Taxi Driver Profile

The work

Taxi drivers drive 'black cabs' (traditional hackney carriages) and private hire vehicles often known as minicabs. They pick up passengers and take them to their destination, working out the fastest and most efficient route and charging a fare. 

Day-to-day tasks include:

• helping to load and unload passengers' luggage
• helping passengers to get in and out of the vehicle  
• keeping the vehicle clean and in a roadworthy condition
• dealing with money – mainly taking cash payments, self-employed drivers will also keep their own accounts and deal with tax returns.

While the driving skills are the same, there are differences between driving a black cab and a minicab. Minicab drivers are linked by radio to an operating centre that relays details of where to pick up the next customer. They can only collect pre-booked passengers and cannot be flagged down on the street. Black cab drivers can be booked in advance but can also wait at official taxi ranks or pick up passengers while on the move, especially around busy areas, such as railway stations, airports, shopping centres, hotels and pubs.

Some drivers combine normal duties with contract work like school runs. Others specialise in longer-distance work such as airport jobs or taking parties to and from concerts, theatres and nightclubs in other towns.

Entry

You do not need any formal qualifications to become a taxi driver but you will need an operator's licence. You can get this from your local licensing unit, which is usually part of your local authority (or the Public Carriage Office in London and the DVLNI in Northern Ireland).

Each unit has its own conditions of licence, but you will normally need to:

• complete a criminal records check
• be over 21 (18 in Northern Ireland)
• pass a geographical knowledge test and/or a driving test (in some cities)
• pass a medical assessment
• have held a full driving licence for at least 12 months (3 years in London).

In London, the geographical knowledge test is called 'The Knowledge' and takes an average of 34 months to prepare for and pass. See the Public Carriage Office (PCO) website in Further Information for more details.

Some authorities may set their own driving tests for potential taxi drivers. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has recently developed a Hackney Carriage Private Hire Test Assessment, which is also used by some licensing authorities.

If you are interested in driving private hire cars, you can get business start-up details from the National Private Hire Association (NPHA). The number of black cab taxi licences issued is limited, whereas private hire vehicle licences are more freely available. In all cases, you should contact your local licensing unit for for exact licensing requirements in your area.

See the DSA, NPHA and Transport Office in Further Information for more details about the driver assessments, licensing and working in private hire.

Training

Your local licensing authority may offer you training to help you meet their licence conditions. Schemes typically cover licence applications, radio procedures, customer care, disability awareness, basic mechanics, law and local geography.

Once you are working, you can complete the NVQ/SVQ award in Road Passenger Transport at Level 2, specialising in Taxi or Private Hire.

You can also consider the Edexcel BTEC Certificate in Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire at Level 2. This is a short programme designed to support new entrants; drivers who want to take continuing professional development; and drivers who want to update their qualifications after an absence from driving.

See the contacts in Further Information for more details about training and qualifications.

Further information