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Taxi drivers becoming a problem?

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I sometimes get a taxi home with friends but I've never seen that happen before. If so, it's pretty scandalous...it's a quick way off adding £3 on to the journey!

 

You're probably right about the reasons for wanting short journeys though.

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I sometimes get a taxi home with friends but I've never seen that happen before. If so, it's pretty scandalous...it's a quick way off adding £3 on to the journey!

 

You're probably right about the reasons for wanting short journeys though.

 

Whilst I can understand the £3 extra per journey, is there enough business for taxi drivers to warrant them turning down the longer/more expensive fares?

 

When I first started going down town 25 years ago it would often be a problem trying to catch a taxi, but since the Council increased the number of licences these days there seem to be far more taxis than fares.

 

I suppose shorter trips are better earners for taxi drivers if they can keep picking up their fares relatively quickly, but if they're waiting for 20 minutes between fares then I would have thought a high earning long distance fare would be better for them.

 

It would be interesting to hear from a taxi driver.

 

Regards

 

Doom

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In the busy evenings I think they prefer the shorter trips, there's more people wondering around at that time that are likely to catch a taxi so you can do lots of little runs between bars and clubs.

 

During the day they do prefer the longer trips.

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Why a black cab? They cost more anyway. Just call Mercury or City, your car will be there in minutes and you can wait inside until it comes.

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In the busy evenings I think they prefer the shorter trips, there's more people wondering around at that time that are likely to catch a taxi so you can do lots of little runs between bars and clubs.

 

During the day they do prefer the longer trips.

 

Shouldn't matter what time of day it is. A paying passenger should be taken whether it be a short or long distance run you take the good jobs with the bad jobs that's how it should be. Any driver refusing the job just because he could possibly make more money from other jobs shouldn't be doing the job. I have done all kinds of jobs over the years (No Taxi Driving as yet). One particular job I've done i was paid for how many delivery's i made sometimes i could make 15 delivery's in 1 hour as they was all close together £15 sometimes i might only make 5 as they were distances between them £5 i didn't refuse to make the delivery's as i could make more money from shorter delivery's even though had that option i was self-employed & only had to do the work i wanted to do. As I've said you take the good jobs with the bad jobs.

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Killamarsh is in North East Derbyshire, not Sheffield. Traditionally there were signs in black cabs advising that the driver may request up front payment for journeys that cross the county boundary.

 

That said when I've shared taxis with friends from Dronfield and Holmesfield with a first drop in Bradway I've never had problems.

 

In fact I've never had a problem as a passenger although looking at the performance on West Street the cab drivers do seem to be a law unto themselves causing chaos for other traffic.

 

The answer for you may be private hire cars. Download the Mercury taxis app to your smart phone and you can summons a car quite easily - I use it quite regularly!

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Glad this has been brought up, I think the state of taxis in Sheffield City centre at night is appauling.

 

Occasion after occasion me and friends have trouble getting one home (stocksbridge or sometimes even hillsbrough)

 

not to mention the horrendous way a lot of taxis drive or just totally ignore the rules of the road

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Don't work nights ...prefer to work only day time...

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As per thread title: "Taxi drivers becoming a problem?"

 

You only just noticed this? They're a menace to everyone. I suspect the majority do not even understand the Highway Code, know what bus stops are for and are generally unpleasant

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As per thread title: "Taxi drivers becoming a problem?"

 

You only just noticed this? They're a menace to everyone. I suspect the majority do not even understand the Highway Code, know what bus stops are for and are generally unpleasant

 

A taxi is allowed to set down and pick up on yellow lines or at a bus lay bye rather than block the highway.( i do.)

And for the record there are still some decent un's of us left.

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HHmmmm. Those are all quite far out. I wonder if there is less profit in those trips? Yes they make money on the way out but then they have to get back into Sheffield for their next fare.

 

Maybe I'm being cynical:?

 

You are spot on . In the time it would take to go out there for a £15-20 fare and back could probably do 7 short £4/5 runs in city centre.

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On a number of occasions after a night out with friends I've struggled to get a taxi. Hackney carriages will turn up and either refuse to take me due to the distance or they'll refuse to put the meter on and demand extra money.

 

Now I'm sure that being a taxi driver is hard work and you have to deal with some less than desirable characters, but surely drivers rejecting to take people home is a concern for Sheffield City Council?

 

I'm always happy to pay the fare up front (I live in Killamarsh so it's a bit further out), but only on the condition that the driver puts the meter on. The moment I mention this they refuse to take me, and I know a lot of other people who suffer the same treatment.

 

Hackney carriages licences state that drivers cannot refuse to accept a fare unless it is out of their licensing jurisdication...unless they have reason to believe that you cannot pay the fare. Surely handing the money over at the start of the journey shows you have the means to pay, so how can they refuse?

 

I don't think the council are putting enough time into enforcing the rules...and it makes Sheffield a more dangerous place to go. Imagine if a young girl was refused a taxi home and then got attacked? There'd be uproar.

 

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

If you have any taxi driver refusing to use his meter report him to the council, as all trips need to be recorded on the meter.

as for the way taxi drivers abuse the rules of the road I think if all instances were noted and acted upon the council would be in credit very quickly from the fines it would gain, but then the roads would be clear of taxis as they wouldn't be afford to afford to work

safer streets in Sheffield all round.

now all we need to do is do something about stagecoach bus drivers......

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