Ringpeas

Will be made redundant sometime soon, between 9 and 15 months time is the best they can give me
There are very few well paid jobs in my line of work so I was considering doing a spot of taxi work until I can sort myself out again.
So, what do I need to do, take any tests etc ? The company I am with will pay for anything like that, so I might as well get it anyway.
What sort of hours do you need to put in, in a medium sized town to earn a decent wage after paying for rank fees, petrol, insurance etc.
Any advice appreciated

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

OK, been there, done that, for about 8 years of evenings, weekends, and the odd day, to supplement a poorly paid job.

<<<So, what do I need to do, take any tests etc ? The company I am with will pay for anything like that, so I might as well get it anyway.>>

Yes, there is a license to apply for, police clearance, a medical, and now, a test to take too. When I got my Hackney license about 14 years ago, the total cost was about £80.00. Not sure what it is now, but a ring to your local council who issue the licenses, will tell all.

<<<What sort of hours do you need to put in, in a medium sized town to earn a decent wage after paying for rank fees, petrol, insurance etc.>>>

So, are you thinking of working for yourself, or for a taxi company?
For yourself: Taxi to buy: has to be modern, acceptable to the local council, and a 4 door or 5 door saloon. Costs the earth to get it through it's license every year, and the license itself is steep, again the local council will tell you. Then it has to have a meter, which is not cheap to buy, and not cheap to have fitted and calibrated. You will be responsible for all costs, fuel, road tax, MoT etc. Finally, if it's your business you'll have to be insured, and you're looking at at least 4 figures
For a taxi company: they provide the car, all fuel ,insurance etc etc etc. All you need is the Hackney License. They pay about 33% of takings, if you're a tax payer, and 25% if not. Doing the maths means that you have to take £22.50 per hour on the meter to earn £7.50 per hour. Over a day, you'd need to take £270 to make it, and that's for a 12 hour day.....not readily possible as you can see. I've done nights, and come home on a weekday night, (6pm to 1am), with as little as £8 in my pocket, plus about £3 tips:
I've also worked Fridays and Saturdays nights, (6pm to 4, 5 6 etc am), and had as much as £60 take home, and £40 tips, and as little as £30 take home and £10 tips. Now you know why a lot of drivers will do a run "off the meter" for less than the meter would be, and pocket the money......totally dishonest, but hey..............:
The most I ever worked was 6am, to 6am the next day: I was shattered, earned £60 plus £36 tips, and was so tired I took all the takings home with me instead od posting it into the safe, then I got woken up at 9am by the manager, wanting to know where the takings were!
Oh, and I got 30 minutes for my lunch, and 45 minutes for tea/dinner. And the odd break for a coffee, but if you're sat drinking coffee, you aren't earning...........:

You also need to be pretty laid back, a friendly type of person. If you get wound up, forget it!
I've had some VERY strange people in my taxi, and you have to have a BLOODY good reason to refuse them, or tell them to get out, or they complain ,and that's your license:
Add to that: assaults against drivers, (more common than they'll tell you now), runners; if someone clears off without paying, it's out of YOUR pocket!, and people who are sick in the taxi: YOU clean it out!
Any advice appreciated

It's not all black clouds: you do spend your time driving someone elses car, listening to music etc, and if your chosen employer has any "contracts" for, say, school runs, (taking naughty kids to school, paid for by local council), or other contracts, you get to do those, and they are good earners. You can also get "out of towners" like one I did to Manchester airport. A nice old couple from Jersey, paid me £50 (I got £17), and gave me a £20 tip!!:

Well, that's a bit of info to be going on with. I'm sure others will have other points. best of luck,
Alcazar

Ringpeas

Alcazar, thanks for all that, certainly made me think twice!
Grew up in S****horpe myself and there never seemed to be enough taxis about, especially when Henry Africas was kicking out
I live in Grimsby now and was talking to a mate who had just started taxi driving part time. He reckons he pays £70 a week to the company for the punters and radio and he uses his own car. With a fixed charge any extra you earn is yours so the more hours you put in the better. Not sure if this is correct/typical.

Ringpeas

Never realised Scunny was a swear word!

I have heard the sayings but........