# Becoming a taxi driver?



## Sophia2457 (16 Dec 2006)

Hi

My husband is thinking of going into the taxi business in the New Year.

We know what he needs to do - psv licence etc but we have a few questions :

What year/type of car would be besteg - would an '03 saloon be best or should he go for wheelchair accessible (or maybe that's better for hackney work which isnt what he wants)

How many hours would he need to work a week approx to cover new car, insurance, running costs etc and make a few bob?

Has anyone bought a taxi from www.taxitaxi.ie and would this be a good idea?

He has 2 penalty points for speeding - will this discount him from becoming a taxi driver?

Thanks for your patience...it's a big decision and we'd appreciate your advice.


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## ClubMan (16 Dec 2006)

He should do up a business plan which should help answer some of the questions above and determine whether or not the venture is viable and on what basis (e.g. what sort of hours).


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## z107 (16 Dec 2006)

As well as the finance side of things, maybe he should also see if taxiing is his bag - He might hate it.

Is there anyway he could do hackneying for a couple of months first to try it out?


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## tinkerbell (17 Dec 2006)

Go along to your local garda station and have a chat with them about the points.  Apply anyways and see what happens.  If they recommend him he will probably be ok.  There is a great need for wheelchair accessible taxis.


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## Sophia2457 (17 Dec 2006)

Thanks, everyone for the suggestions.

Clubman, could you suggest a link to a template for a business plan he could use, you see neither of us come from a business background so we wouldn't know where to start.

As for trying out hackneying, a great idea, we'd have to invest in the car anyway before he could try it out, so at that stage we're pretty much committed.

Tinkerbell - when you say 'apply anyways' do you mean apply for a psv licence? Why should the gardai recommend him if he has points? Not being smart!!

I'd love to talk to someome who actually runs a taxi and how stressful it is - also do you just get car, plate, licence, sign etc and present yourself at the local rank and hope for the best? Is there ant advantage in getting a whellchair accessible vehicle and can a taxi work for a hackney firm as seems to happen in my locality?

Thanks again for your forebearance!


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## Froggie (17 Dec 2006)

There are companies that rent out the cars with all the hardware, I am sure they also provide advice. I would say that might be a good option to consider as capital layout initially would be lower so you havent dug yourself in too deep, so if you end up hating the job you might just loose a deposit. Check out the back of the evening papers.


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## Sophia2457 (17 Dec 2006)

Thanks, Froggie

We've already looked into taxitaxi as I mentioned earlier - I think you need to spend about €350 - €400 basic rental per week with them before running costs,

Onviously they do this for a profit, so I wonder if we would be paying way over the odds, tho it does give you a chance to get the feel of it.

Any taxi drivers out there, or people who know of others who changed to this career?

Thanks


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## ClubMan (17 Dec 2006)

Sophia2457 said:


> Clubman, could you suggest a link to a template for a business plan he could use, you see neither of us come from a business background so we wouldn't know where to start.


I don't really have a "business background" either. I've always been an employee. Try your local enterprise development board for advice.


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## Froggie (17 Dec 2006)

Have a look at Enterprise Ireland's site. 
http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/StartBusiness/Advice/BusinessPlan.htm


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## Sophia2457 (18 Dec 2006)

Froggie, you're very good to go to the trouble but I took one look at the contents page of the 19 page template and nearly fainted!!

Confidentiality Agreement     ii

1)             Executive Summary               1
2)             Company Description          2
_Promoters, shareholders and Board                2_
_Advisors                2_
_Products and services                2_
_Long Term Aim of Business                2_
_Objectives                2_
_S.W.O.T. Analysis                2_

3)             Market Analysis 3
_Target market 3_
_Total market valuation         3_
_Targeted share 3_
_Market trends    3_
_Profile of competitors   3_
_Competitive advantage     4_
_Benefits to clients                            4_

4)             Marketing/Sales Strategy 5
_Income sources                            5_
_Marketing strategy           5_
_Pricing                 5_
_Advertising and Promotion       5_
_Sales _Strategy_  6_
5)             Research & Development     7
_Patents, copyrights and brands              7_
_Product/Service Development 7_
_R&D                7_
6)             Staffing and Operations           8
_Management Organisation Charts               8_
_Staffing               8_
_Training Plans    8_
_Operations         8_
7)             Financial Projections           9
_Key Assumptions       10_
_Profit and Loss Accounts             11_
_Balance Sheets 12_
_Cashflow Projections         13_
8)             Sales Pipeline             14
9)             Funding Requirements     15
10)         Appendices         16

Is is really necessary to do all this? Surely we'd have to get an accountant/advisor to help? I'm more a 'back of an envelope' person myself.

