IN THE NEWS...IN THE NEWS..


NEW BARROWTAXI FIRM SET UP BY DRIVERS MADE UNEMPLOYED BY PANDEMIC


A group of taxi drivers from Barrow who have been made unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic have got together to create their own co-opera- tive taxi firm. According to Lancs Live, Brian White, 47, who has twenty year’s taxi driving experience, launch- ed Coastal Cars on May 22 with nine other taxi drivers. The group had all worked for A1 Taxis based on Rawlinson Street. Brian said: “Sadly the boss decided to shut down so there were no health risks


to any of us. We’ve been off work for weeks and it’s meant forty lads out of work. “The time has allowed for some of us to set up as we want however, it’s almost like going back to factory set- tings and we’re doing it our own way. We’re our own bosses. Instead of the likes of radio rental we just ask for contribution costs towards the bills, operator wage etc. There’s no skimming the top.” The firm is taking strict safety mea- sures regarding


Seven of the ten Barrow taxi drivers


customer health and limiting passengers to the back seat. It’s also ensuring con- stant cleaning of all cars and is encour- aging contactless payments where possible. In order to get the business off the ground during hard


times, the communi- ty has rallied around. Michael Hoad, who set up the Corner Shop in Barrow, offered to pay for flyers and distribute them when he got wind of the idea. Street Cars on Dalkeith Street has offered the new


firm some space to rent to help with the taxi operator licence and one local has offered to help as an operator for free whilst the business gets going. Brian said: “I’d just like to thank every- one who’s helped us. I think everyone knows we’re all good lads who are nice and polite and our cus- tomers have always known that too. “We don’t want to take any custom off any other taxi firms but there may be people there who used to use A1, or other firms that have had to close


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and don’t know about us. “Also, if there’s any- one out there who wants to come and work with us please get in touch. If there’s anyone who has lost their job or is perhaps sick of being ripped off, these are hard times and we can help each other. Age, race, gender, we wel- come everybody.” In keeping with the company’s slogan, ‘ride the wave’, the drivers are hoping to raise some money for charity in the future which will involve


along the beach.


surfing


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