Public Hire

close up of an orange taxi sign lit up at night

Would a taxi driver really throw colleagues under a bus by cloning plates?

Taxi drivers look out for each other and while there can be a fierce rivalry between cabbies and PHV drivers, few would break the law to drop another driver in it.

 black cab taxi parked in a taxi rank outside a London station. An older man in a navy suit is standing outside of the cab, leaning through the window, seemingly talking to the taxi driver.

Fares rise in drive to keep cabbies on the road

Taxi fares in London have risen by more than twice the level of inflation in a bid to keep more cabbies behind the wheel as rising prices continue to hit drivers in the pocket.

 Electric Taxi is charging on street doc station in the town centre of Coventry

Ultra-low emission plans spark concerns among taxi drivers

In a bid to reduce emissions and hit its net-zero carbon deadline of 2030, Reading Borough Council wants to replace petrol and diesel cabs with ultra-low emissions vehicles, such as EV and hybrid black cabs.

News staff fear for safety as broadcaster wants to stop paying for taxis

Staff at broadcaster GB News are worried over cost-cutting plans to stop paying for taxis to and from its London studios, which they believe will put people at risk.

 view from inside a taxi cab with fitted meter at night

How taxi drivers can protect themselves against fare dodgers

Fare dodging is theft and it is something taxi drivers face every day – but attitudes need to change in order to tackle it.

 st georges square glasgow

Courts are right to get tough with those who attack taxi drivers

Taxi drivers play a vital role in the community and it is good to see courts taking a tough stance with people who commit offences against them.

 Uber car (Skoda) with inscription on the street before sunset

Battle between black cabs and Uber rages on in London

As London’s taxi and private hire drivers continue to compete for fares, London’s cabbies have raised the stakes with a lawsuit which could see them each get £25,000 in lost earnings.

 Traditional Green London Cab Drivers Shelter near Charring Cross Underground Station. Westminster, UK

Historic cab shelters are still a hub for modern taxi drivers

Taxi drivers have seen it all, and so have historic taxi shelters which began life as a refuge for drivers to tie up their horses and carts.

 Taxi rank on a street in Rome, Italy with 3 taxis waiting in a queue.

When in Rome . . . don’t bother trying to get a taxi!

Anyone who has failed to hail a cab in the Italian capital is not alone – they are among 1.3 million passengers a month who don’t have any joy either.

 cars driving at night

Town’s taxi drivers are right to put their own safety first

Violent and abusive customers are stopping taxi drivers working late shifts and it is affecting a town centre’s economy.

 Underside of a car having work done in a garage

Taxi app to improve safety of cabs and PHVs

Keeping taxis and PHVs in good condition reduces the likelihood of damage and injury, as well as keeping vehicles on the road longer.

 taxi meter on dashboard at night with city lights visible from the window

Taxi drivers are still getting mixed messages

The debate about national taxi standards goes on as taxi drivers continue to receive mixed messages from councils. While some councils have frozen fares, others have increased them by up to 30%.