What Makes a Taxi Driver?

What Makes a Taxi Driver?

(Is it you?!)

Taxi Driving is not "Rocket Science", but nonetheless not everyone is able (or willing) to do the job - but for those it works for it can work well. Think of Driving a Taxi as being the sole Bartender in a Pub, if well managed then few problems - but when trouble happens you really earn your money! 

Taxi Drivers are a mixed bunch! And come from all Backgrounds - from Bank Managers to Kitchen Porters and in all Ages and Genders. And same as in any Group of people the commercial & inter-personal abilities are mixed – no matter how long have been a Taxi Driver. 

1)  What Drivers are NOT

2)  What Island Knowledge does a Taxi Driver need?

3)  The Personal Abilities needed

4)  Who are Taxi Customers?

5)  Challenging Customers!

6)  Unwritten Taxi Driver Conventions (in Jersey)

7)  Tips & Tricks & Advice

1)  What Drivers are NOT

• Taxi Drivers are not carers for those with “issues”, whether a Pillock kicking off at night or a "Karen" (of any Gender!) in the daytime stone cold sober who thinks they have hired a Servant from the 19th Century and that “The Customer is always right” lol. You will learn your own techniques for dealing with those – including stopping the Car and ejecting them.

• Taxi Drivers do not provide a “Public Service”, we simply provide a Service to the Public (in exactly the same way that Takeaway & Delivery Drivers etc do). A crucial distinction which many Customers do not understand (or are not willing to accept as not convenient for their sense of entitlement!).

The confusion often arises because we drive “Public Service Vehicles” (PSV) and have PSV Badges – but those only mean that Government has deemed the Vehicle and Driver safe for Members of the Public without them needing to do own checks. No more. The actual Service provided is done on a purely commercial basis – same as any other Business in Jersey.

2)  What Island Knowledge does a Taxi Driver need?

Surprisingly little to start with! And then accepting that don't know everywhere and never will! - no one knows everywhere in Jersey, not even Google! The primary skill is working stuff out and knowing that don't need the exact location before departure. Using any or all of:-

• A Basic Knowledge of Jersey Geography, the main roads and key Landmarks - “is it near?”

• Experience from simple repetition.

• Experience from f#ckups! (whether getting lost with a Customer or struggling to find a house for a Booking pick up). Those hard won lessons tend to stick in the memory!

• “Customer Sat Nav” – most know where they are going. Most!

• Google etc

• Other Taxi Drivers (in Person and via Radio)

• Good to double check the Destination when Customer gets in:-

Off the Ranks, You hear a Customer say: “Mont Sohier” respond with “Mont Sohier – St Brelades Bay?” (just in case they have mumbled something else or wants to go to the Mont Sohier at 5 Oaks).

You hear a Customer say: La Petit Rue de blah, blah, blah". And not only do you not know where it is, you didn't know it was even there! Your question is then: "Is it near". Often accompanied by "it rings a bell, can you remind me where it is!" or "I have never heard of it! - what's it near?" or if you have a vague idea (Customer says it's in St Mary) then ask "Is it near the Church?" and whatever the answer is - the next question is either "which route is best for you?" (if you have zero clue!) or (for St Mary from Town) is: "ok, does up St Peters Valley or Mont Felard work best for you?" and when you are well enroute can then narrow down the last mile for directions. Most Customers are happy to help (aka Customer Sat Nav!) as want to get home. 

Bookings,  Check you have the right Customer! (we have all accidentally picked up the wrong Customer!, but it's not nice to deliberately steal someone else's job – remember, both Jersey and Taxis are a small world). 

Don't ask “are you Debbie” as when picking up somewhere busy people will say yes just to get into any Taxi!, and swear blind they are Debbie, including a 6 foot tall Lumberjack! - instead ask them to confirm their name and destination and explain that's the only place you are going to as your “Boss” at the Taxi Company will have booked your next job from there. When the real Debbie gets in also a good idea to confirm the Destination “Mont Sohier – St Brelades Bay” as Customer plans can change or sometimes the wrong destination is input (by Operator or Customer!).

3) The Personal Abilities Needed

• To be able to self manage and to self learn, including commercially. Being spoon-fed by others always comes at a cost £££.

• To cope with sitting alone in a car for long periods being “available” whilst not earning (it's surprisingly tiring!, physically and mentally).

• To be Civilised to people you would rather not be, including when having own “Bad Day”.

• To cope with the uncertainty of income from the peaks and troughs of work (Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Yearly all have their own) rather than a fixed monthly wage. Remember: the Bills don't stop just because you (or the Car!) do, both Taxi Bills and real life Bills.

• To plan ahead £££ for when (not if!) the inevitability of Vehicle needing repair at commercially inconvenient times.

