Taxi driver

Taxi drivers take passengers, by Hackney carriage or private hire vehicle, to a required destination.

Work activities

Taxi drivers charge people to take them from one place to another. Some drive a Hackney carriage and others use a private hire vehicle. Hackney carriage drivers either work from an established rank or they can be hailed in the street. They usually drive purpose-built vehicles, such as traditional black cabs.

Private hire vehicles may only carry out pre-booked work and are likely to drive saloon-type cars. Passengers may be collected from lots of different places, such as entertainment venues, airports, or shopping areas as well as from private residential addresses. Taxi drivers make local or long-distance journeys and need to have a thorough knowledge of local and regional routes. Sometimes, they pass on information about the local area, and generally make conversation with passengers.

Taxi drivers usually help passengers to get luggage in and out of the vehicle. On arrival at a destination, the taxi driver tells the passengers how much they need to pay (some fares are pre-paid by credit card using an app such as Uber). They are also responsible for keeping their vehicles roadworthy. This involves doing routine checks and ensuring that their vehicles are of the required standards to pass any necessary tests.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

• To be a confident driver who is able to drive well in any road and weather conditions.
• A helpful, trustworthy and patient manner.
• Some number skills, as you’ll be dealing with cash a lot. Also, many taxi drivers are self-employed so have to do their own books.
• To be able to deal with all types of people including the occasional awkward or difficult customer.

In tourist areas, it is useful to have background knowledge of places of interest, so that you can provide information to visitors. All taxi drivers must pass a medical before being granted a licence, so reasonable physical fitness and good eyesight are essential. The DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) provides more information on licences.

The following future skills shortages have been identified:

• Foreign languages.
• IT skills.
• Vehicle engineering and maintenance skills.

Pay and opportunities

Self-employed taxi drivers’ incomes depend upon the number of customers they have. Tips can increase these earnings. Self-employed drivers will need to pay for the fuel they use, as well as driver licensing, car insurance and maintenance.  They also rent the radio or online system that taxi companies use to tell them about the fares available.

Salaried taxi drivers earn in the range of £14,000-£30,000.

Working hours can be long and antisocial, involving evening, weekend and public holiday work. Part-time work may be available. Typically, a taxi driver can expect to work 41-43 hours per week.

Employers are taxi companies. Many taxi drivers are self-employed. Opportunities for taxi drivers occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK.

Opportunities occur for drivers to become self-employed. They may own their vehicle, hire it from a fleet operator or rent a cab from an owner. Licences are obtained from Transport for London (TfL) in London or local authorities elsewhere.

What’s happening in this work area?

Some taxi drivers and their employers are struggling to compete with the newer online app services (for example Uber). The recent rise in fuel costs also hit the industry hard. 

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

All taxi drivers must hold a full driving licence and must then apply for a private hire or Hackney carriage licence from their local licensing authority. Hackney carriage drivers must:

• Be 21 or above and have had a driving licence for at least 12 months
• Have no criminal convictions in fraud, theft, violent or sexual offences.
• Drivers may also have to pass a medical.

Training in London: A licence will only be granted when the candidate has passed a driving test and a series of oral and written examinations covering routes, which is known as “the knowledge”.

Outside London, most local authorities have their own tests covering local knowledge, and a driving test. Each local authority has its own licensing requirements so check with them for full details.

Some taxi drivers move into chauffeuring work. This is a popular job for people who want to be self-employed.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

No academic qualifications are needed to enter this job. By law, taxi drivers must be aged over 21 and have held a full driving licence for 12 months.

Adult opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. Applicants for a private hire or Hackney carriage licence need to be at least 21 years old and have held a full driving licence for at least one year.

People that have experience of driving/delivery work may have an advantage. A clean, current driving licence is required. Some employers may ask you to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. You’ll also need a local area knowledge test, medical check and Special Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Taxi Driving Test.

Skills shortages for this industry have been identified. The skills most valuable to the taxi and private hire industry include:

• Communication and customer service
• Organisational skills
• Vehicle maintenance
• Foreign languages.

Related careers

• Ambulance care assistant
• Bus/coach driver
• Chauffeur
• Motorcycle courier
• Van driver