Public Hire

Taxi drivers have seen it all – the good, the bad and the ugly.

But picking up a celebrity fare always makes a shift memorable. And it is even more enjoyable if the famous face is friendly, chatty – and might even have a selfie taken with the driver.

Taxi drivers will be effected by new laws being introduced next month to reduce distractions on the road make it illegal to use virtually all tech devices while driving.

Under the new regulations which come into force on March 25, anyone caught using mobile phones, tablets, smart watches, PDAs or any other communication devices, will face a £200 fine and 6 points on their licence.

Clean air zones are being rolled out in towns, cities and regions in a bid to cut pollution. But the drive to keep more-polluting vehicles off the roads could hit taxi drivers in the pocket.

Drivers are being faced with the choice of passing on to customers the daily charge for each Clean Air Zone (CAZ) they enter, or switching to cleaner, greener vehicles which are exempt from CAZ charges.

For generations, communities have placed trust on their local taxi firm to support them with all their transportation needs.

From airport drop-offs to the last-minute booking after a heavy night out with your closest friends, they have undoubtedly been at the heart of many of our towns, and for that, we are entirely grateful.

We’re almost there, folks. After 12 months of uncertainty, doom and gloom, the UK finally has a roadmap out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is going to start moving again VERY soon, and bringing with it much needed support and income to the taxi and private hire industry.

Patons Insurance are here to provide our top tips on ensuring YOU are fully prepared as the country reopens throughout 2021.

Whatever vehicle you drive, driving in the dark can be dangerous.

Whether it’s late at night or first thing in the morning, no matter how well you might think you know a particular road, junction or dual carriageway; at this time of year it will now pose a completely new set of challenges.

Since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, taxi and private-hire drivers, have provided an essential service transporting NHS staff, key workers, patients and the vulnerable.

As life starts to return to normal, and fares begin to pick up, at Patons we wanted to do all we could to keep you protected.

The restrictions we are all facing due to Coronavirus will be with us for a while, and whenever the Government recommends easing them, everyone will need to be prepared for what will be a ‘new normal’.

Reducing the spread and keeping passengers, as well as ourselves, safe is now a vital part of every driver’s job.

From April next year all Hackney cabs in Liverpool will have to accept on board card payments.

The mandatory introduction, which follows similar passenger services offered by drivers in London, will provide debit and credit card payment facilities, including contactless.

The environmentally friendly Electric Black Cab – which can take you 80 miles on a single electric charge – will be in and around Liverpool for all to see.

As Patons provide the insurance for these electric cabs we were lucky enough to be the one of the first passengers in the back and we’re huge admirers.

Choosing taxi insurance needn’t be difficult, we have just the solution, here at Patons Insurance! Making sure that you have the appropriate cover to drive your taxi is simple with Patons; we provide insurance for all taxi drivers, regardless of whether you drive a public or private taxi.

We can help you to stay clear of any unnecessary, costly consequences by providing you with insurance advice.

Working as a taxi driver allows you a certain amount of freedom, but one thing you have no say over is the weather. Come rain or shine you need to be on the road, ferrying passengers from A to B easily and efficiently.

When the heavens decide to open, you still have to carry on, unless the weather gets so perilous that you have no other option than to stop.