• To cope with when (not if!) a Customer soils your Taxi. Usually Vomit. Usually.

• An understanding Family (or none!) for the long hours, including the anti-social hours (it's not a 9-5 or 40 hour a week job). Taxis can be brutal on relationships from simply “not being there”.

4)  Who are Taxi Customers?

Customers range from Sweet Little Old Ladies to groups of Pillocks (of all ages and social "class"), including those off their heads on either Alcohol or Chemicals. Or Both. Some also with mental health “issues” on top. and who decide that you are their punch bag – in Jersey that mostly verbally. Mostly.

Same as in any other Service Industry – the Customer is NOT always right! And they need training to manage their expectations to become a Happy Customer!

A “Good” Taxi Driver for Customers:-

• Civilised (Polite & Courteous)

• Clean Vehicle

• Safe Driving

• Being available / On Time!
  
  

5)  Challenging Customers!

You need the ability to Swap (both ways!) between dealing with Sweet Little Old Ladies to dealing with “Challenging” Customers - Verbally and Physically, whilst sitting down and facing backwards!

And often alone, at night and in the middle of nowhere. And outnumbered. That's a when and not an if. Remember that some people in Jersey (Residents or Visitors) have attitudes learnt from elsewhere - where different standards of behaviour apply and are required, as well as attitudes to dispute resolution.

Key to that is a mix of humour, being polite, and then escalating the polite - until time to go not polite etc (but no swearing!) to deal with those demanding that approach by their behaviour, verbally or physically.

• Talk to Customers as soon as they get in the Taxi (and ideally watch them well before) – and being willing to say no. It's a Risk Assessment! And then Talking to Customers enroute, to both ensure not comatose! and to humanise self as that a big help in preventing Customers with “issues” then “kicking off”. 

• Recognise that easy to escalate a Confrontation and far harder to de-escalate.

• Be comfortable in Confrontational situations. It's when and not if.

• Be willing to stop the car, open your door and run like hell! Most Taxi Fares are not worth dying over!, including accidentally “I didn't mean to kill him when I stamped on his head 10 times” etc. Or a lifetime in a Wheelchair (that happened to a Jersey Taxi Driver – and he wasn't then playing basketball in it).

Confidence when dealing with the more "Challenging" Customers is key - but that comes with the Caveat that over-confidence can escalate problems. Sometimes the answer in Taxis is same as in real life - knowing when to "get out of Dodge" lol. But Jersey far more civilised to work as a Taxi Driver than many places elsewhere. But "stuff" still happens here, not all of which gets publicised.

6)  Unwritten Taxi Driver Conventions (in Jersey)

Like all Conventions - not followed by everyone!, but these are norms followed by most.

• The Taxi Ranks work on the principle of next job is yours as No.1. You don't get to pick & choose whether a convenient length of journey for you or not. At the end of the year the good and not so good all balance out. Of course you can refuse Customers as “Not Fit to Travel” for pretty much any reason, some Drivers are known to abuse that to cherry pick jobs – and that's where the arguments with Customers and other Drivers start!

• A Taxi is called a “Car” a Car is called a “Private Vehicle”.

• The Taxis Shelters are called a “Shed” (when busy, Customers are counted by the Shed Load! over the Radio)

• Do not “Jump”, either your turn in the Taxi Q or by overtaking another Taxi with it's roof light on along the avenue – if it's doing 40 (plus?!). The reason for that being Drivers are not forced into racing! If you accidentally do (it happens!) and both were heading to the same Rank make a point of talking to the Driver and saying “ooops” etc and offering up your place.

• At yellow lines (most!) Taxis will let other Taxis in front of them, but if near the Ranks and both pulling on either wave the other Driver in front of you (if room) or hop out and offer them to pull ahead of you when space permits (In Mulcaster that usually the front of the Overflow "the Flow”). Many Drivers will flash their lights to say don't worry, but the asking is always appreciated. If not sure, just hop out your car and talk to them.

• Don't abandon your car on the Ranks or fail to roll forward as usually others trying to get on at the back. We all get distracted, look up and discover 10 cars have disappeared from in front of you! A Beep from behind is usually only a gentle reminder to look out the Windscreen! Usually. Lol. Especially important at the Airport to get Cars out of the Bullring.

• Do NOT pick up a Booking from the Rank! If you do expect a serious argument, then and later! And a Complaint to DVS (cannot legally charge Private Hire Fares when picking up from a Rank). Just pull off the Rank and pick up the Customers nearby, if only by a few feet off the Rank!

• Do not drop off on the Ranks, but it happens sometimes in Mulcaster Street.  But if you do, try and do so well back so other Cars can pull in front of you. And put your Hazards on and keep and eye out to wave Cars forward who are not sure whether you are simply being slow in pulling forward. If Cars appear behind you pull off and join the back of the Queue - otherwise their will be an argument! and likely also a Complaint to DVS as it's "Jumping".
  
