The bosses of Plymouth’s TAXIFIRST and Tower Cabs firms have moved to reassure drivers about jobs and pay after being swallowed up by an ambitious Midlands company.
The Take Me group, a spin-off from the Leicestershire-based ADT TAXIS, has acquired TAXIFIRST just months after paying £1.8m for its city rival Tower Cabs.
Now both Plymouth companies are part of the same group, but still operating under their separate branding, and their bosses were keen to ease any worries drivers - or passengers - might have about the move and insist it means “business as usual”.
They said forming a “coalition” can only be good for the businesses, the drivers and the taxi trade after a “horrendous” 18 months where it has been battered by problems caused by the Covid pandemic and Brexit.
TAXIFIRST director David Trace and Tower Cabs director Peter Bresland said one of the first moves they will make is to set up training facilities to encourage a new wave of taxi drivers. A in Plymouth.
But prime in the businessmen’s mind was to reassure drivers that their jobs and salaries are safe following the acquisitions.
Mr Trace, who has steered TAXIFIRST since it emerged from the ashes of John Preece’s TAXIFAST empire about a decade ago, said directly to drivers: “I’m here. I told you when we had the pandemic and everything was going wrong I would look after you, I would look out for you and I have your back - that has not changed.”
And he stressed: “This can only enhance your future earnings eventually. Please bear with us. TAXIFIRST will do what it does and I will look after you.”
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Mr Bresland said: “It’s the same for the Tower Cab drivers. The last 18 months has be horrendous for everybody in the trade, and drivers in particular.
“This working together, keeping our same identities, but working as a team to make things better for the drivers, to increase driver earnings, reduce driver dead mileage (running without making money), but it is, quite simply, business as usual.”
He added: “I think the taxi trade, particularly in Plymouth, and also nationwide, has suffered through the pandemic, it has suffered because of Brexit.
“By joining together we will become bigger and stronger and it is the Take Me group that has enabled this to happen and the people of Plymouth will now get the taxi service they deserve and the taxi service myself and David have always been proud to supply in the past and which has been suffering in the past 18 months.”
And he said: “This is extremely beneficial for drivers, by offering a larger group within the city you will cut down dead milage, will have more say with the local authority, will be able to approach customers with the confidence of knowing we can provide the service we have always lived on. This is going to be a great thing in Plymouth. We would love to welcome anybody else onboard.”
Mr Trace added: “Take Me group is a fantastic company already, and I think the bigger group is the way forward. What with costings, Covid, Brexit, it has caused us major problems, and being part of a big group will add security to all concerned.”
Loughborough-based Take Me is a national group of taxi companies, with sites in Brighton, Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool, Crew, London, Farnborough, Cambridgeshire.
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It acquired Tower Cabs, based in North Road East, in July 2021, with Mr Bresland saying the business has grown by 10% since the takeover.
Take Me returned to the city to swallow Faraday Mill-headquartered TAXIFIRST, which has more than 160 vehicles and is now more than 80% automated via the AutoCab systems.
He said being part of the Take Me group will mean driver incentives, including cheaper insurance, car replacement and finance and said: “This collaboration will enable us to reach new heights and take TAXIFIRST to a new level whilst re-establishing our position as one of the finest in Plymouth. There will be lots of exciting developments taking place in the next few months and we want you all to be part of the journey.”
One of the first initiatives that Take Me will be helping TAXIFIRST with is to develop a Taxi Academy in Plymouth, which will train the next generation of taxi drivers.
The new Taxi Academy will be open to anybody aged 21 or older, with a driver’s licence, and a team will help people retrain and obtain a taxi driver’s licence and a vehicle as well as offering them plenty of work from the TAXIFIRST and Tower Cabs workload.
Mr Trace said: “The future of the taxi trade is: we have remodelled. The pandemic has caused major issues to lots of companies. We are planning our strategy, trying to get new recruits, and if we can go for a good training programme, let people know there is a good future here, a good living to be earned.
“Jobs are very important, jobs are not like they used to be, so come into this trade, it is a fantastic trade and you can always earn a good comfortable living.
“Come and speak to us, we will advise you on things, we will be there to help you. The way forward for the Take Me group will be first class.”
Mr Bresland said: “The Take Me group offers me support. Instillation of the Autocab system, a smooth transition and now we are seeing the benefits. We have grown 10% since Take Me came on board, the scope now is to improve that even more.”
He added: “I had never met David and I have been in the trade for 40 years. We have always kept ourselves pretty much to ourselves. Run out house strictly on our own basis, not got involved with other companies or taxi politics. We have been rivals but never actually done each other any damage. I wish we had made this coalition, if you like, years ago, because I only see it as a positive.
“The way forward for the taxi business is for companies to come together under one group, and the Take Me group offers that opportunity - an opportunity you should not miss.”
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Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Mr Trace said: “We had a mutual respect. We never were rivals in that sense, never animosity. But immediately it has been very fruitful, I see this as a wonderful opportunity and wonderful for all concerned. There has to be lots of companies out there in a bit of a quandary about the state of the market. A lot of people have worked on their companies for many years and through no fault of their own it has been severely damaged. I urge you, give us a call, and have a chat. I assure you this is a comfortable transition and will help you and take a lot of burden away. The Take Me group will look after you.”
ADT Taxis and Take Me managing director David Hunter said his company had more acquisitions in the pipeline to be announced in the near future, following the additions already this year of Steve’s Taxis, VGT Taxis, Westside Taxis and Intercity Private Hire. He said: “It is exciting times at Take Me as we keep expanding and adding brilliant local businesses to our network fleet. Together we can bring our skills and infrastructure from being a national brand but build on the local expertise of these amazing well established taxi operators. It seems to be a great combination, and we are already working on adding to the network.”