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Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Training

Train for your taxi needs with AllDrive - DIA Accredited Taxi Training

In 2003 The Driving Standards Agency approached all Local Authorities with a driving test for the taxi industry. To date (2007), 84 local authorities have signed up to an agreement, as part of the Government’s strategy to road safety. This number is growing all the time, and it is surely only a matter of time before it becomes obligatory to all potential taxi drivers. Some of the local authorities which signed up to the initiative are also insisting that the Practical Taxi Driving Test is a pre-condition to being exchanged from a Private Hire licence to a Hackney Carriage licence, and vice versa.

Benefits to the Local Authority

• The obvious aspect concerning better road safety
• Greater flexibility with the application process

• Better credibility in the local economy
• Candidate acquires an accreditation to their driving skills, producing self esteem
• Better driving skills will almost certainly produce repeat business.
• Successful outcome could produce a change in career, or a secondary income.

There is no particular qualification required to become a taxi driver, however, they must be at least 18 years of age to be able to apply for the knowledge test, but 21 years old to be granted a local authority licence. There are some limitations as to who can be accepted by the local authority, and it is the local authority which has the autonomy in the licensing process. All applicants to the industry must apply to the local Taxi Licensing Office, usually situated at the Town Hall, and must be scrutinised in areas of personal security and background. These checks include:-

• An investigation by the Criminal Records Bureau (known as the CRB Check)
• An investigation by the local authority for proof of residency.
• An in depth medical examination by a nominated GP. (It is possible that the GP nominated could be your own, but the surgery can only produce the report on the stationery supplied by the local authority.)

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