WTD: Drivers £100/day
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Discussion

Tyre Smoke

Original Poster:

23,018 posts

290 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
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We are struggling to recruit drivers. We need drivers for three days a week - Friday, Saturday and Sunday for taxi work. Employed, £10 an hour, no rent or anything to pay out. Everything provided. In a fantastic part of the world, Devon with overtime available. No drunks, no kebab cabs. Just good decent work. The only initial outlay is for your taxi badge, but we will even sort that for you.
So, why no takers? What are we doing wrong?

rog007

5,828 posts

253 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
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It's normally one of a couple of issues; skills shortage or you're not paying enough. I suspect it's the latter in your case.

Try improving it to the point where you start attracting more candidates; you'll soon find the level required. Good luck!

Tyre Smoke

Original Poster:

23,018 posts

290 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
quotequote all
Definitely not the money. Nothing locally even comes close for 'unskilled' labour.

rog007

5,828 posts

253 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
quotequote all
I'd never thought of taxi drivers as 'unskilled' before.

They do require special training and experience to perform their work adequately if a taxi firm is to grow its reputation and thus its business, including a driving licence, potentially additional driving competence, customer care skills, potentially a DBS clearance and basic first aid.

Nonetheless, to rule out the pay issue, raise your rates incrementally and you should at some point see the increase in applications you're seeking. Good luck!

Tyre Smoke

Original Poster:

23,018 posts

290 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
quotequote all
My point about unskilled and hence the inverted commas, was to illustrate the point that you don't need a BSc to drive a taxi.

But anyway, thanks for your input, we will have a re-evaluation and see if it makes any difference.

BrabusMog

21,764 posts

215 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
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I know it's an obvious question, but do the other firms pay the same rate you're offering? Or more? Or less? I would imagine the hours/shifts aren't ideal on Friday/Saturday/Sunday as you won't attract old boys looking for something to do in their retirement (family/friends stuff more likely to happen for them at the weekend) or for people who need a full time job. I'm guessing students are too young / not plentiful in Devon, so also not an option. This is just pure speculation by the way.

JJ55

772 posts

144 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
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I think it seems a pretty good deal you're offering. Perhaps you've not found the right place to advertise it

The Tea Boy

4,129 posts

264 months

Wednesday 16th December 2015
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God I'd need more than that to work for you wink

Hope your well, and sorted soon buddy!

98elise

32,495 posts

190 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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rog007 said:
I'd never thought of taxi drivers as 'unskilled' before.

They do require special training and experience to perform their work adequately if a taxi firm is to grow its reputation and thus its business, including a driving licence, potentially additional driving competence, customer care skills, potentially a DBS clearance and basic first aid.

Nonetheless, to rule out the pay issue, raise your rates incrementally and you should at some point see the increase in applications you're seeking. Good luck!
I would definitely rate it as unskilled. The basic function of the job can be carried out without any training at all.

Tyre Smoke

Original Poster:

23,018 posts

290 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
quotequote all
BrabusMog said:
I know it's an obvious question, but do the other firms pay the same rate you're offering? Or more? Or less? I would imagine the hours/shifts aren't ideal on Friday/Saturday/Sunday as you won't attract old boys looking for something to do in their retirement (family/friends stuff more likely to happen for them at the weekend) or for people who need a full time job. I'm guessing students are too young / not plentiful in Devon, so also not an option. This is just pure speculation by the way.
All good and valid points. But with a bit of OT, this is a full time job, or at least good full time pay for this area without killing yourself.

We don't do late Saturday nights, because we don't want that sort of trade, and to be honest there is very little reward for staying out until 0400/0500 taking home drunks. It's like waiting for a bomb to go off!

We are talking midday to 2200 sort of. Obviously there needs to be a bit of flexibility, and you are not driving solid for 10 hours. There is easily a couple of hours 'down time' in there.

BrabusMog

21,764 posts

215 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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Perhaps emphasizing the weekend nature of the role is giving off the wrong impression, then? Maybe re-advertise as minimum 30 hours a week with overtime available. I'd imagine there's people willing to do a 4 day week to reach full time hours and won't be as bothered that they have to work over the weekend.

227bhp

10,203 posts

157 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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You obviously don't have enough Asian people living locally, shall I send some down? If you put an advert in the local Mosque around here you'd fill the positions in 5 mins.

'Skilled' laughlaughlaugh

Tyre Smoke

Original Poster:

23,018 posts

290 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
quotequote all
227bhp said:
You obviously don't have enough Asian people living locally, shall I send some down? If you put an advert in the local Mosque around here you'd fill the positions in 5 mins.
You know what? That is spot on. hehe

Monkeylegend

29,146 posts

260 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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It's getting more difficult and more expensive now to get a badge. Not sure about Devon, but many authorities will now require drivers to take and pass an advanced driving test, take a local knowledge test, have formal training in relation to child sexual exploitation. They will also need an enhanced CRB (or whatever it is called now) check, which can take weeks to get and has to be paid for.

Many councils are also now licencing on a 3 year cycle which bumps up the upfront cost of a licence, and they will need to pass an HGV medical check.

Some councils are also looking to cap numbers on hackney licences and even PH licences now.

It's not as easy and straight as a lot of people think.

All this for part time working probably puts a lot of people off.

Edited by Monkeylegend on Thursday 17th December 14:52

Roo

11,504 posts

236 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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Slightly OT.

Interesting programme tonight about the taxi wars involving Uber in London. Apparently TfL have to issue licences to everyone who applies and meets the criteria.

jammy_basturd

29,778 posts

241 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Roo said:
Slightly OT.

Interesting programme tonight about the taxi wars involving Uber in London. Apparently TfL have to issue licences to everyone who applies and meets the criteria.
The really ironic thing is in 5-10 years time, a taxi driver will be a computer and nearly all human taxi drivers will be out of work anyway.

ColinM50

2,699 posts

204 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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Wonder if this is genuine or another of those fake taxi scams? Not seen it myself but my sister got in a taxi and ended up in all sorts of trouble.

Not looked myself, but she said I should try googling fake taxi and you'll see what she had to put up with.

Jamesgt

851 posts

262 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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ColinM50 said:
Wonder if this is genuine or another of those fake taxi scams? Not seen it myself but my sister got in a taxi and ended up in all sorts of trouble.

Not looked myself, but she said I should try googling fake taxi and you'll see what she had to put up with.
Good old fake taxi. What's your sisters name? I'll see if I can find her video.

Ki3r

8,835 posts

188 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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If you were in Dorset I would have been interested.

dai1983

3,186 posts

178 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2015
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Whach part of Devon as I may know someone who lives local. If I still lived there I'd have done a couple of days a month!

Just out of interest how much is a badge?