Motorcab Operation in the Provinces.
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An Article which should be of Considerable Assistance to those who are Contemplating New Services at Home and Abroad.
By "One who has Operated."
Motorcabs have now been in service in the Provinces for over three years. Previous to 1908 there had been desultory attempts on the part of jobmasters and private individuals to run a cab or two here and there, but without any systematic efforts. Practically all these first cabs were of a type unsuited for the work, and not fitted with a taximeter. They did not meet with success, as they were noisy, uncomfortable, unreliable, and too expensive in upkeep and not always fit for service.
The Start of the Provincial Co.
Early in 1908 the Provincial Motor Cab Co., Ltd., started a service in Brighton with a fleet of 18-24 h.p. Wolseley cabs, and at short intervals opened up other branches as fast as cabs and licences could be obtained. The early efforts of this company met with much success, owing to the novelty and the greater conveniences offered. After the lapse of several months, competition sprang up. Local jobrnasters, finding how the public patronized the new form of hackney vehicle, invested in a single cab or perhaps two ; old customers returned to them and generally speaking these new undertakings did very well.
The Small Local Man.
Later on, motorcab manufacturers and agents became aware that there was a great field now opened in the hire-purchase business. In towns all over the country, drivers, who had been trained to the work and had saved a little money, were able to pay their deposits and to obtain cabs. They then went to work, and although they had not the system and resources of a large company, they did a very good trade, as they were always able to obtain local sympathy and to keep together the connection they had got together while they were working for an employer. Practically the whole of the motorcab drivers in the Provinces were trained to their work by the Provincial Co., which had no alternative but to spend a very large sum in teaching, etc.
Losing the Drivers they have Taught.
This was hard luck for the pioneer concern. In the first place, it .costs a fair sum of money to teach each man to drive, then comes a period of many petty accidents and poor driving which does not tend towards profit for the owners. After a time the driver gets ,aced to his job and gets work from regular customers, and his cab then becomes a paying proposition. After reaching this stage, he either obtains a cab for himself or works for another employer who will pay him better. As long as this state of affairs continues the pioneer company is placed under great disadvantages, as every new owner of a few vehicles draws his drivers from the first-comer and at once is in a better state than his big rival as regards returns, etc. This matter, however, will settle itself in time.
Licences and Fares. Manchester's Muddle.
In most towns, when application was first made for licences, there was a great outcry and much opposition on the part. of the local cabmen and of others interested in various ways. In nearly every case, however, licences were granted and the fares of is. per mile and 4s, per hour waiting time, as per taximeter, were adopted. Manchester was the only town to stick to its old horsed-cab rates. Even to-day things are in a state of utter chaos there, due to the different rates of fares applicable, and to the fact that taximeters need not be fitted. This state of things is entirely due to the action of two or three large local horsedcab proprietors ; they made successful representations to the City Council. But they had adopted a short-sighted policy, as many of them now own motorcabs themselves, and would very much like to seethe old rates abolished and the standard rate by meter in use.
Licences are granted by the police in nearly every case, and hold good for 12 months. The regulations are not at all severe, and in many cases they are practically non-existent, as the police do not act up to the powers that are granted to them. In some towns cabs must be overhauled and repainted for a re-licence, but in others they are re-licensed, and the proprietor keeps them in such condition as he thinks fit. So long as that condition is not too bad he is not interfered with.
In some of 'the larger towns cabs must all be presented in good condition on one set day for re-licence, but in others certain cabs must come up on certain days. This latter arrangement is of advantage to the large owner, as it allows him to spread his work and to keep his staff regularly employed 2,11 the year round.
Classes' of Employment for Motorcabs.
In all towns there are several classes of work to be secured. First there is the work obtained on the
ranks and in the streets. This usually consists of short jobs of a shilling or so, to take out to a point and set down, the return journey being made empty. The returns for this class rarely exceed 6d. per mile, as the cab must return to the centre of the town for another fare.
Then there is a lot of work to be obtained over the telephone for the owner who lays himself out for it. In some cases the returns are very poor. On many occasions four or five miles have to be covered for Is., unless there be a carefully-devised scheme of small private yards situated in different parts of the town, so that empty cabs can return to the nearest one. All these sub-stations must be connected by telephone to the chief yard, the drivers advising the chief yard of their return. The attendant can then send a cab, on receipt of an order, from the nearest yard, thus saving a great deal of dead mileage and time, besides giving a better service to the customers. Cabs for this work can either he licensed or not, as it is " private hire," but they should be fitted with a meter. Lastly, there is the long-distance hiring to be catered for. This is where the larger and more luxurious machine is used. There is quite a lot of work conveying parties to race meetings and other functions in neighbouring towns. By making arrangement with good-class hotels, a great deal of business is to be obtained. A commission on the amount of money so earned is usually paid to the hotel porter or proprietor, as the case may be, but work is not obtained unless it is paid for!
There is a fair amount of hiring, for several days or weeks, for touring with parties to different parts of the country. In many cases a cab can compete favourably with the railways, in conveying parties for long distances, when there is a return journey to be made, as the cab goes direct from the hirer's door to its destination and returns again, which is more convenient, saving expense, and generally time, which is of importance to many.
