IN THE NEWS
FIVE BEDFORD PH FIRMS AGREE TO INCREASE FARES AND INTRODUCE WEEKEND UPLIFT DUE TO DRIVER SHORTAGES
Five of Bedford’s private hire compa- nies facing a shortage of drivers have said they’ve been left with no choice but to increase fares. Bedford Today reports that the firms - 24-7 Cars, A1 Cars, Key Cars, Direct Cars, and Anglia Cars - have been struggling with increased fuel prices and a shortage of drivers due to the pandemic - and say they have no alter- native but to raise fares on their private hire vehicles.
Speaking on their behalf, Abdul Khalid, from 24-7 Cars, said: “We’re experienc- ing a massive shortage of drivers in Bedford after the pandemic. “The issue is so serious that for the first time, all the five operators met to dis- cuss the issues and it was unanimously agreed that the main reason for drivers not coming back to the trade was that
the trade was not profitable for the self-employed drivers anymore. “A lot of drivers are now working as delivery drivers for the likes of Just Eat or Uber Eats, who pay the drivers more than our fares to most places. “We’re having to give hour-long waits, which is something we’ve never had to do before. “A lot of drivers have packed up or gone into other businesses. The taxi trade was at a complete standstill because people weren’t moving around. Now the demand is back to normal, but we’ve got fewer drivers. “We compared our fares to other towns and Bedford is way below.” They are hoping to attract more self- employed drivers back into the trade - but say in order for that to happen, fares will have to be increased in line
with the increases in inflation of the years.
But - as Mr Khalid added: “Obviously this cannot be done in one go and would have to be a gradual increase. The five firms will also apply a 50 per cent uplift on all fares on Friday and Saturday nights 10pm to 5am. Mr Khalid explained: “During the busy late-night periods, it is very difficult to get the self-employed drivers to work the unsociable hours, meaning even longer wait times at these times as well. “To overcome this issue, we have all decided to apply a fare uplift on Friday and Saturday nights, which started on 29 October. This is normal across the country but Bedford firms had avoided passing on the additional cost to cus- tomers until now.”
DARLINGTON TAXI DRIVER LOSES LIVELIHOOD OVER A BROKEN BULB
A Darlington taxi driver has had his licence suspended because an indica- tor light on his wing mirror is broken. According to the Northern Echo, Alan Grieve, a taxi driver for 27 years, said: “They voided [the MoT] even though there was two months left on it because of an indicator light on the mirror on the side of the car. Nobody looks at that, everyone looks at the main light. The repeater in that is not working, so they’ve suspended me indefinitely. “I’ve been in touch with Mercedes and because of Covid and everything else there’s nothing coming into the coun- try – they don’t know when they can get another one. “So, they’ve [Darlington Council] basi- cally taken my livelihood away for an indefinite time, all over a silly little bulb. “The last time the car was in six months ago they failed me on a tiny number
DECEMBER 2021
nobody knows when they’re going to get this repeater mirror in, it could be months, it could be days, it could be weeks.
plate light, a tiny little light again. It’s almost like they enjoy doing it, they’re picking on us. “That was six months ago. It’s failed the MoT as well as the council’s bi-annual test. After speaking to the council I explained I don’t know when I can get another one and if I can it’s got to be painted because they don’t come colour coordinated now. “They only come in a matt finish, but
“But the council just turned around and said you’re suspended immediately – for a bulb.” Mr Grieve was not aware the bulb had broken as the car did not alert him on the dashboard. He said: “My livelihood has gone com- pletely I’ve got no other source of income all over a bulb. How can they take a man’s living away with Christmas round the corner as well?” A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: “We have to comply with the law and this vehicle was sus- pended as it failed its MoT because the wing mirror indicator was not working. “This has been a legal requirement in the UK since 1986 so would automati- cally fail an MoT if not working.”
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