“I go on different journeys every day and I’ve found so many places in Rye that I didn’t know were there.”
“People open up to you in the taxi and tell you things. They might get out the car laughing and smiling and you think you have made a real difference to that person’s day.”
“You never know who you’re going to talk to. You meet all sorts of people and build a rapport with them. It is good fun.”
Rye’s taxi drivers have been sharing why they enjoy their work in spite of some of the challenges they face daily. During the summer almost 30 drivers work out of the taxi rank by Rye station, but on a cold spring morning like today it’s far fewer – usually around seven.
“It’s slow, very slow, today,” says Clive Satchell from the Rye Taxi Association. “Partly because of the time of the year but it’s a bit slower than normal. I think there’s just generally a slowdown in the trade but it’s definitely the economy, the cost of living and people’s money pressures.”
Fewer local people are using taxis and the trade from the trains is down. The taxi-drivers are self-employed, which means on some days that can wait on the rank for hours without earning.
“The bit that people don’t see is that you are sitting down here for large periods of time,” says Antony Di Cesare. “You’re not getting paid for doing nothing. If it’s a proper cold day in the winter and it’s proper, proper cold, we’ll sit here all day and maybe earn a fiver.”
There are no public facilities at the station for the drivers to use, a source of frustration when the station toilets are closed.
There are further worries too. The tariffs are fixed by Rother District Council, although the drivers can set their own fees for pre-booked journeys. The council is also introducing new requirements for the cars to have CCTV cameras. “A huge extra cost,” says Clive. “Hundreds of pounds for the kit and installation which also involves a 150 mile round trip. A day’s lost work.” Cars also have to replaced after ten years.
It’s clear many people in Rye rely on the taxis, not just for the journeys which can be around town or to much further afield like Gatwick.
“We take people to medical appointments most days,” says Terry Botley. “To hospitals like Bexhill, Conquest, William Harvey in Ashford, as well as to the local doctors. People rely on us to get to the medical centre on the hill. We see people who are struggling and they open up to you in the taxi.”
The drivers co-operate to make sure somebody is available for customers, often by diverting their phones to whoever is on shift. That said, visitors and tourists sometimes misunderstand what the taxi service can be like in a rural area like Rye.
“People come down, perhaps go to the pub for the evening, and still think they’re still in a major city and expect a taxi in five minutes,” says Clive. “You’re in the middle of the countryside in a beautiful little town. It takes a little bit longer! If you had 100 journeys and 99 were good, you won’t hear about them. The one you will hear about will be all over Facebook and Instagram.”
Whilst it’s a career the drivers would still recommend, few younger drivers are taking it up, deterred by costs and uncertainty. “Look at all us lads,” says Clive. “We’re 40, 49, 56. This generation of drivers are in their 40s and 50s. There are no new drivers coming through.”
They point to the flexibility the job offers and the social side of the work. “It’s nice meeting different people from all walks of life,” says Terry. “Everyone has got their own little story.” For Antony, it’s even simpler. “The view from the office window changes every day.”
Image Credits: James Stewart .