But I will take the advice to look at the back of the Evening Herald.

Any more advice from anyone very welcome.


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## ClubMan (18 Dec 2006)

Not all of that outline business plan is relevant here. But you do need to crunch some numbers in order to identify the issues and under what circumstances the venture would be viable rather than just jumping into it. At the very least you need to estimate the costs of the business, the potential income/profit and how many hours might be necessary to make a profit of the required level and when this might happen (e.g. when initial startup costs are covered).


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## Sophia2457 (18 Dec 2006)

Thanks, Clubman

Any ideas on how we'd find out how many hours would bring in X amount of income?

Not knowing any drivers I have no idea how to get that info.

Cheers


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## cole (18 Dec 2006)

First thing is to get the psv. There is a course which is run in Mount St every week, costs €250 I think, it will greatly increase his chances of passing the psv. He'll need to apply to do the test asap as there is a bit of a waiting list (2 months I think). Once he has his psv he can rent from City Cabs etc, they even offer one days rental so he'll have a better idea of a) whether or not he'll like it and b) the potential income.

Hope this helps.


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## Sophia2457 (18 Dec 2006)

Hi Cole

That course sounds useful - where in Mount Street is it run? It'd be money well spent, I think.

Still researching - it seems some taxis pay hackney firms to be on their radio system, but maybe you'd have to do all the graveyard shifts etc.

Not many cabbies on here, I guess???

Can you really choose your own hours if you own the car, plate etc and just cruise looking for fares?

Is it safer to be with a taxi firm?

Would you need an accountant to do your tax returns?

Sorry! I can't seem to stop asking questions!!!


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## CCOVICH (18 Dec 2006)

Sophia, have you or your husband considered contacting the  to see if they can offer any assistance?

On the issue of whether or not you need an accountant to do your tax returns, I would suggest that if you have to ask that question, then yes, you are almost certainly better off getting professional assistance.


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## cole (19 Dec 2006)

Hi Sophia

I think this is the number for the taxi training *6611500 .* There's also a website for discussion at www.taxi.ie, there are a lot of negative comments on this site so beware! Some taxi drivers just cruise without the radio although the ones I've spoken too see the radio as an added safety feature in case of trouble. Often the drivers will moan that only certain drivers get the "good jobs" as they're pally with the radio controller.

Hope this helps.


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## dodo (19 Dec 2006)

Check out the evening herald any day, you can get a complete taxi including plate for nearly same price of a plate on its own, I seen a complete taxi last week 7,500, so with the plate costing 6,300 it means you would be only paying 1k 200E for the taxi itself with the radio and meter, even if you only got 6 months from the car itsself you cant go wrong. Remember if you buy a plate do check with Dublin castle that it is a geniune plate, My neighbour does it and thurs,Friday, Saturday, he goes out at 8pm comes home at 3am he usually makes at least 900euro and up to 1200 on a good weekend , he also does mon-wed which he says pays for all the costs of running the business, hope this helps nothing ventured nothing gained


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## tinkerbell (19 Dec 2006)

Its up to the local garda to either recommend or not recommend the driver applying for the psv.  Depends on when he got the points, for what, etc.  Any garda can give you a good idea of just how serious or not the offence was.  It takes months for the application to be processed so very possibly by then not matter so much but do check what the gardai have to say.  Also make sure your husband keeps up to date with Revenue.  If his financial affairs are not in order, he can't get a licence.  Courses - some think they help, some don't.   To pass the test you need to know Dublin inside out, every street, every area, every place someone may want to visit.   A course may help - a good map and guide may too - it depends on him.


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## ClubMan (19 Dec 2006)

tinkerbell said:


> To pass the test you need to know Dublin inside out, every street, every area, every place someone may want to visit.


The few times that I ordered or took a taxi recently I had to give the driver directions. If I was cynical I might assume that they were sussing me out to see if I knew the route myself. But I'm not so I just assume that they don't have the knowledge that you mention.


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## cole (20 Dec 2006)

The course is worth doing, I think it costs €250 or thereabouts. I did it and passed the psv first time. The test is *very *detailed.