  

Unwritten Taxi Driver Conventions (in Jersey) - The Airport

• The Airport Taxi holding area is called the “Bullring” or “Ring”. When you the latest Car in keep an eye out for a Driver ahead flashing their Hazards or waving at you on who you are behind (you do the same for next Car in). Of course not everyone does that! So working out who you are following can be fun! But same for everyone. Chatting to other Drivers helps or simply knowing which cars were there already and seeing what happens when the Cars join the main Taxi Rank!

• The front of the Airport Taxi Rank holds 2 lines of Cars, they alternate (so if Customers arrive at once can load up Cars at the same time – sometimes even back to Car 5 or 6). 

• Being trapped on the inside not so good if you have a booking ping up, some Drivers will let you out – others not, as no requirement to and your choice to risk trapping your car (Taxis is all about own choices).

• It is easy to forget who you are following (especially as Cars do pull away for Bookings and the sequence goes out of sync), if in doubt check. Most Drivers will be honest and appreciate the ask, some will take the piss! But you will soon learn who as the same as those who most frequently “accidentally” forget whose turn it is next!

• When No.1 is on the outside the inside car hangs back so that Driver can see a Customer appearing in the Airport Shed. And also indicates to that Driver you know they are No.1. If that is you as No.1 on the outside and a Driver pulls up next to you (blocking your view) it means either you got it wrong or they have (it happens to all of us) – hop out your car and communicate, how bluntly the conversation then goes depends on how sure you are they are wrong!

My Tip is to let them take the next fare on the basis that “You need the money more than me” lol, but at the cost of them knowing if they do it again they will be spending time having another “discussion” (no swearing though as makes it easy to send a complaint to DVS about you). Other Drivers will also be watching and getting the same message that you are not a “Soft Touch”.

7)  Tips & Tricks & Advice

• The secret to making the good money from Taxis has always been.......having 2 jobs! For many that second job is simply driving Taxis. For others the flexibility of Taxis allows another job, including self-employment where that also allows flexible working. How that is achieved has changed over the decades in Jersey, but the principle remains the same. The bonus with working 2 full time jobs is little opportunity to spend your earnings!

• Accept everything anyone in the Taxi Industry says at face value – just don't believe a word of it! Until verified by yourself.

• There are few secrets in Taxis – be prepared that anything you say will get repeated, and most likely with “enhancements”. Taxis live on Gossip – entirely true or not!

• Be nice to everyone – until it's time not to be. The best way to deal with people you don't like is simply to ignore and not engage. That doubly applies to any other Drivers trying to bully Drivers – far more civilised that it used to be, but nonetheless still a few f#ckwits around, including those who think that length of time on Taxis makes them “special” (it does - just not in the way they think it does to most other Drivers!!!). But all that same as in any large group of people.

• When new, get out of your Car on the Ranks. Most Drivers will have no idea if you are new or done 10 years! Nod or Chat to everyone, even if only a passing comment, as says you not hiding in your car and the more known you are the easier it is to learn from others – as well as pass the time (although chatting to other Drivers gets old real quick!).

• Ask for advice! from other Drivers. We don't know everything – but most of us have an opinion on everything! Applies to simply not sure of Taxi Etiquette more serious questions. Or simply moaning about a Customer!, especially if a funny story!

• Most people in Jersey navigate by Landmarks (just some to the nearest inch and some to the nearest mile!) and that includes Customers. But not all Landmarks are known Island wide! And when working you will learn lots of new to you Landmarks, including places that disappeared long ago - especially Hotels!

• Don't be the stereotypical "Moaning Taxi Driver". Try and always be positive when chatting to Customers. AKA "Working the Tip" lol. Particularly with Visitors.

• Have your own Taxi Stories to entertain Customers when needed, many like to hear stuff they would not normally know. AKA "Working the Tip".

• Have your own prepared answers to frequent questions. "Why did I have to wait for a Taxi at the Rank", "Why are Taxis so expensive in Jersey". Honesty often works well, but brutal honesty often less so! Read your audience!  

• Some Customers like to Chat, some don't - read the room! AKA "Working the Tip".

• Using humour (especially when aimed at self!) with Customers can get away with Murder! One of my pet lines is "I view Taxi Journeys as a joint effort - and sometimes it's also more of an adventure than anticipated! lol"

• Don't be shy about putting your hands up when you make a mistake (we all do!), whether with Customers (wrong route or forgetting a part payment was made enroute) or with other Drivers (pulling onto the Mulcaster overflow – straight past Taxis queued up in Bond Street!).

