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[Webby the Bear]

just wondering if i wanted a change of career in the future would this be easily done? or are there tests/long processes etc?

not likely but i know there'll be someone on here that knows!!!

[Miggylover]

Have kids?

[CaptainZok]

Buy a black labrador.

[Webby the Bear]

lol no kids no dog

[tunnie]

the dog must be called Holly

[blackviper90210]

Found this on the 'net, not sure if this helps?

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/taxis/15457.asp


 

[Dishevelled Den]

lol no kids no dog

You've fallen at the first hurdle then Bear - sadly.

[Del Boy]

Appointment with your local council licensing department, CRB, and you have to have a medical. All takes about 6 weeks. Don't know how it works in other towns, but in Ashford you can drive a Private Hire with no knowledge of any road, but to pass a Hackney you have to stand in front of some people, and direct them to roads they throw at you. All very easy, and not a bad job to be in 

[Amigo]

Hackney or private hire? Owner driver or jockey? See you local council, doctor (medical) Police check & the chi;ld risk check thing as you'll do council paid school contract runs for special need kids.
  That's just for starters...has it's upsides though!!!

[andyc]

Each area is different as to what is required but you will need to take a hackney test which is just like a driving test and you will need a full medical from the doctors and maybe an eye test.

Thats whats required by our council and costs arouns £250.00.

Friend of mine runs a cab firm and he will sometimes pay for the test but you pay him back within the first month and stay with him for two years.

All his drivers are self emploied, he supplies the car and takes a % of the money you take.

Weekends and airport runs pay the best but you do have to deal with some piss heads on a Friday & Saturday Night

Best to either talk to a few local firms and the local council and tehy will tell you whats what

Andy

[999gsi]

buy a passat diesel,loose two wheel trims,dont wash it,drive like a cxxt,park/or stop wherever you want,have a complete disregard for the highway code and speed limits,you will pass no problems....... 

[Debs.]

"What do you have to do to become a taxi driver?"

....learn important phrases, like:

"I`m not going South of the river at this time of night!"

[Vamps]

I did a lot of part time 'Private Hire' in Hertfordshire in the 90's, nothing needed but the right insurance and I paid a company for the 'Radio' Only worked weekends as a part time job and did pretty well out of it. Ran a Rover 827 Auto so did some 'Executive Hire' for another company, did OK....

[Banjax]

you need to drive around in a Skoda Octavia diesel or "VW Golf" as the Germans call them 

they are small 

[05omegav6]

As others have said:

1. speak to local council.
2. pay said council £40 for paperwork/forms and conditions test - local dos/don'ts. :-/
3. pay gp £100 ish to be inspected. every 5 years.
4. pay DSA £80 for a Taxi driving test. An actual proper driving test, only marked alot tighter.
5. pay council another £37 for a CRB check. every three years. :-/
6. once that comes back clear, pay the council another £200 ish for your badge. every year.

Basically allow £500 and between 6 and 10 weeks just to get your badge. Depending on where you are, you might also have to take and pass an NVQ/ BTec course at your own expense. :-/

It's not a quick fix to financial problems, you'll probably end up self employed with all that that implies, tax returns, accountants etc, no paid hols, no sick pay, no social life if you want to earn anything. Imagine going out with your partner to one of his/her work dos, offering to drive: you stay sober whilst alot of the relative strangers that you don't actually like get wasted around you; well that's every fare you pick up after 10 pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Not to mention getting verbal abuse/ threats of physical violence. :-/

I work in a modest middlish class town in West Sussex. Last Friday I was called every name you can think of for refusing to take a passenger that I was not booked for, spat at and offered to be 'fckued up and have my car torched', all that picking up from a wedding at a five star hotel.
We only have one night club in town, and you can usually sum up the night by the number of ambulances there at closing time.

Ok it's not all that bad, most of our regular customers are very pleasant people and every now and again you'll be pleasantly surprised by some people, but don't jump in blind.

Al.

p.s. excuse the slight rant, it's been a 'king long weekend The working time directive is basically irrelevant pish in this industry. If you don't put the time/effort in, you get nowt back and go bust.  Beats actually working though.

just.