One side of the argument it is a rip off and they are just cashing in on the period and the other side saying other people get paid double time so why not us. To be honest I think that both sides have a point and I think there is a solution.
To explain I will use a recent example of a taxi from Wigan to Standish. The normal fare is £10 and last night it was double so it was £20. So I can see why people think that this is steep. But surely it is fair that the driver of the taxi to get double time like other professions.
So here is my solution. Out of the £10 fare 40% of that is the wage part of the fare. This is £4. The other £6 is for petrol and other associated running costs. So it is unfair to ask a customer to pay double for the petrol, as that doesn't cost the taxi company double at the pumps. So double the wage part of the fare. This was £4 so that will make it £8 and then keep the £6 for the running cost the same, as there is no extra charge for the taxi company.
Under this solution the fare would be £14 instead of the £20 but still allows the driver to get double time. I believe this is a solution and I will be writing to the Council to ask about this proposal and if we can bring this in and be a leading Council in this area.
Why wont you allow the people to comment on this subject?
ReplyDeleteYour talking complete and utter garbage what about the driver that is lucky to make £2 an hour through january when it is completely dead.
ReplyDeleteOn the first reply as you can see by the fact that you have had your comment posted that posts are allowed on this subject and others.
ReplyDeleteOn the second post I can only assume that you think it is OK to overcharge people just because January is quite. With you only complaining about January being quiet I assume the other 11 months must be OK. There are plenty of industry which would love to have just one quiet month over the 12 months.
Sorry I can't see the justification for overcharging people. The solution does the driver no injustice as they still get double pay.
I hate taxi companies ripping us off at this time off year. Glad you have a serious and sensible idea whereby the drivers don't lose their double time wage but people don't get charge twice for petrol.
ReplyDeleteWin win situation.
"posts are allowed on this subject and others"
ReplyDeleteStop talking rubbish Cllr Fairhurst, if you don't like what someone says on your blog it doesn't go up and WE ALL know it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteObviously if someone tries to publish swear or inflammatory language I do not allow that. Surely that is common sense?
DeleteJust seen this link on Facebook. Great idea I wonder why it has not been mentioned before or if there has but for some red tape reason it can't be done.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this has been thought of before and if so if there was a reason why it wasn't done but I will be doing some research into the matter.
DeleteThanks for the kind words.
There is a basic problem with your idea, in that, any driver on a percentage pay, takes 40% of their earnings for the whole night. So, if for example, you are charged £14 instead if £20 then the driver will only get 40% of that extra £4 which equates to £1.60. Therefore, the only way fro the driver to be paid double is to double the original fare.Add to this that most offices will charge the owner of the vehicle at least 1.5 x the normal 'settle' charge. I'e always said that it basically boils down to this: How much is it worth for you to not have to walk home from Wigan town centre to (to use your example, Standish) at daft o'clock in close-to-freezing temperatures? How long would it take to walk home factoring in the not-walking-in-a-straight line? It's a simple choice, know that you are going to face these extra charges and accept it, try supporting your local pub to save it being turned into a restaurant, or stay at home. No-one forces you out at christmas. Speaking of being out, people always drink more over the festive period and as statistics show, behaviour etc dramatically changes with alcohol consumption.
DeleteThe discussion that you make about the taxi driver gets 40% of the total fare so if we went with my example the £10 becoming £14 then the taxi driver would get £5.60 and not the £8. It is is an extremely good point and if the Council took this on board your argument shows that there would have been tight wording to make sure that the money went to the driver, thanks for the information as it is good, useful and most of all important that we protect the wage.
DeleteGareth
ReplyDelete1. What planet are you living on?
2. No one minds paying the fair for the time of year
3. start clamping down on the taxis coming in to our town? who do not no where they are going when they pick you up? ( long way round syndrome)
4. There are taxi companies employing these people in Wigan from Yorkshire for gods sake! and working and sleeping in their taxis. all because they can earn a lot of money in Wigan.
the petrol situation has nothing to do with your argument? this is a government issue.
lower the VAT.
AND THAT IS DOWN TO THE PEOPLE WE ELECT .SO THINK CLOSELY MR COUNCILOR WHEN YOU REQUIRE RE-ELECTION
Answer to question
Delete1/ Planet Earth
2/ Why are there so much people complaining on social media?
3/ Good point and I am with you there
4/ Working and sleeping in the cars should not be allowed.
The petrol element has something to do with it has when you charge a fare some of that is for petrol, unless you get yours free. In fact I would suspect with the high duty we pay on our fuel this is quite a large part of the fare too.
As for re-election given that I have had tremendous response from jo public this is a vote winner, if I was thinking of an election.