Considering becoming
a
Taxi or Private Hire Driver
HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE DRIVING EXAMINATION
To drive a hackney carriage (taxi) licensed to ply for hire you will need a hackney carriage driver licence issued by issued by the appropriate council. To drive a private hire vehicle licensed you will need a private hire driver licence issued by issued by the appropriate council. The procedure for getting either licence is the same.
About You - To be granted a licence:
- You must be at least 21 years of age and have held a full UK or EU driver licence for at least 12 months when you apply for either a hackney carriage or private hire driver licence;
- You must be a fit and proper person to hold a licence;
- You will need to give the name and address of two people who will give you a reference - they must not be relatives;
- You will need to disclose ALL previous convictions whether or not they are spent and an enhanced criminal record check will be made through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). If you have previous convictions they may prevent you from being granted a licence and so you are strongly advised to ask the council's hackney carriage officer for advice now and before you go any further. Better to ask now than to spend time and money on learning the information you will need for your knowledge test only to find out that a licence will not be granted to you;
- You will need to be fit enough to comply with the medical requirements of the council. That requires you to meet the DVLA Group 2 driver licence medical standards. They are stricter than the standards needed to get an ordinary DVLA driver licence. If you have now, or have had in the past, any medical condition you are strongly advised to ask the council's hackney carriage officer for advice now and before you go any further. If you don't you risk doing a lot of work only later to find out that you may not be granted a licence.
- Applicants are required to pass a practical test administered by the Driving Standard Agency (DSA). There will a fee made for this test by the DSA. All bookings and enquiries regarding this test may be made by contacting the DSA directly on 0870 0101 372.
- You will need to pass a test of your knowledge of the area in which you intend to work;
- You will need to attend a council run equalities and disability awareness seminar.
You should be aware that any driver under 25 and who has held a UK or EU driver licence for less than 3 years may find it very difficult or very expensive to get taxi driver insurance. If you are in that category you may do well to speak to speak to one of the taxi operators before going any further.
The Knowledge Test
This is a test of your knowledge of the area in which you intend to work. It is both theoretical and practical.
- The theoretical part requires you to learn the location of roads within the area, its geographical areas, its places of interest and to understand the conditions which will apply to any hackney carriage or private hire licences issued by the council.
- The practical test requires you to drive the examiner to fifteen randomly selected destination and to describe a further five routes.
You can learn the information you need for the test by attending any of the commercial knowledge schools.
Practical Test Administered by The Driving Standards Agency.
It is strongly recommended that you pass the practical test administered by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) before making your application. There will be a fee made for this test by the DSA. All bookings and enquiries regarding this test may be made by contacting the DSA directly on 0870010372.
Similarly it is imperative that you obtain training for the DSA practical test which requires a high standard of driving.
We are happy and able to provide short courses, with our ORDIT approved trainers, tailored to your diary commitments.
ORDIT approved is a benchmark guide to quality and achievement so don't risk your opportunity to success by settling for anything less
Call
08000 930 920
or
E-mail - portsford@hotmail.com
