Cabbies driven out of work as rising fuel costs hit taxi trade

Published on Friday 18 July 2008 10:44

DOZENS of struggling cabbies are leaving the city's taxi trade in the face of spiralling fuel costs.

Key figures from the cab industry today revealed how drivers are turning their back on the trade with the economic downturn, fuel prices and tram roadworks being blamed.

It is understood a number of cabbies are retraining as bus drivers, while others who have passed the city's taxi examination are choosing not to take up work.

And with fuel prices up by a third in the last year alone, drivers are also now sticking to the ranks rather than cruising the streets looking for fares.

Council chiefs have agreed to a 20p rise on all starting fares after pleas from the trade but taxi drivers have called for a wider review of fares to get under way. The most recent fares review took place last November, when prices were frozen at May 2006 levels.

Murray Fleming, secretary of Central Radio Cabs, said: "There has been a definite change over the last few months. There are more and more shifts available and a lot of the guys are struggling to get cover for holidays.

"It is the first time I can recall in my time in the trade that we have seen significant numbers leaving.

"The other thing we have noticed is that a lot of the guys who have gone through their taxi brief have decided to stay in their current jobs for now.

"I think there is a public perception that cabbies are all rolling in it, but there hasn't been a fares increase since 2006 and they don't have the fringe benefits of normal jobs, such as sick pay."

Taxi fares currently start at 1.50 before 6pm on weekdays, and 2.50 at night and at weekends, rising in increments of 25p based on time and distance.

Although the taxi fares review is likely to begin by the end of this year, the council has no legal obligation to carry out another review until May next year.

Eric Shade, chairman of the Edinburgh Taxi Association, which has close to 400 members, said: "There has definitely been a slip in the numbers of drivers operating.

"Those I've spoken to who have left have just quit the trade completely.

"It is particularly hard at the moment and it is not just the fuel prices.

"You have a general economic downturn and when you throw in the roadworks, then people are just thinking it's not worth it.

"The fuel costs are really hurting – this is why you are not seeing people cruising for fares because it is just not economical to do so."

Phil Capaldi, a city taxi driver for 25 years, said: "You definitely can't afford to go cruising around like you could in the old days.

"A lot of the guys are just parking up at the ranks now and that can cause problems because of the space available."