Taxi Driving - who, what, where & how

[skodanorman]

Evening all,

I gather there are a few taxi drivers on here so I am hopeful someone will be able to answer my query. I've been thinking about this for some time.

I'm 23. Clean license and been driving for just short of 5 years.

I work offshore on a 2 week on and 2 week off ratio. Accordingly I have 2 weeks out of every month to fill as I desire. I've always liked driving and wondered if there would be any scope for me to become a stand-in taxi driver during my two weeks off. Nothing fixed just as and when required. Does that sort of thing happen and if so whats required and hows the best way of getting into the game?

All ideas welcomed.

Thanks.

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[United 11]

iv'e been a taxi driver since the early 80's, there is that many taxis on the road these days will it be worth your time? if you do wan't to go ahead with it i would advise you drive for someone as there is no point of you insuring, plating, testing, equipping a car if you will only be using it for 2 weeks at a time, will you be driving a general or private hire, different badges required for both and insurance for private and public hire vary, to be good at taxiing you need to stick in at it. know where to get the best hires from and at what times, when trains come in for example be sitting outside the station waiting, what hours will you work, how much will rent be, do you have the patience and relaxed attitude? if someone does a runner, don't get all fussed about it, just get out close the door report to the base and cary on with the rest of your day

[threadbear]

On the subject of taxi drivers, I work at a busy railway station on a 3 shift rota and there is always the same two taxis on the rank at 6am in the morning irrespective of the day of week. On a Sunday a train arriving isnt until 8am! Whats the point of that? I can understand late at night for the over sleepers? But in the morning I dunno?

Also, why do so many taxi owners sit with their engines running, burning their profits away in idling engines.

Edited 23 May, 2013 by threadbear

[GentleGiant]

Probably more money in HGV's if you are prepared to take the tests. My brother (and a lot of other Firemen), do this on their "off" shifts for extra money (wrong I know - they are supposed to be "resting", but it has been going on for over 30 years)

[skodanorman]

I like driving and could do with some extra cash so I can't see it hurting. HGVs would require too high an initial investment.

So who do I need to speak to? And what licenses / tests do I need?

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[KenONeill]

Talk to your local council (see back of a taxi for relevant authority) about licencing. After that, talk to some drivers and/or firms.

[United 11]

here is a link to one of the taxi fourms i am also on, will get allot more info from guys over there, but the licences you will need, taxi driver/ph driver licence depend on what kind of taxi you will be in, private hire or general, and i would advise that you drive for some else as putting your own car on as you will be away for 2 weeks and the car will just be sitting there

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php?sid=2280be8e6cf7479b3088d2e8f0bc85ba

[GentleGiant]

You will probably also have to take "The Knowledge" test; this takes a long time to prepare for in some places.

[BJM]

You will probably also have to take "The Knowledge" test; this takes a long time to prepare for in some places.

I thought "the Knowledge" only applied to Taxis (not Private Hire) in central London, but no doubt some of the taxi drivers on here will confirm / deny that.

Certainly some of the local taxi drivers I've used round here have clearly got little idea of the best / shortest / quickest routes around the town (and come Gold Cup week an even sketchier grasp of English and the value of the £ )

[United 11]

In most areas you will just be asked a few street names and that is really it, i hate all the ethnics that come to this country, start taxiing and can't speak a word of English? gets my blood boiling, luckly in this area about 85% of the drivers are white british

[KenONeill]

I thought "the Knowledge" only applied to Taxis (not Private Hire) in central London, but no doubt some of the taxi drivers on here will confirm / deny that.

Certainly some of the local taxi drivers I've used round here have clearly got little idea of the best / shortest / quickest routes around the town (and come Gold Cup week an even sketchier grasp of English and the value of the £ )

I thought "The Knowledge" only applied to London Carriage Office hackney licences too; More generally, I'm certain that licencing requirements vary between authorities,

[sparks03]

Remember the cabbie rules;

Hazard lights permit you to stop. Whenever, wherever.

Three point turns can be performed anywhere the centre of the road doesn't have some preventative barrier.

When your fare is hammered wind an extra £2 on the meter before setting off.

Have mildly racist views

'Accidentally' go to the road you know full well is the wrong Larchwood Crescent and then split the difference getting someone to the right place.

If you remember the above you will be sound.

Of course I jest, if its something you want to do give it a whirl, i've met some ace taxi drivers over the years in Birmingham, Walsall, Plymouth and Stafford. And don't get offended if punters want to stroke your beard!

[United 11]

When your fare is hammered wind an extra £2 on the meter before setting off.

That is for if the fare goes a very short didtance, so it might only come to 20P or something like that, that is to cover our losses

[devonutopia]

I like the idea of doing car collection for people at weekends - going on a train to get a car for someone from a different part of the country, then driving it back for them. Just not sure how to go about enquiring about it. I could only do weekends though due to having a full time job.

[GentleGiant]

I thought "the Knowledge" only applied to Taxis (not Private Hire) in central London, but no doubt some of the taxi drivers on here will confirm / deny that.

Certainly some of the local taxi drivers I've used round here have clearly got little idea of the best / shortest / quickest routes around the town (and come Gold Cup week an even sketchier grasp of English and the value of the £ )

Around here they decide new Private Hire Drivers had to do it a few years ago, not sure if it is still true as I had stopped driving PH by then.

(MHDC area)

[matt_theforce]

I like the idea of doing car collection for people at weekends - going on a train to get a car for someone from a different part of the country, then driving it back for them. Just not sure how to go about enquiring about it. I could only do weekends though due to having a full time job.

My dad used todo that after he was made redundant last. He quite enjoyed driving the vast array of cars but you always get problem cars/cars with no fuel/no spare or repair foam etc, from memory the money was hardly worth it either.

He used to work through an agency and was sent all over the country. I'll ask him the name of the agency if you like?

Having said all that, I would prefer todo that than drive a taxi (unless it was someone elses), so could be worth a punt.

Matthew

[Killa_uk]

I tried it and only just stopped 4 months ago done it for a year and all I can say Is in that year I literally made no money and actually lost money when I sold my octaves recently..

When I first started a year ago it was great I used to make easily £150 a **** of 8hrs then as time went by the drivers on road got more and more and the problem if out of town drivers coming to Manchester to work on their rossendale badge made it near impossible so I don't think it's worth your time mate

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[GentleGiant]

Another one I used to do was casual driver for Vauxhall Fleet, you collect cars from the local depot with 1,2,3, other people and drive around the country collecting/delivering demonstrators; it is usually stress free and the experience is OK - as long as you dont crash, or get stuck in a Tigra with 3 other 6 footers for 2 hours. Occasionally I would get to drive Police Cars or Ambulances

I dont know if there are any car makers with depots near you though.

[Llanigraham]

Just remember that s.norman lives in West Wales, a predominately rural area, with a few large towns, so taxiing will be very different to an urban area. In our town we have 1 metered taxi, and he is the first for many years, plus 1 part-time mini-cab. The taxi owner says he is making a good living, mostly taking old ladies shopping and people to the railway station. He gets very few problems with drunks or anti-social behaviour. Not exactly typical of your urban taxi driver.

GG,

I worked out of Norton, firstly on the Agency then got taken on full time for 5 years. Got made redundant when they had a management buy-out from White Arrow and we moved to Wales.

[VWD]

sparks03, on 24 May 2013 - 21:02, said: When your fare is hammered wind an extra £2 on the meter before setting off

Orv an extra £20 when he sicks on the rear of a var. OK,if a black cab, that's get hose out, but you're off road for some time, and cab needs to be disinfected . Not nice .