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## tinkerbell (20 Dec 2006)

Yep some don't have a great knowledge but current testing is very detailed as cole rightly says.  Most Dubs would fail it I bet!!!  What exactly does the course cover.  Just wonder how they can teach you a good knowledge of driving from one place to another on a course?


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## cole (21 Dec 2006)

The course covers all the embassies, pubs, hotels, nightclubs, hospitals etc that you need to know ie what road are they on etc. It also goes into the fare structure, rules of the road and finally the routes e.g name all the roads between the airport and  Bus Aras or between Dail Eireann and the zoo (!) and so on. It also goes into detail about what streets are adjacent to a specific road etc. It really is detailed. You can get past/sample papers from the carriage office I think.


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## joconnor (1 Jan 2007)

Hey Sophia, can you update me on this? how did it all go for you?
Im really tempted to go into this for a few months or even a year to try get some cash together.
Any tips/advice?
Thanks & good luck


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## CelloPoint (2 Jan 2007)

I've been taxiing since October.

I grossed €530 one 14 hour shift there before xmas (mid office party season). Most busy nights (Thursday to Sunday, 12 hours) you'd do €300-€400, gross. January will be a bit lean (I'm predicting €250-€300 on Fri & Sat nights)

I pay €80 a week in insurance cos I'm still 'young' in the eyes of the insurance co. (I'm 25).

I've a '93 toyota carina E which I bought off a family friend for €600. I reckon I'd spend €35 on fuel for a typical 12 hour shift.

Sure beats my multinational job (indeed many professional jobs) that paid me a miserly 30k a year...

I'm getting out at the end of 2007 though. It's a means to an end for me,  not a very good lifestyle - you can get sucked into the easy way of life and miss out on opportunities elsewhere in the economy.


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## elcato (3 Jan 2007)

> My neighbour does it and thurs,Friday, Saturday, he goes out at 8pm comes home at 3am he usually makes at least 900euro and up to 1200 on a good weekend


Factor in the fisherman tale factor here. Above poster is more accurate I'd say. It is also an accurate assessment regarding the stress factor. Burn out is high in the industry unless you do it for the day shift which is a lot less stress but also less return. Get the PSV and try City cabs or similar operation for a month. At worst you will have put in a lot of hours for little return and but you will also get a feel for where and when the money is. Regarding the wheelchair question while you save 6k on the licence you will be obliged to have a certain spec of vehicle which generally costs more than 6k over a normal saloon car.


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## cta (31 May 2007)

Hi
I run a training course on  a one-to-one basis and cll to your home to deliver it.

Unless he has already got an offer of continuous work a wheelchair vehicle might not be viable.

There has been no age limit set for vehicles yet.

If you intend buying a new car - remem,ber you get the same fare for a new or a well kept second hand car.

The points may be a problem.

If he contacts his local Garda st. they will clarify this.



Sophia2457 said:


> Hi
> 
> My husband is thinking of going into the taxi business in the New Year.
> 
> ...


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## Far Corfe (3 Jun 2007)

tinkerbell said:


> Yep some don't have a great knowledge but current testing is very detailed as cole rightly says.  Most Dubs would fail it I bet!!!  What exactly does the course cover.  Just wonder how they can teach you a good knowledge of driving from one place to another on a course?



Considering the number of non nationals driving taxis in Dublin, I cant see that most Dubs would fail the test. Unless there is something hooky going  on. A friend tells me non nationals are tested separately from Irish applicants, and are allowed take maps to the test and allowed pass on a much lower score. Anyone know if there is corruption involved in the selection process?


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## tinkerbell (13 Jun 2007)

What that friend told you is totally untrue.  Non nationals take exactly the same test, are scored exactly the same - absolute rubbish to say that there is a separate test.  The Gardai run the test and no corruption takes place - I know that for certain and if you don't check it out with the Gardai involved.  The reason non nationals do so well in these tests is that they actually do good preparation for it while the Dubs just breeze in expecting to pass because they lived here all their lives.  Its amazing how many Dubs couldn't tell you where the Civic Museum for example is yet someone from Asia could!!


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## cole (14 Jun 2007)

Far Corfe said:


> A friend tells me non nationals are tested separately from Irish applicants, and are allowed take maps to the test and allowed pass on a much lower score. Anyone know if there is corruption involved in the selection process?


Tinkerbell is right, this is rubbish. I sat with non-nationals who were doing the test and everyone is treated the same. The Carriage Office will put your friend right about this. The simple fact is that you have to study to pass the exam, even if you're a "true blue".


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