In all classes of work reliability and punctuality are essential for continued success. The Most-useful Type.
It has been found that a cab of 14-16 h.p. is the most useful in the Provinces, although there are many which exceed this, as the Provincial police regulations do not provide that a cab must turn in a
25-foot circle. For certain classes of work it is essential that larger and more powerful cars be used. On the whole, cabs in country towns are now quite well kept and even luxurious ; in fact, this latter point has been carried a little too far by some owners, as they will find to their cost when re-licensing times occur, for the police will usually make the owner keep up to the standard he has adopted.
Good Drivers are Scarce.
It has been found that the best men for " rank" work are recruited from the horsed-cab men, as they know the ropes and know how to treat a fare and how to obtain the cash at. the termination of the journey, which is most important.
For telephone and private-hire work the ex-coachman or private chauffeur gives the best results. But r.2at1y good men are scarce, as there are not many who like the long hours and the uncertain profits they are to receive, especially when they are offered commission only.
The Importance of the Driver.-His Payment.
The systems of payment of drivers vary greatly. The Provincial Cab Co. has always paid its men 23 per cent. of the takings, the driver paying for his petrol and Gd. per day for washing the cab, 6d. per day towards the cost of clothing, and Gd. per day towards a deposit fund. This system worked well in the early days and gave satisfaction, brie, as competi • Lion sprang up and receipts fell, the drivers could not obtain a living. They then resorted to various tricks to make money dishonestly ; in fact, in most towns to day there need be no hesitation in saying I hat a man paid under this scheme cannot make a living. Private owners have found that it pays them to give their drivers a wage of so much per day or week, and a. bonus on everything over a fixed sum—petrol provided and cabs washed.. Others have found it better to hire the cab to the driver for a fixed sum per mile, the owner to find everything necessary for running the cab.
Of course the men who bring in poor returns under these latter schemes are soon discharged, and an owner, who will keep his cabs in good order, will soon be able to discover the good revenue earners.
The driver is the greatest factor in the success of a motorcah undertaking, and, unless this man be able to earn a living honestly, he will make it dishonestly and at the cost of the employer: he will probably take more than enough for the necessities of life.
A Special Sort of Man Necessary.
The taxi-driver should not be classed as a skilled worker, but there are many points in connection with his work which are peculiar to cab work alone. He must have a constitution which will stand long ex posure, for generally he is 72 to 14 hours in attendance on his cab, very often for hours at a, stretch standing on the ranks waiting to be hired. In order to stand this exposure he must be well fed and clothed ; he has to obtain meals as and when he can. This, of course, costs more than being able to go home to meals or to have them in a regular place. He must also be prepared to work sometimes for a few days for very little profit, and then to earn a good sum of money on others. If there be seasons in the town where he is working, he must have sufficient sense to put a little by in the good times to keep him going in the slack ones.
A smart-looking man, who is civil and well conducted, and at the same time a careful driver, will work up a connection for himself and keep it In fact, many hirers always have the same if he be available, and make a point of engaging him beforehand for any little journeys they may have to make.
Instead of the Taximeter.
An owner-driver is always able to arrange a price for a journey upon his own responsibility, whilst the employee has to ask his employers how much he can do the job for. In many cases owing to this he loses the order, unless the journey be expected and the price arranged beforehand with the employer. Nearly every person before hiring a cab for a long journey obtains a fixed price in advance ; he prefers doing this to making the journey as per taximeter.
When cab proprietors have arranged an equitable basis on which to pay their men and have got rid of the bad earners, then they will begin to turn the corner of the present crisis in Provincial as well as Metropolitan circles.
A Few Words About London.
Regarding the recent strike in London on the " extras " question, it. may here be interpolated that it would be far better to place the driver in such a position that he need not steal the " extras " to live, rather than to try to continue as things are Without doubt there are too many cabs on the streets of London at present, for each cab to earn an amount which will pay for its upkeep and allow a margin of profit. When the weaker companies have fallen out, there will be a steady and good business for those who remain, and a type of cab and driver will be evolved which will make the motorcab business a paying proposition throughout the country.
Difficulties of a Small Staff.
In a small town, which will only support about a dozen cabs, there is always a great difficulty in arranging the staff, as the hours to be covered are too long for one man to work, and the profits will not allow of each man's position being duplicated.
For 12 cabs, in say their second year, it is essential to have one really good fitter, and another general help, who is good all round. This man has to take charge of the tire repairs as well as other work. A labourer is also necessary for helping the fitters and cleaning up the garage, eta Two washers will have to be employed, and they will have their work cut out thoroughly to wash and clean six cabs each, but it can be done. It is also necessary to have a. clerk to deal with eash, stores, stock, and the records which need to be kept. Then there are also telephone attendants ; they must be arranged for, as this is a branch of the business that must be looked after most thoroughly and carefully. A great saving can be effected by an attendant who knows the town and who arranges his orders so that there may be as little delay and the leastlost mileage possible. Everyone must work really for "the good of the firm " and not nut on their coats as soon as the. hell goes. This feeling is fatal for good results.
The cost of staff for 12 cabs, not, counting a manager, should not exceed £10 10s. per week.