A Fife taxi driver shortage has prompted fears for public safety.
Driver numbers have plummeted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic with custom drying up during lockdown.
Customers are now reporting hour-long waits for taxis following nights out.
And this has led to serious concern that some may “take their lives in their hands” as they try to get home by other means.
Children who travel to school by cab may also struggle unless more drivers come forward.
There are now 240 fewer licensed taxi drivers in Fife than in December 2019 and firms are struggling to recruit.
Fife Council’s regulation and licensing vice-convener Ryan Smart is worried the driver drought could lead to long queues outside nightspots at weekends.
Meanwhile, one taxi boss fears the return of a previous problem where revellers were paying unlicensed strangers to run them home.
Both area now appealing for potential drivers to apply for licences in a bid to solve the problem.
The issue follows reports of a similar shortage in Dundee.
People waiting up to an hour for a taxi
Sam Green, owner of Magnum Taxis in Methilhill, needs another five or six drivers.
“I’ve had to put drivers on double shifts and do some driving myself to make it work,” he said.
“At the weekend when clubs are open it can be a 3.30am finish.
“I’m always asking people how long they’ve had to wait and the last 10 customers said 40 minutes to an hour.”
He added: “Not everyone will wait that long. Some will start walking up the road.
“And we previously had an issue where folk in regular cars were lining up outside pubs and clubs and offering to take people home for money.
“There was an incident a few years ago where a woman got into what she thought was a taxi and something happened to her.
“We don’t want that happening again.”
Sam said that before Covid, many drivers were working part-time on top of another full-time job to earn extra cash.
“But then in lockdown they had no holidays to save for because nobody was allowed to go anywhere,” he said.
“And no-one was going out either so there was no custom.
“That meant lots of people didn’t renew their Hackney licence.”
Despite restrictions lifting, few candidates are coming forward.
“People have got used to staying in at the weekends so they’re not interested in driving taxis,” Sam said.
Massive queues at weekends
Ryan Smart has noticed the taxi driver shortage in his role on the regulation and licensing committee.
And the Labour councillor is urging more people to apply for a Hackney licence.
“If they don’t, we’re going to see massive queues on Friday and Saturday nights,” he said.
“The worry is, instead of people waiting for a safe and secure taxi, they’ll take their lives in their hands.
“We could also see things like school contracts, where taxis take vulnerable kids to school, not fulfilled.
“We’ve seen what’s happened in the lorry trade and how things can’t get moved around.
“This is the same, except it’s people who can’t get from A to B.”
In December 2019, Fife had 1,818 licensed taxi drivers.
This has now fallen to 1,578.
Fife Council aims to process applications for new licenses within 28 days, although some may take a bit longer.
“We know folk who are looking for jobs are having to wait but there’s nothing we can do about that,” Mr Smart said.
“All our taxi drivers are thoroughly vetted and I’m proud of the standard we set in Fife, which is much higher than most places in Scotland.”
Applications cost £65 for a year or £160 for three years and the fee must be paid up front.