NYE on the Gold Coast

Shift was a bit down on fares and $$$ earned compared to last year. I grossed $660 on the meter from 3pm to 3am. 29 jobs done in total. Four ‘no jobs’ during the night.

I started at 3pm, went to the Airport to get my first job at 3.45pm, with a $60 job up to Southport. My taxi is a sedan - Camry. On the Gold Coast we only get 45% of metered takings. We pay $5 Insurance on each shift. In the NYE wash-up, I have heard a lot of Maxis were up around $800-$900 with another $200 in the pocket from “cashies.” Good luck to them.

Towards the end of the shift, the difficulty here is you can’t restrict the MTData system to help you head closer to your C/Over point (the depot) in your last hour. And as the Tele-ops here don’t take destinations, you have to ignore the dispatch system and all the work waiting and drive back empty to the ranks in Surfers or Broadbeach. Then you have to plead for a job with the rank attendants that is heading in your C/O direction. Sadly there are no rank marshals at the Jupiters Casino, something well overdue, but ignored and overlooked for ages by both managements.

But a trouble free night for me... everyone was nice, and friendly - Got smooched twice!. Tips exceeded $50.

Gold Coast Cabbie.
Name and address supplied

We are screwed boys

I would like to comment on the December article: New hire car app a threat to our livelihood.

I have got a feeling that these apps are going to be one of the last nails in the taxi industry’s coffin.

Few days ago I had a time booking for an airport run at GM Holden office in Port Melbourne. I turned up little bit earlier and while I was waiting for my passenger some bloke came to me asking if I was free.

Then he tried to hail a couple passing cabs, but they were engaged too.

Then he took his iPhone ... quick finger work ... and ... hey presto!

In about 5 minutes a car turned up. No, not a limo or long wheelbase. A very ordinary Commodore VE Sedan with very ordinary private number plates. The driver (well, he was wearing a white shirt though) asked this bloke “Are you so-and-so?” Bloke goes “Yes” and gets in the car and off they went!

And me watching this and thinking “WHATTA?”

We are screwed, boys, screwed.

Love ya mag

D Neborak
Bentleigh VIC

Living in hope

I have read with interest the November and December issues of OzCabbie, in particular your article on morning tea with Fels and Carl the Cabbie’s criticisms of Fels.

I have a different view of Fels and his Inquiry. I am hopeful that significant reform for drivers will come out of the Inquiry!

As a driver for 17 years, albeit not full-time, I see an industry which is profitable for taxi plate owners (why else would they cost $490,000!), but which provides a pitiful income to drivers. Yesterday, I earned $113 (inc GST) for a 12 hour shift.

In my view, the core of the problem is the “traditional” 50:50 split (now more commonly 48:52) in takings between the driver and owner. Not only do drivers receive a meagre income, but they have no entitlement to the standard employment conditions of sick pay, holiday pay, long service leave or superannuation. My submission to the Inquiry reflects this view.

The Taxi industry recently went to the Melbourne Herald-Sun claiming that the Government needed to increase taxi fares, so that drivers could be paid more. They said that otherwise there would be a shortage of cabs over the holiday period due to driver shortage. They even got the Victoria Police to say how bad it would be if there were not enough cabs on the road. Fels correctly responded that the taxi industry is profitable and that owners could pay drivers more any time they like. They don’t need the passengers to pay more for that to happen. I agree with him.

I was invited to the Driver Forum but could not attend. I did attend an earlier session attended by about 6 drivers who had made submissions to the Inquiry. I felt that Fels and his staff listened attentively to the views of drivers.

We will all await the outcomes of the Inquiry with great expectation!

Phil Lipshut
Elsternwick, VIC

Enough is enough

For over 20yrs I have been taking people here & there around the Brisbane district, but if the current rate of income continues, I’m afraid there will be one less Australian driving taxis very soon. My income has dropped to less than half of what it was ten years ago. I keep getting ripped off by passengers and the companies by way of under-quoting jobs, or having work go over the top of me, or vanishing from what is supposed to be a very advanced computer system, and all the different excuses under the sun for it occurring.

Then there are fare evasions. Even if I know where the cheats are, report them to the nearest cop shop and they are caught, I still don’t get the money owed to me; trust me, I have had quite a number of them caught over the years.

I have even been in touch with my local member but to no avail. Yet with fare evaders on public transport e.g. bus and train, the authorities go all out to prosecute and fine them, but not for us. Why does the government dislike cabbies so much, to me it’s almost like racism. In any case, unless by some miracle my income begins to increase, I am getting out of this industry.

M Bennett
Brisbane QLD