and does airports runs (mainly Bristol to Heathrow) for corporate clients. Seems he has a steady stream of work but it took him quite a while to build up the client list.

[Om]

Scrump said:

I know of a local chap, semi retired, who has an S class and does airports runs (mainly Bristol to Heathrow) for corporate clients. Seems he has a steady stream of work but it took him quite a while to build up the client list.

Certainly in the area there are firms that specialise (or at least offer it as a major part of their service) in the longer airport runs with bigger vehicles.

Perhaps consider specialising in similar such things - drop-off/pick-up for things like concert/shows at Venue Cymru/Pontio, runs to the port, Christmas shopping in Chester?

[Ry.Clarke]

robinh73 said:

sherman said:

Lunacy.
With Uber etc the local taxi firm with a catchy phone number is dead.

I probably should have added that I am based in North Wales where Uber isn't exactly prominent. Were I in a city I would totally agree but up here private firms are the norm.

If this is truly the case, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Go get your Uber licence and clean up all the demand for it in the area.

[robinh73]

Ry.Clarke said:

If this is truly the case, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Go get your Uber licence and clean up all the demand for it in the area.

Interesting thought, may well have a look into that.

[Ry.Clarke]

robinh73 said:

Ry.Clarke said:

If this is truly the case, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Go get your Uber licence and clean up all the demand for it in the area.

Interesting thought, may well have a look into that.

No point dealing with all the painful bits when you can log in and take all their work.

[Patch1875]

Anywhere with Uber operating is a race to the bottom.

I been doing uber for about 6 years the money you make is now less than it’s ever been.

[Wacky Racer]

Patch1875 said:

Anywhere with Uber operating is a race to the bottom.

I been doing uber for about 6 years the money you make is now less than it s ever been.

I suppose it depends what town you are operating in, to some extent.

[rallye101]

FYI,

I get a ton of school jobs that we always turn down for minibuses/ cabbs depending on seating you'll need cpc and dbs check, crap hours...2 in morning and 2 in evening..
Hard work....