Public Hire Insurance

Becoming a public hire (famous British Black Cab) Taxi Driver

Fancy becoming becoming a public hire taxi driver? Driving around in a black cab? But apart from knowing you will have to gain the right insurance and taxi vehicle what else will you need to do? In what order? This guide ais to help you become a public hire taxi driver:

First you need to apply to your local council for an application form for a public hire taxi driver. While you are waiting for it to come through and once you have completed it and sent it off study your the a to z of the area you want to work. This study will come in useful later on.

So you have get your public hire application form, completed it and sent it off with an application cheque. Next the council will get you to sit through a medical, a DVLA driving test, security checks and then a local knowledge test.
The medical is to ensure that the public hire taxi driver is fit enough to perform the role.
The DVLA taxi driver test is to ensure that the public hire taxi driver can drive well enough as well as being a requirement for your insurance to satisfy your insurance company that you are suitable for insurance.
Security checks will check that the public hire taxi driver isn't an unsuitable person - you will be carrying passengers and the council need to ensure nothing is going to happen to them!
The operating/ local area test aims to prove that the public hire taxi driver knows the area and wont get lost This is as well as knowing where the ranks are and the rules operating as a public hire driver.

Assuming you pass these public hire tests, you will need to acquire your black cab if you haven't already. We would suggest you get this from a repitable dealer if you are buying second hand. For insurance purposes the only main criteria the insurance company will insist on is that it is suitably road worthy. Naturally, the cheaper the vehicle the cheaper the insurance. It isn't a pound for pound reduction and some insurance companies will not provide insurance for certain age vehicles!
Once you have your insurance call Lionheart Insurance on 0800 917 5227 for a cheap public hire insurance quote or click on the button above to apply on line. We will get back to you quickly with a really good deal on your public hire insurance. If you shop round make sure that the other insurance company provides all of the facilities that Lionheart Insurance policies do. Some have breakdown, legal as well as like for like replacement vehicle. This means that if your public hire vehicle is involved in an accident regardless of fault, the insurnace company will provide you with a replacement public hire taxi, suitable for you job within 24 hours of notification getting you back as a public hire driver, earning money! This service is not offered by many insurance companies.

Once you have all of this in application for public hire licence further fees are then payable to the council covering your badges for your public hire badge and public hire vehicle badge.

You are now ready to pick up your first fare as a public hire driver.

Good Luck!