Interested in Working as a Taxi or Private Hire Vehicle Driver?

What is the work like?

Taxis and private hire vehicles play an important part in the country's transport system and they come in two varieties - the traditional hackney carriage (taxi) or a private hire vehicle (sometimes known as a minicab in certain parts of the UK).

As a taxi or private hire driver, your job would be to pick up passengers and take them to their destination, following the shortest and safest route. Your main responsibilities would include:

•    taking job details over the radio from the operator back at the office;
•    helping to load and unload passengers' luggage;
•    helping passengers to get in and out of the vehicle if required;
•    taking payments for fares;
•    keeping the vehicle clean and in a roadworthy condition;
•    keeping accounts and records up to date if self-employed.

If you drive a taxi you could be booked in advance, wait at an official taxi rank or pick up passengers while on the move, for example at railway stations and busy shopping areas. If you work as a private hire driver, you would only collect pre-booked passengers. You could not be flagged down in the street or wait on or near a taxi rank.

You may be able to combine normal day-to-day jobs with contract work such as school runs, or longer distance trips like taking people to airports or to and from concerts and nightclubs in other towns.

What qualifications and experience will I need and how do I apply for a licence?

All new applicants for a licence must successfully undergo a driving assessment before they are granted a licence by this Authority.

Currently in order to be licensed as a driver with East Lindsey District Council you need to:

·       successfully complete the taxi and private hire driving assessment;

·       complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check and sign up to the DBS Update Service;

·       complete a DVLA Data Subject Enquiry Check;

·       be over 19 years of age;

·       pass a Group 2 vocational medical;

·       have held a full UK driving licence (or legal equivalent) for at least 2 years;

·       produce evidence of your right to work in the UK.

·       complete online courses relating to safeguarding matters.

Also, all new applicants with East Lindsey District Council must successfully complete a combined English/communication test and a basic test relating to the understanding of taxi and private hire licensing before a licence can be granted. Further information in relation to the test can be found later in our Hire Driver Communication Assessment webpage:

https://www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/article/21654/Hire-Driver-Communication-Assessment

At present there is no specific requirement for drivers to undergo a wheelchair passenger assessment prior to gaining a licence with this Authority. However, at a later date, the Council will be looking at requiring all drivers (both new and existing) to successfully undergo a wheelchair loading assessment before driving a wheelchair accessible taxi or private hire vehicle.

However, if you have access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle, you may wish to undergo wheelchair loading training now rather than waiting until a later date.

The number of new hackney carriage vehicle licences issued in East Lindsey is limited to purpose-built wheelchair accessible vehicles, whereas private hire vehicle licences are more freely available. You should contact the Council's Licensing Team for exact vehicle licensing requirements and specifications required in the East Lindsey area.

What further training and development can I do?

Once you are working as a licensed driver, you can complete the NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Transport, specialising in taxi or private hire work. The Council are currently considering whether the NVQ should be made obligatory for all licensed drivers or perhaps just newly licensed drivers.

You could also take the BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire. This is a short course designed to support new drivers, and anyone who wants to update their qualifications after a break from driving.

What are the hours and working conditions?

Working as a licensed driver allows you the flexibility to choose your hours but you are likely to find more work in the evenings and at weekends. Friday and Saturday evenings would normally be your busiest times. You could expect to work between 40 and 60 hours a week if full-time. You would spend most of your time on the road, sometimes in heavy traffic. Earnings would depend on the level of fares, the number of journeys made, and the hours worked.

What skills and knowledge will I need to perform the job efficiently?

·       good driving skills and an awareness of road safety;

·       a detailed knowledge of the area, including street names, major landmarks and one-way systems;

·       the ability to manage and plan your own time;

·       good customer care skills;

·       an awareness of disabled access issues;

·       the ability to deal politely but firmly with angry or drunken passengers;

·       good numeracy skills for cash handling, and accounts (if self-employed);

·       a sound understanding of laws and regulations covering licensing, insurance and road use.

Further Information:

Information regarding licensing is available on this website (www.e-lindsey.gov.uk) in the Business Licensing Section.