Private hire taxi drivers fear that an overcrowded industry will not only lead to lower revenues for drivers, but an overall worse experience for customers.
An article in the Swindon Advertiser, states that some cab drivers believe the state of the industry may even be a risk to passenger’s lives. As drivers work twice as many hours to make up for a lack of customers (a result of the the overcrowding) it’s understandable that their senses become softened and they may begin to feel tired on the job.
Drivers believe that the deregulation of private hire taxis in 2006 is the cause of the large increase in private hire vehicles on the road.
However, a report from the Office of Fair Trading indicates that restricting the number of cabs on the road only encouraged illegal taxis to fill the gap, whilst reducing the quality of service that the public receives.
In the north of England, private hire cabs are also facing trouble. A spot check on 28 private taxis in Bolton, led to more than half of the vehicles having their licence revoked, for various reasons — some licence related and some due to vehicle defects.
If you drive a private hire taxi, the Quotiva Network can help you find private hire insurance quotes, no matter where you’re based.
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