Month: February 2018

Working as a Private Hire Taxi Driver

There are thousands of private hire taxis in operation in the UK and no shortage of jobs for people who are looking to make a career switch. To help you get started, below is a guide to becoming a private hire taxi driver that covers everything from getting your licence to staying safe on the job. Getting a licence The first thing you’ll need to do before you can work as a private hire taxi driver is get a licence. The requirements for obtaining a private hire licence vary depending on the city you live in. Generally you’ll need to meet the following requirements – Be at least 21 Have a full UK driver’s licence Pass a medical taste Be of good character Pass a competence test Is your vehicle suitable? If you already have a vehicle then you might be wondering if it’s suitable for use a taxi. This will depend on a few factors. Firstly you want a vehicle that has adequate room for passengers. If you have a very small car or one that only has two seats, such as smart car, then this probably isn’t going to be suitable. Another thing to think about is the cost of insurance. The cost of taxi insurance is is different to regular car insurance, even for the same vehicle so this is something to bear in mind. Whether your vehicle is suitable will also depend on the company you’re working for. For example Uber require that their drivers have a vehicle registered in 2008 or after. Getting insurance To work as a private hire taxi driver you’ll need to get the right insurance. Private hire taxi insurance is available from a number of different insurance providers and getting quotes is a quick and easy process so it shouldn’t be too hard to find cover at an affordable rate. When looking for insurance it’s important to think about what level of cover you need/can afford. A third party policy will be cheaper than comprehensive cover but also provides less protection for your own vehicle. Staying safe A very important aspect of working as a private hire taxi driver is to take any precautions you can in order to stay safe on the job. Although private hire drivers are typically at less risk than public hire drivers, that doesn’t mean no risk is there. One of the best ways to make yourself more safe while working is to have CCTV installed inside your vehicle. This will act as a deterrent to passengers who might otherwise become aggressive or refuse to pay.… Continue reading »

Saving Money on Car Insurance When You Have a Criminal Conviction

If you have a criminal conviction then getting car insurance at a reasonable price can be a challenge. There are things you can do in order to lower the cost however. Below are some of the best ways you can save money on car insurance with a conviction – Go to a specialist provider If you’re looking for car insurance with a criminal conviction then going to a specialist provider is certainly recommended. Some mainstream insurance providers don’t offer cover to people with convictions since they consider them too high risk. A specialist provider will take your circumstances into account and be able to offer a policy that’s fairly priced based on the severity of your conviction. Limit cover options Another good way to save money on car insurance when you have a conviction is to get a basic policy. Third party only is the lowest level of cover you’ll need in order to make your car road legal. Third party insurance is considerably cheaper than a comprehensive policy so this is definitely worth considering. Pay annually If you can afford to pay for your policy on annual basis then you’ll be able to make a decent saving with the majority of insurance providers. If you do decide to pay annually then be sure to push for the best discount possible. Make your vehicle secure Making your vehicle secure is certainly a good way to lower the cost of car insurance. If your car doesn’t already have an alarm and immobiliser then you should definitely consider having them fitted. Using a steering wheel lock is another way to deter thieves. Taking these measures as well as having somewhere safe to park your car will help to keep costs down. Get a lot of quotes Getting quotes from as many providers as possible is one of the best ways you can save money on car insurance with you have a criminal conviction. The prices you’re quoted can vary quite a lot from one insurance provider to the next so it’s incredibly important to shop around and select a policy that you know is good value for money. Increase excess Last but not least is increasing the excess on your policy. Excess is what you would have to pay if you made a claim. Increasing excess is not necessarily the best way to lower costs since you would have to pay more when making a claim.… Continue reading »

Keeping Costs Down When You Have a Taxi Firm

Running a taxi firm comes with a lot of challenges. Not only do you have to stay competitive but you also need to think about your overheads and the best ways you can keep costs down. Below are some of the best ways to accomplish this when you run a taxi firm. Get the right office Getting the right office is key when you have a taxi firm. You want to pick a premises that’s practical and affordable. A taxi office generally doesn’t need to be that big since it’s mainly used for administrative purposes and to communicate with drivers. Hire the right drivers Hiring the right drivers is extremely important if you want to keep costs down. Experience drivers with a good background will be much cheaper to insure on a private hire policy for example. An example of a good driver is one who – Is over 25 – Age is always going to be a big factor that insurance providers consider when calculating the cost of a policy. Drivers who are under 25 cost considerably more to insure since they’re statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. Doesn’t have any convictions – Convictions, especially driving convictions, can hike the price of a taxi insurance policy up considerably. Has a clean driving licence – Having a licence with no points on it is another thing that makes for a good taxi driver to hire. Has experience driving a taxi – Experience driving a taxi for a living is always good when hiring drivers for your firm. The more experience they have, the less they’re likely to cost to insure. Get the right cover You may choose to hire owner drivers who have their own insurance but if you opt to insure your own vehicles then you’ll want to get the right taxi insurance. You can choose exactly what level of cover you want to get when taking out a taxi fleet policy. The cheapest option is to get third party only cover. This will not cover any of your own vehicles though if one of your drivers is involved in a collision and they’re to blame. For more protection you can add fire and theft to a third party policy; or get fully comprehensive cover. Make security a priority You should make security a priority both at your office and in your taxis. Making sure that your drivers are safe is very important and installing CCTV in their vehicles is a good way to do this.… Continue reading »