• Taxis operate on "Vegas Rules" (what happens in etc!), except the funny / bizarre / "exciting" lol stuff which gets shared as Taxi Gossip - but anonymised! 

• Get CCTV in your car (or at least a Sticker saying you have!). Will be a useful tool to manage Customer behaviour - and priceless if there is a "He said - She said" situation (for all Genders). 

• From the Public Ranks people not inside your Taxi are not your Customers. Just members of the Public and potential Customers. Just because 2 people turn up all but carrying their pissed up mate (including when all 3 are female) doesn't mean you have any special responsibility to get the Drunk home. If concerned about someones safety call the Police, but at the Ranks they under Police CCTV and nothing wrong with them that an hour of quietly sitting down not drinking won't cure - especially if the 2 mates are willing to sacrifice their own Drinking time - but usually their concern doesn't go that far! lol. (the genuinely concerned and smart Mates will offer to travel with the Drunk so they can drag them out the Taxi and into their home (for Taxi Drivers "No hands" is the golden rule) and pay for their own return!). 

• Early days try not to get sucked into Taxi Gossip (we all live on it – true or not!) where the comments are about a named Driver (even if you know they are a F#ckwit!) until you know who is who amongst the Drivers and who is looking to use you to stir the pot!. Vague and non-committal “I don't really know them” etc goes along way.

• “It's not personal – It's only business”. Customers are only a resource to be harvested £££, same as every other Business in the Service Sector. Be prepared to suck up some aggravation. but in one ear and straight out the other – same as in real life - don't carry halfwits in your head. A Good Customer is one you have forgotten as soon as they have closed the door. Same approach with some other Drivers!

• If a Customer starts being abusive at the start of a Journey (including before their door is closed!) whether physically or verbally their behaviour will not improve during the Journey, and most likely will get worse! And that includes giving you concern about them paying the Fare (a legal reason to end a Journey) The answer is to stop the car and eject them ASAP ("Not Fit to Travel” covers just about anything!), wherever you choose to. Including outside the Police Station (a faster response to your call to them if they refuse to leave the Car). Over time you will get better at spotting trouble to simply not let them in (so never your problem) and also managing people as they get in to set the expectations on behaviour simply from your attitude.

• The most common navigational error is not the Driver getting lost (it happens!). but both Driver and Customer being 100% sure of where the Taxi is going, but it is just different places! Lol. 

• We all get lost sometimes / lose our bearings in the Countryside / stuff up the Town 1 one way system. But Driver simply putting hands straight up and then knocking lumps off the Meter works well for Customers and usually results in a better fare as Customers appreciate the honesty. Many people have experienced Drivers who will swear "Black is White" when taking a longer route, whether in Jersey or elsewhere.

• If not sure, ask, ask and ask again (and during the Journey if needed) – even at the price of looking and feeling like an Idiot!, as the Taxi won't magically arrive at the Destination by itself!

• Some Customers mumble or slur and can be hard to decipher, spout incoherent nonsense or simply won't say! (including by chatting to Friends, in Person or by Phone) and very occasionally are simply deliberately unhelpful. If you don't know where you are going to with at least a Landmark and are confident that will have at least “something” (even if only half a brain cell!) to later work with no point setting off – so, eject them before setting off. 

• Never Guaranteed a Tip, but you can always Guarantee to blow any chance of a Tip by your attitude. We all get disappointed after a long wait to go on a short journey, but hide that and reassure the Customer that it's not a problem. You are going there anyway – moaning to the Customer won't change that! Better to go to Havre de Pas from the Weighbridge for £8 (or £10) than for the bare fare of under £6. 

• “Greasing” (Drivers being favoured over others for Bookings). It happens at every Taxi Company, but the degree varies between them all, and also changes over time. The traditional way is by sleeping with the Office Dispatcher! Or being part of a Magic / Inner Circle. And nowadays that also includes gaming the Technology. The worst thing about Greasing is not the reality, but the perception that it is happening even when not – which can eat away at Drivers mentally. We all do runs of rubbish jobs, but if you have in your mind that is because you are being Greased it does eat away at you – whether true or just the random nature of Taxis (which balances out at the end of the year). 

• No such thing as a Bad Journey Length – just a bad wait between Customers. But nowadays in Jersey that will be largely down to how a Driver decides to work, including which Taxi Company to Affiliate to.

• Don't get too excited about the good days £££ and don't get too disappointed by the bad days £££. Both will happen!, but it all balances itself out at the end of the year! A Mental thing that not everyone can do.

• Taxis is all about Peaks & Troughs of Customer demand and income. Days, weeks, months and years all have their own. Bear in mind that Jan & Feb (and often March!) are traditionally brutal! You need to be like a Squirrel to survive the Winter by storing up £££ from the good times!