legal or illegal taxi drivers?

flashy · 18-06-2008, 08:02

I was just stood at the kitchen window making Reece his breakfast when a taxi pulled up across the road, i noticed the taxi driver change his badges on the side of the car from 24/7 taxi's to Darwen private hire....now is it me or does anyone else think something dodgy is going on? are taxi drivers allowed to be registered with 2 different taxi firms at the same time? had this taxi driver intercepted another firms fair and changed his badges to suit the pickup? surely they wont be insured for two seperate firms....anyone any ideas?

maybe Slinks could answer this one

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 08:13

AS taxi and private hire are two different things and a private hire car can't pick up from a taxi rank maybe they can be registered as both so they can do both.

flashy · 18-06-2008, 08:18

maybe willow, i've just never ever seen a taxi do that before

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 08:26

We shall have to wait for an official type reply from Slinks - I could text Busman as he was once a taxi driver but I think he's a bit busy driving a coach at the mo.

emzy · 18-06-2008, 08:38

What about the taxis that drive round with 2 taxi names on them?? Are they the same business but with another name?

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 08:38

I've just come across an interesting bit of bumph:

Quote:

Local Authorities are required not to grant a licence unless they are satisfied that the vehicle is suitable in type, size and design for use as a Private Hire Vehicle, is not of such design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that it is a taxi

I am sure I've had PHVs come here to pick us up and had a bloomin great "TAXI" sign on the top!

The trouble is when you phone for a PHV they answer the phone and say "taxis".

flashy · 18-06-2008, 08:53

hmmmmm thats interesting

cashman · 18-06-2008, 09:00

could be hes working fer 2 firms at the same time? taxi drivers aint making much at the moment (as my mate next door tells me),folk get 2 jobs to keep the wolf from the door. just a thought.

flashy · 18-06-2008, 09:01

yeah but thats what i'm asking cashy, is it legal to work for two taxi firms at the same time? surely they need to be insured

Royboy39 · 18-06-2008, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

could be hes working fer 2 firms at the same time? taxi drivers aint making much at the moment (as my mate next door tells me),folk get 2 jobs to keep the wolf from the door. just a thought.

As I understand it, A Private Hire Vehicle Licence is taken out by the owner of the vehicle....The driver has also to be licenced also for PHV.
Sometimes you will get two or more drivers using the same vehicle, provided the vehicle is insured for these drivers there is no problem.
Taxi firms are nothing more that agencies that run an office to pass on to the drivers, jobs as they come in. The firms collect rents for the upkeep of this service and some also rent radios from the firms.
Taxi Drivers who are self employed can work for anyone.

cashman · 18-06-2008, 09:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royboy39

As I understand it, A Private Hire Vehicle Licence is taken out by the owner of the vehicle....The driver has also to be licenced also for PHV.
Sometimes you will get two or more drivers using the same vehicle, provided the vehicle is insured for these drivers there is no problem.
Taxi firms are nothing more that agencies that run an office to pass on to the drivers, jobs as they come in. The firms collect rents for the upkeep of this service and some also rent radios from the firms.
Taxi Drivers who are self employed can work for anyone.

was thinking along similar lines, when i had a hackney license 3 of us used the same black cab.

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 09:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royboy39

Taxi firms are nothing more that agencies that run an office to pass on to the drivers, jobs as they come in. The firms collect rents for the upkeep of this service and some also rent radios from the firms.
Taxi Drivers who are self employed can work for anyone.

But those are Private Hires Royboy, not taxis. Taxis are the ones where they sit on a rank or you whistle at them in the street in London and they drive past you and don't take a blind bit of notice

. Private Hires are the ones you ring up for. What we are wondering is can a driver be both at the same time. That bit of bumph I quoted seems to indicate that a PHV should not have anything on it to imply that it is a taxi.

I got it from here, page 20, section 3.31 "England and Wales Outside London" The document makes it very clear that there must be a distinction between the two and a passenger must be able to identify the vehicle as either a PHV or a taxi. So is it legal to be both?

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

was thinking along similar lines, when i had a hackney license 3 of us used the same black cab.

Yes the vehicle is licensed but so are the individual taxi drivers.

Royboy39 · 18-06-2008, 09:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

But those are Private Hires Royboy, not taxis. Taxis are the ones where they sit on a rank or you whistle at them in the street in London and they drive past you and don't take a blind bit of notice

. Private Hires are the ones you ring up for. What we are wondering is can a driver be both at the same time. That bit of bumph I quoted seems to indicate that a PHV should not have anything on it to imply that it is a taxi.

I got it from here, page 20, section 3.31 "England and Wales Outside London" The document makes it very clear that there must be a distinction between the two and a passenger must be able to identify the vehicle as either a PHV or a taxi. So is it legal to be both?

Google it...........

WillowTheWhisp · 18-06-2008, 09:42

I did - that is where I got the PDF document in my link.