We’re Hiring
We are excited to announce that we’re expanding, which means we have new opportunities across our UK offices!
At Patons, our core values revolve around trust and integrity, which we uphold not only within our office but also in all our interactions with customers. We encourage a respectful atmosphere where everyone’s voice is valued, and we come together as a team.
Calls for higher standards of taxi legislation
There have been calls for national taxi legislation to ensure standards across the UK, as well as closing loopholes that benefit some taxi drivers over others.
One of the biggest issues has been legislation which allows taxi licences to be issued by one authority while the driver is actually operating in another. A consequence of this loophole has been that some drivers have benefitted from some licensing authorities charging different fees.
The benefits of comprehensive taxi insurance
Our advice to every taxi driver is to take out the best taxi insurance policy they can afford that offers them the most protection.
Whether they run a black cab and need public hire insurance, or need private hire insurance for their PHV, they should always try to take out the policy that offers them the most protection.
How a taxi insurance broker can protect you
Taxi drivers understandably look for the cheapest taxi insurance deal they can find – but that doesn’t mean they are getting the best cover.
There is a lot of truth in the saying you don’t know how good your insurance is until you need it. If you keep paying low premiums for years and never make a claim, you will be happy with your choice of cover.
Should taxi drivers ask for payment upfront?
Taxi drivers can ask passengers to pay their fare at any point during a journey – even before the ride has begun.
The biggest reason for this is to stop passengers leaving without paying or refusing to pay the full fare for a journey which, to be clear, is theft. They are using a service they know they have to pay for but are cheating the driver out of the rightful fare.
How public liability insurance protects drivers
Taxi drivers know how important it is to have the right insurance to protect their business.
By law, all cab and private hire drivers must have third-party taxi insurance as the minimum cover. This is the lowest level of insurance and means that if they at fault for a crash, the other parties involved will be covered, as well as any passengers in the cab.
Taxi drivers concerned about cab colour change
Plans to give Newcastle’s black cabs a distinctive makeover have been parked for now following concerns from the city’s taxi drivers.
Newcastle City Council planned to introduce white bonnets to the city’s fleet of almost 600 public hire black taxis – to reflect Newcastle United’s famous black and white shirts – in a bid to make travelling by taxi safer for everyone.
New charging hub gives taxi drivers a brighter outlook
The taxi industry is undergoing major changes with the drive towards greener vehicles, as well as the disappearance of traditional haunts for taxi drivers to grab a cuppa and catch up with colleagues.
One of the biggest changes to the taxi landscape has been seen in London, which had plenty of dedicated cafes, services and meeting points for drivers.
Cabbies treat Veterans to a day at the seaside
It is great to see kind-hearted taxi drivers once again give up their time to give veterans a well-deserved treat.
The popular trips have been taking place for 75 years and are a highlight for those who have served our country and are testament to the taxi drivers who volunteer their time to treat our veterans, giving up a day’s pay when they still have bills such as maintenance and taxi insurance coming in.
Taxi boss wants black cabs and PHVs to be treated equally
Plans for a £36 million city-centre pedestrianisation scheme have come under fire from private hire taxi drivers who would be banned from the area, while black cabs would still be allowed to operate.
And STV News reports that Edinburgh Council could face legal action from at least one private hire boss who called the decision to ban PHVs “ludicrous”.
What gadgets can taxi drivers not do without?
Taxi drivers spend most of their time in their cars which must be able to do everything they need to earn a living.
As technology improves, there are more gadgets and features to make life on the road easier and more enjoyable. So, what could you not do without in your next taxi or private hire vehicle?
Boost for Sheffield taxi drivers who already own greener cars
As more Clean Air Zones appear around the country, it’s good to see help is available to taxi drivers to make the switch to less-polluting vehicles.
We recently mentioned Newcastle Council’s grants to help taxi drivers replace older, polluting vehicles with newer, greener models operating in its Clean Air Zone.