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Taxi Driver

Do you want to become a Taxi Driver? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

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Taxi drivers pick up passengers and drive them to their destination, charging a fare and taking payment. Taxi driving is a highly regulated business. There are different rules depending on which type of cab is driven.

• Taxis are officially called ‘hackney carriages' and they known as the only true ‘taxis'. Only hackney carriages can pick people up anywhere in the street or at a taxi rank. They may drive around near bus or railway stations, or anywhere else where pedestrians might need to hire a taxi, for example, near shopping centres. Most taxi drivers are self-employed.
• Private hire vehicles (PHVs) are not permitted to pick people up in the street, or to wait at a taxi rank. They have to be pre-booked by phone, usually through a local office that takes bookings on behalf of several drivers who pay them a commission.

Taxis and PHVs charge a fare that is often recorded on a taximeter in the front of the vehicle. Although taxi fares are firmly set by the local authority, private hire rates may vary and should be mutually agreed when the booking is made.

After gaining their licence, taxi drivers may work independently and can choose their hours of work. Drivers carry out the same work for long periods of time, so it is important that they feel comfortable behind the wheel.

Salaries range from around £10,000 to £30,000 a year. Income largely depends on the number of hours worked.

Taxi and minicab drivers should:

• be experienced and safe drivers
• know their area very well and always take the quickest and shortest route
• have good communication skills and the ability to remain calm in heavy traffic
• be willing to take a special driving test if required by the local authority.

There are approximately 450,000 taxi and PHV drivers in the UK, although not all of them work full time. Jobs exist throughout the country.

There are no formal entry requirements to become a taxi driver, although each local authority has its own rules and conditions about issuing licences. For a hackney carriage licence, applicants must be at least 21 years old, having held a full clean driving licence for at least twelve months. Adult entry is common.

In some areas, local authorities run training schemes to help prospective drivers to meet the requirements of their licence. The schemes cover the application procedure, radio procedures, customer care, basic mechanics, law and local geography.

A taxi driver can progress from working for a company to buying and driving their own vehicle. It is also possible to set up a company, employing other drivers and working as a driver or booking agent.

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