New Standard WAVs

[mercenary for hire]

A few months ago I think.The pass rate is 75% on both modules now.Me brother sat it in February.Also ya can sit the modules separately which means if you fail one you can concentrate on the other one for up to a year.

5% is one question which may not seem like much but there are plenty of drivers who were getting close and failing.They wouldn't have softened up the exam if they didn't think it would make a difference.I sat the older 80% test about 9 years ago.Back when I was less grey and slimmer..

[vandriver]

Ah right,I sat it in October and it was 80% on both in the same sitting.

[vandriver]

As for investing in the industry, obviously us renter's haven't a red cent invested!

[mercenary for hire]

The NTA want younger lads who don't mind giving away lots of hours for slightly more than minimum wage.That was me when I started.They know we're much easier to manage as a group when we're earning shit money like during the recession.The likes of Vinny and Co. and Mytaxi want more cars than customers.When we're not chasing priority and getting up at 6am the customers suffer.Only solution is more drivers.

[Rat Catcher]

How many of the wavs with new licenses will just replace saloon licenses,though?
Are you sure that there is going to be much of a net increase in the taxi fleet?

Some will without doubt. For the most part saloon plates are lost when men retire. Ebbs seems to be letting his saloon plates lapse as he increases his WAV fleet. There's a couple of oddities in that policy. First, he went to considerable trouble and expense to incorporate his licences to circumvent non transferability regulations back in 2012 and second, he doesn't seem to be* bothering with transferring existing saloon plates to WAVs - which would allow them revert to saloon plates.

*He might be. I don't know if a new plate number is issued when one puts a current standard WAV on an existing saloon plate. Maybe someone can clarify?

[mercenary for hire]

I think he's seeing the value in renting them out separately and maybe providing affordable insurance.There still is some snobbery around driving a wheelchair van.

https://www.donedeal.ie/taxiplates-for-sale/rent-a-taxi-or-taxi-plate/18373983

http://rentataxidublin.ie/rentaplate.php

[Rat Catcher]

That would make sense.... but if the plates were rented they'd be active not lapsed

39397   TAXI   LAPSED   28/05/14   12D22981      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)            
19455   TAXI   LAPSED   18/06/14   12D25444      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
25800   TAXI   LAPSED   29/05/14   12D22961      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
39686   TAXI   LAPSED   20/06/16   12D25484      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
39685   TAXI   LAPSED   03/07/16   12D26152      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
16826   TAXI   LAPSED   13/03/18   12D25494      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)   - EXPIRED?   
41129   TAXI   LAPSED   29/06/18   12D25485      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
18863   TAXI   LAPSED   12/05/18   11D55416      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)         
16868   TAXI   LAPSED   11/11/18   11D54049      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)      
39339   TAXI   LAPSED   08/11/18   11D54048      INTERCITY CABS LTD (0)   

Judging by the fleet's occupancy rates more have been assigned to the scrapheap but will probably show as active on NTAs database until the relevant licence renewal dates.

Strange really. I woulda thought €199 for a saloon plate, insurance and app is a reasonable enough deal. A lot of drivers working for mytaxi are paying more than that in commission alone.

[mercenary for hire]

The last three on that list are now on wheelies with the same numbers but a
W instead of the T...Still doesn't add up though.

The plate 25800 is still active but no driver.Another Octavia car is on a different plate now being driven in Sligo/Leitrim.Dunno what to make of it.

[Rat Catcher]

So the letter changes but not the number when one puts a WAV on a saloon plate.

That learned, I'm gonna have to re-educate our bots when I get a chance, they're programmed to use the prefix when updating plates - not quite sure why I writ 'em that way, it was a long time ago!

[Rat Catcher]

The plate 25800 is still active but no driver.Another Octavia car is on a different plate now being driven in Sligo/Leitrim.Dunno what to make of it.

I'm getting no plate or car for 25800 on TfI app - which is primarily what our bots scrape.

12D25485 is on Plate 35198. Pat musta bought the car. I recall someone posting an ad with some ex ebbs Octys for sale.

[mercenary for hire]

Dunno how I got that wrong but 12d25494 is now on plate 30056.Some local lad from Cavan..

[Rat Catcher]

So at least two Octys bought by taximen. I was half thinking of buying one myself. I think they were looking for 4 large. I remember convincing myself that an ex Ebbs taxi is most definitely an ex taxi... maybe I was wrong? I'm going to be rightly pissed off if they stay licensed until 2022!

[mercenary for hire]

They probably didn't realise they were cabs.I doubt the salesperson would say anything.

[mercenary for hire]

I see in the latest Mytaxi newsletter they're patting themselves on the back because they've gotten 100 drivers through the exam.And I still haven't won driver of the month.Loadabollix.

[Rat Catcher]

Only asking 4k for a 12D diesel Octy presumably with high mileage... hard to imagine any taximan worth his salt wouldn't join those dots. I'd say they're just lads who thought they were worth a gamble.