Survey reveals sharp drop in taxis after dark...

[Rat Catcher]

Everyone gets BTWEA as far as I know. I certainly wasn't asked about my immigration status when I got it. Similarly we all got €350/week PUP from Dr. Leo before Meehaul phased it out... and then there was PTSE.

Given the obvious shortage of cabs at night why aren't Free Now allowed to offer cut price unmarked taxis like it does in London?

[John m]

Everyone gets BTWEA as far as I know. I certainly wasn't asked about my immigration status when I got it. Similarly we all got €350/week PUP from Dr. Leo before Meehaul phased it out... and then there was PTSE.

Given the obvious shortage of cabs at night why aren't Free Now allowed to offer cut price unmarked taxis like it does in London?

I already said that .If the Goodbody is the Blueprint for the Future and most of its other recommendations have been proceeded with .Is the Prime time half a plate idea still being considered it could be policed by App only pickups or prebooking only ? Note what the Survey says lack of NIGHT TIME Taxis not Lack of taxis .

[silverbullet]

Everyone gets BTWEA as far as I know. I certainly wasn't asked about my immigration status when I got it. Similarly we all got €350/week PUP from Dr. Leo before Meehaul phased it out... and then there was PTSE.

Given the obvious shortage of cabs at night why aren't Free Now allowed to offer cut price unmarked taxis like it does in London?

When did you get BTWEA?

Bring back cosies!!

[Rat Catcher]

You can get a cut price unmarked cab from Free Now at any time in London, erm. They're not restricted to certain shifts. I guess the challenge is to come up with something that might attract more drivers to the trade. Restricted participation is unlikely to achieve that. To be fair to Free Now it seems most new entrants are introduced via it's extensive recruitment programme with it's training courses run in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India providing a very significant percentage of new drivers. The question, I guess, is could it achieve even more if it could offer lower entry costs.

1994 I think, SB.... for four years @ 100, 75, 50 & 25% of normal dole.

[silverbullet]

You can get a cut price unmarked cab from Free Now at any time in London, erm. They're not restricted to certain shifts. I guess the challenge is to come up with something that might attract more drivers to the trade. Restricted participation is unlikely to achieve that. To be fair to Free Now it seems most new entrants are introduced via it's extensive recruitment programme with it's training courses run in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India providing a very significant percentage of new drivers. The question, I guess, is could it achieve even more if it could offer lower entry costs.

1994 I think, SB.... for four years @ 100, 75, 50 & 25% of normal dole.

I'm thinking of John Major in reverse. He ran away from a circus to join an accountancy firm!

Back then we were all on the dole. Nothing was said, sure even taxis were driving around Drumcondra emblazoned with election posters for Fianna Faíl and Bertie Ahern.

They thought they were a protected species!

[Rat Catcher]

Yeah it was when you were caught your wan down the dole office gave you the BTWEA forms an leaflets, suggesting you have a read of the same while she prepared for subsequent discussion. End result was you had to go to The Northside Partnership and get your form stamped or you only got three years @ 75, 50 & 25%.... or you could try the non-cooperative route and get fuck all, I guess!

[silverbullet]

Yeah it was when you were caught your wan down the dole office gave you the BTWEA forms an leaflets, suggesting you have a read of the same while she prepared for subsequent discussion. End result was you had to go to The Northside Partnership and get your form stamped or you only got three years @ 75, 50 & 25%.... or you could try the non-cooperative route and get fuck all, I guess!

In my crowd, it was give IR£300 to a certain member of the carriage office and an IRA "influencer" who would ask a cursory question like "Do ya know what the cause is?" and hey presto,  a SPSV was  yours.

But then your man was caught, and almost every f**ker in Checkers was put on the BTWEA scheme. Only a few ended up doing serious sentences for drug related issues!

[Rat Catcher]

The SPSV test had a 99.9999999999999998% pass rate back then. Give it back to the Gardai, I say.

[silverbullet]

The SPSV test had a 99.9999999999999998% pass rate back then. Give it back to the Gardai, I say.

They had it...alongside SF/IRA. There's no pleasing some!

[Bob Shillin]

The SPSV test had a 99.9999999999999998% pass rate back then. Give it back to the Gardai, I say.

What about your "client duty of care"?

[Rat Catcher]

Add a practical advanced driving test every two years... including a 3 hour independent driving section under the guidance of a satellite navigation device.

[taxi1990]

OR
 Mental health issues .Not referring to anybody in particular but you might find yourself included in here .

Covid was an eye opener .Lads who worked 60 .70,80,hours a week thinking they were great providers .Suddenly realized the household could survive nicely on Covid Coin and they were only fooling themselves bursting their bollox to subsidze adult children and a fancy new car for themselves or herself .

lads who use to escape the Gaff and the Kids and herself by going to work .Reconnected with families they virtually ignored .

Lads who realized they really were only a cash Cow to families that never had much respect for them only their coin .Sitting for months on end with disrespectful kids and partners .


A lot of other jobs and trades suffered from the aftershock of Covid Lockdown so why not taxi drivers ? Lads who carried on like idiots covering 50% off jobs for an App company who got pushed back when the New Normal arrived .Like a lot of Older Workers in other Industries who thought the Job would close down without them suddenly realized they are only a Number irrelevant in the great scheme of things and could be replaced or done without .

No help has been offered to Drivers to deal with Mental Health Issues .The chances are more lads are working days because its less solitary more things happening as opposed to night time work which is depressing for most trades .Didnt hear the NTA or Me Taxi or any Reps saying anything about drivers mental health .


Then you hear no younger Drivers entering the Trade .Why would they .The 9 year non 9 year rule .The Subsidies for some operators over other operators a disjointed public transport system that may or may not put busses on the road 24/7 to compete with you .Rent a Bike,rent a Car possible Rideshare and entry restrictions on certain streets and roads .AI that promises driverless cars .Why would any young person ever consider Taxi Driving as a potential career .

I know of someone who became a taxi driver to meet a woman to marry. it worked and then he quit the trade. They should push that as a reason to become a taxi driver.    or a reason not be become one maybe. 

[Cool Boola]

I had a dark taxi but no one noticed it in the dark