SOME callers to the North-East’s biggest taxi firm are being diverted 2,500 miles away to Egypt, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Middlesbrough-based Boro Taxis said it was having trouble recruiting staff to cover some shifts and as a result a “small number” of bookings were being taken by an offshore call centre.

It described the move as an interim measure which had no impact on staffing levels – in fact it was proposing to open two new offices in Stockton and Middlesbrough.

The Northern Echo:

The Red Sea coast of Egpyt. Picture: Pixabay

A customer told The Echo: “I rang for a cab on a weekday evening and the voice on the other end, who while speaking good English, sounded like he was from abroad.

“He seemed to struggle with the address I gave him, so I very carefully gave him directions for the driver.

“To be fair the cab turned up pretty quickly afterwards. When I spoke to the driver he confirmed calls were being taken from Egypt.

“I know it’s not unusual for big companies to have foreign call centres, but it seems a bit odd as far as taxis are concerned.

“I guess they will just have to charge per Nile now rather than per mile.”

Boro Taxis director Christine Bell said: “Boro Taxis has a dedicated team of workers across Teesside who operate our advanced technology and app based bookings.

“None of these people are losing their jobs, in fact we are opening new offices in Stockton and Middlesbrough.

“We are struggling to recruit people locally to take on roles during unsocial hours and, on an interim basis, have outsourced a small number of calls to an overseas call centre.

“This organisation works with household name companies and operates to British standards.”

Earlier this year Boro Taxis announced it was increasing some of its fares, but said it still offered some of the cheapest prices in the country.

The firm swelled in size after buying up rivals Blueline and Marton Cars last summer and now has a thousand-strong fleet.

Boro Taxis was founded in 1982 by Teesside businessman Mohammed Bashir with three vehicles. Its workforce numbers about 900, a mixture of direct employees and self-employed drivers.