Taxi Drivers Blame Overcrowded Industry
Taxi drivers have blamed an overcrowded industry for the town’s overworked and sometimes drowsy cabbies.
The comments came a day after the Adver published the story of a private-hire driver who fell asleep at the wheel of his car, killing his passenger.
The incident occurred on October 19 last year when the vehicle smashed into a tree in Queens Drive. The driver, Shehzad Akbar, 33, was sentenced in his absence, and is suspected to have fled to Pakistan.
Now drivers have said that passengers’ lives are being put at risk because cabbies are working double shifts to make up for higher petrol prices and fewer customers.
They also said that since the industry was deregulated in 2006 cabs have flooded the town’s roads.
The council said there are 676 private taxi licensees in town. Meanwhile the number of black cabs in Swindon has jumped from 138 in 2006 to 159.
Speaking to the Adver anonymously a 45-year-old black cab driver, who has worked as a driver here for 10 years, said: “It has become very bad since the recession. There are too many private hire cars and black cabs on the roads.
“Black cabs cost between £170 and £200 to rent so the drivers have to make that back – and then some – just to survive. That can mean working a lot of hours.
This news story is presented on www.swintontaxi.co.uk for general information purposes only, and does not necessarily reflect the official views, policy or practice of Swinton Group. All news stories are provided by and are the copyright of TM Media. Swinton Group accepts no liability for any errors or losses that may incur if the information is relied upon.
25/03/2010
Taxi drivers have blamed an overcrowded industry for the town’s overworked and sometimes drowsy cabbies.
The comments came a day after the Adver published the story of a private-hire driver who fell asleep at the wheel of his car, killing his passenger.
The incident occurred on October 19 last year when the vehicle smashed into a tree in Queens Drive. The driver, Shehzad Akbar, 33, was sentenced in his absence, and is suspected to have fled to Pakistan.
Now drivers have said that passengers’ lives are being put at risk because cabbies are working double shifts to make up for higher petrol prices and fewer customers.
They also said that since the industry was deregulated in 2006 cabs have flooded the town’s roads.
The council said there are 676 private taxi licensees in town. Meanwhile the number of black cabs in Swindon has jumped from 138 in 2006 to 159.
Speaking to the Adver anonymously a 45-year-old black cab driver, who has worked as a driver here for 10 years, said: “It has become very bad since the recession. There are too many private hire cars and black cabs on the roads.
“Black cabs cost between £170 and £200 to rent so the drivers have to make that back – and then some – just to survive. That can mean working a lot of hours.
This news story is presented on www.swintontaxi.co.uk for general information purposes only, and does not necessarily reflect the official views, policy or practice of Swinton Group. All news stories are provided by and are the copyright of TM Media. Swinton Group accepts no liability for any errors or losses that may incur if the information is relied upon.
25/03/2010
