A ‘RESETTING’ of minicab prices across the sector is a ‘necessity’ to help recruit new drivers
A ‘RESETTING’ of private hire fare prices across the sector has been called a vital ‘necessity’ should operators wish to recruit new drivers by industry representatives.
The calls came during the Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA) Road Show held last week at Heathrow Airport.
Steve Wright, LPHCA Chairman, who was sitting on a panel discussing key issues effecting the industry said: “We all know why the fares have gone through the floor. The disrupters. It is not the industry that has put the fares through the floor, it is the disrupters having given away trips and what have you.
“Now they are charging obscene prices.”
Wright added: “I can’t believe that I’ve been an operator for twenty odd years and people are still out there charging fares LESS than what I was charging twenty years ago.”
Speaking to the room, Wright finally added: “We’ve got to seriously think about getting the price that sits less than the disrupters. Because we are actually getting taxi companies saying ‘actually we’re getting business now because some private hire is dearer’.
“There does need to be a resetting in the industry.”
Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Organiser, was also speaking as part of the same panel and suggested the private hire market had been ‘suppressed’ for years.
During the pandemic the taxi and private hire received little industry specific funding, forcing drivers to look for other work during the pandemic. Licensed driver and vehicle numbers have dropped significantly meaning in some cases the pent-up demand cannot be met.
