Chronic shortage of taxi drivers prevailing in Helsinki area

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In order to offer rides to all potential customers even during the busiest hours, hundreds of new taxi drivers would be needed in Helsinki.
      "More drivers would be urgently needed, as a large number of cars are currently standing empty", admits the capital’s taxi inspector Ari Reinikka.
      According to the representatives of Helsinki’s taxi drivers some 200 to 300 new full-time taxi drivers would be needed to redtify the situation, says Managing Director Lauri Säynäjoki of the Finnish Taxi Owners Federation.
      Lasse Vuori from the Taksi Helsinki Dispatch Center notes that the shortage has lasted for quite a long time, and one reason for the situation is the low salary.
     
As a rule the drivers are engaged on a piecework basis, and they are paid a certain percentage off the total receipts. The method of payment is pursuant to the collective labour agreement. Even an hourly wage would be accepted, but it normally results in a lower income.
      "The most typical salary is 35 per cent off the total receipts exclusive of tax", reports Säynäjoki.
      "Previously students used to drive a taxi at weekends. For some reason, this is not such an exciting occupation any more", Ari Reinikka feels.
     
A taxi owner who does not employ drivers has to drive alone. Moreover, he or she has to think carefully when to drive. In theory, all available vehicles are running this time of the year, while in practice, this is said not to be true.
     
In the City of Espoo, the shortage of taxis is chronic throughout the year, says Espoo’s taxi inspector Osmo Seppänen. For example last Friday afternoon, there was a backlog of 70 orders with only one vehicle available in the districts of Keilaniemi and Otaniemi and their neighbouring areas.
      During the Christmas season all taxis in Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa are free to pick up customers in each others’ areas from midnight until six o’clock in the morning.
     
However, the shortage of taxis tends to grow worse in the small hours, particularly in downtown Helsinki, when the restaurants close and tens of thousands of people emerge on the streets needing a ride.
      Furthermore, Seppänen wishes to warn the customers in advance of Christmas Eve, when all public transport services stop running in the afternoon, and the situation might get unbearable at night.


Links:
  The Finnish Taxi Owners Federation
  Helsingin Taksi-Data - Taksi Helsinki Dispatch Center

Helsingin Sanomat