We all have to reconsider our options. Like it or not there is a cloud looming over all business types that rely on transport as there means of income.
An Age Limit?
One of the biggest issues the Taxi & Private Hire trade faces is the “Fast, Cheap & Dirty” operator. I have seen it many times in the 25 years I have run a taxi – Joe Bloggs buys a £1,500 12+ year old car with 130k miles already on the clock, advertises himself as the cheapest in town, as a result has to undertake twice the work load as everyone else just to earn the same money and has to drive around like Micheal Schumacher to do it, whilst pumping twice the pollution into the air as everyone else, runs prices down to stupidly unsustainable levels and then quits the trade after a year or so when his car blows up leaving the rest of the trade to pick up the pieces.
Healthy competition is good in any business, but UNHEALTHY competition is bad for everyone!
Is an age limit the answer? Yes it is. Ten years is not an unreasonable age limit to set, it does not set the vehicles available outside the financial reach of the sensible Taxi or Private Hire operator, but it does force the “Fast, Cheap and Dirty opportunist” to take the business seriously and take a practical, responsible and professional approach to setting up his/her operation.
We are very fortunate that despite Cornwall being geographically one of the largest regulatory authorities in England, Cornwall Council is taking a very responsible approach to regulating the Taxi & Private Hire trade by maintaining the current Numerical Limit Policy in the areas that need it, and maintaining harmonised vehicle conditions for all, in order to protect and preserve the delicate and valuable transport infrastructure that we provide, and adding a 10 year age limit to this regulation could be a very big step in improving that protection by continuing to ensure a fair & level playing field for a responsible and viable Taxi & Private Hire trade that is fit for the future, whilst addressing the need for vehicle standards to stay current with modern technology.
Alternative vehicle technologies are not quite there yet, and should not be forced upon us until they are, but a 10 year age limit will ensure that the trade stays current as and when viable alternatives do become available.
Also, as those of us already licensed in the trade have 5 years to prepare for this change, no panic is required for existing operators!