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In addition to driving a taxi with Dial-a-Cab,
Howard Sales (ex-A11) was a driver trainer with the Society
for several years at a time when data terminals in taxis were
still a novelty! He left the UK in 2002 moving to Queensland, Australia, but didn’t fancy the lesser job of driving a cab in Oz, so he successfully opened up a service station with a workshop and retail outlet. As a regular on-line Call Sign reader, he recently wrote to us to put the garage owner’s view concerning the ongoing hike in fuel prices. He told Call Sign: "In the last Call Sign you were talking about the rising cost of fuel. When I got my badge in 1978, I was using £3 a day in diesel; when I left in 2002, I was putting in £16 a day. However, my earnings hadn’t increased by the same percentage! Now for the view from a fuel service station owner. We have to purchase our fuel from Caltex and I am currently paying A$1.42 a litre (56p). They suggest a figure that I sell at to be competitive with the opposition in my area. As this figure is generally less than I have paid, they provide ‘assistance’ - this means that I make one cent a litre profit on which I pay tax. If I'm allowed to sell the fuel at my |
RISING FUEL COSTS? An ex-DaC driver gives the garage point of view! |
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price, the best I can achieve is 2 cents a litre and still remain competitive. The price of fuel here - other than diesel - can fluctuate up and down 3 or 4 times a day, so we are continually changing our price board. The reason diesel remains unchanged until we have a fresh delivery is because there is no ‘assistance’ on diesel. At present, our diesel purchase price is one cent cheaper than petrol. LPG - which I don’t sell - is approx 55 cents a litre (20p), which sounded good until I spoke to one of our customers who drives for Black and White cabs. He and his partner drove a Maxi Taxi, which is based on a Nissan Urvan that when brand new |
returned
a reasonable consumption figure, but as time went on the consumption figures went up until they were putting in an extra A$100 a week in fuel! They have now gone back to a Toyota diesel and have improved their fuel costs. Have any of the cabs on DaC that have had an LPG conversion noticed an increase in fuel costs? My theory is that the seals in the pumps and regulators dry out due to the drying nature of the gas and minor leaks develop, hence the reason for running on the alternative fuel once a week. Look after yourselves downunder…! Howard Sales (ex-A11) |
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