Taxi Hailings or Flag Downs

Taxi Hailings or Flag Downs

As Taxi Drivers working from various Taxi Ranks throughout the area we also rely on Flagdowns in much the same way as a private hire driver hopes for a return booking.It helps to decrease dead mileage and improves the productivity of the job,nobody wants to drive around empty be they Hack or Private Hire.

In recent years the numbers of Flagdowns has declined so much so that new drivers don’t know what one is and are incredulous when someone on the street puts their hand out,I’ve even known new drivers to pass them by,thinking they had to return to the Rank.

It is actually the right of a Taxi Driver to be able to stop and pick up a fare who is hailing them he also has a legal obligation to stop when being hailed if he is travelling in his own operating area,i.e.the area he is licenced to ply for hire from and with his ‘For Hire light illuminated.

The Increase in numbers of Private Hire over the last few years has led to large operators employing the use of computerised dispatch systems utilising the GPS system,which is great,very efficient.To enable this system to work well, an operators cars are zoned out around the area. These cars sit in their zones,dotted all around Tyneside.So the public sees what it perceives to be Taxis sitting on every street corner, ergo no need to flag one down. (Not an accusation,Pure Logic at work!)

The numbers of Private Hire are increasing and I believe (Cos I’ve got ears and I’m in the Trade) that their work is dropping off aswell. So why so many? You tell me!

The numbers of Hacks have also doubled over the last few years, Why? There are half the nightclubs there were 15 years ago,every family has three cars,there’s a good Metro system,the town centres are not what they used to be because of out of town shopping, when they go out of town shopping they buy a hundred cans of beer for tuppence each and go home to watch sky. Meanwhile 200 Hacks try to sit on 8 Rank spaces on South Parade in Whitley Bay wondering where everybody is. Yes!Yes! I know it looks busy because there’s lot’s of people on the street but they are all staying at Hotels on South Parade.

The way to guage how busy it is is to notice the lack of Hacks, when we are busy we are not sitting in a long,long,long line and we are always sitting in a long line.

We should be coming to work early evening and not stop until the early hours, that’s how it used to be!!….. TOOMANYTAXIS!!! Give me some Comments on this, Hacks & Private Hire alike Because there’s too many of you aswell and it’s not your Fault. Somebody out there knows whose fault it is….