News

Fitting tribute to campaigning cabbie

Taxi drivers are part of a close-knit group and take great pride in being part of the communities they serve.

They are often people who regularly get involved to help make a difference, whether it is campaigning about safer issues in towns and cities, or giving seriously ill children a fantastic day trip out. They also look after each other and form life-long friendships.

Taxi driver deserves a medal for rescuing man from burning car

No one knows how they will react in an emergency, but a life-saving taxi driver deserves an award for bravery for rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car.

When taxi driver Abdul Javeed came across the scene of the horrific crash, he didn’t think twice about getting out to help – as his shocked fare looked on from the cab.

Free Knowledge sees PHV drivers moving to black cabs

Across the UK, PHV drivers outnumber public hire taxi drivers by an average of five to one. But cabbie numbers are increasing, especially in London, where there is a drive to get PHV drivers to make the switch.

One of the biggest draws has been initiatives by operators such as Freenow, Gett and Addison Lee, who have been supporting PHV drivers to pass The Knowledge – an encyclopedic knowledge of the 15,000 streets and 10,000 landmarks within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross – the starting point to driving a black cab in London.

Speed limit ‘prank’ is nothing to laugh about

Few people like being pranked, especially when it leads to a fine, points on their driving licence, rising insurance premiums, a driving ban and, in the case of taxi drivers, the loss of their livelihood.

This is precisely the situation hundreds of drivers are facing after pranksters changed a 40mph speed limit sign for a 50mph fake on A20 near Sidcup, south-east London.

Can wheelchair users get into your taxi or PHV?

Today is International Wheelchair Day, when users celebrate the positive difference a wheelchair makes to their lives.

But, despite changes and improvements, it is also a reminder of the difficulties they still face, including using taxis and PHVs.

As seen in our picture of John and Billy Paton introducing the first wheelchair-accessible FX4 Fairway in the late 1980s, modern black cabs are designed with disabled access in mind.

Potholes are still causing headaches for taxi drivers

Most potholes don’t look like much, but they can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to vehicles – and taxi drivers are among the record number of motorists left counting the cost.

A year ago, we looked at the misery being caused by potholes and, today, things appear to be worse. While cars are built to be safe and withstand high-speed impacts, it seems incredible that driving into a small hole in a road can cause so much damage.