Should taxi drivers have to take a language test?
Black cab drivers in London have hit out at proposals to introduce English language tests for all taxi drivers in the capital.
Since 2016, Transport for London has made it compulsory for private hire drivers to undertake the English Language Requirement to make sure that drivers have an appropriate understanding of English.
Taxi drivers are right to call for tariffs to rise
Taxi drivers are calling for tariffs to be increased as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put the squeeze on people’s finances.
For the past year, we have all battled with rising fuel and energy costs, which have helped push up inflation. For public hire, private hire drivers and others who earn their living on the road, there has been little choice but to take a hit at the pumps.
The future could be wireless for black cabs
Black cabs are charging their taxis wirelessly as part of a trial to bring more electric vehicles into the fleet and on to our roads.
One of the biggest obstacles to using EVs in the taxi fleet is range, with public hire and private hire drivers expressing concerns that the distance they can travel before having to recharge will prevent them operating efficiently.
Taxi drivers Remembrance Day support for veterans
Today is Armistice Day and as we prepare for Remembrance Sunday, taxi drivers are again helping war veterans remember fallen comrades by taking them to memorial ceremonies in London for free.
The tradition began in the capital 13 years ago with London black cab drivers volunteering their time to support the free Poppy Cabs Service.
Illegal taxis putting lives at risk.
Passengers are being warned about the dangers of travelling in illegal taxis which is making the most of the surging demand in towns and cities at weekends.
The warning comes after a council in Wales saw a rise in the number of unlicensed public hire and private hire taxis descending on Merthyr Tydfil at the weekends.
Private hire driver exposes cheating couple
A private hire taxi driver has sparked debate after she claims to have exposed an affair by taking a cheating man and his mistress back to his home – just moments after his wife and children had waved him off.
The incident happened in Dallas after an Uber driver who gave her name as Roni shared a video on TikTok.
Growing taxi insurance services with new additions
Patons Insurance is continuing its mission to help the taxi-driving community by making sure drivers receive the best-quality services and highest levels of support.
As part of that drive, the family-run taxi insurance broker has made key appointments this year to strengthen the company.
Veteran taxi driver feels like part of the family
Patons is a family taxi insurance business that focuses on looking after staff and clients as if they are part of the family.
With offices in a number of locations including Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and London, Patons Insurance operates both face-to-face and online.
Environmental protesters stop EV taxi drivers
Taxi drivers are understandably frustrated that environmental protesters are stopping them working – especially those who have already forked out on new electric cabs.
Just Stop Oil campaigners have frequently targeted London’s busy streets and been shown on the news causing huge congestion in and around the capital.
Cyber Security Safety for Taxi Firms
A recent cyber attack at Uber reveals that keeping technology safe and secure is as important as taxi drivers getting passengers to their destination safely.
Following the data breach last month, in a bid to reassure staff, drivers and customers that its systems and data are secure, Uber has released details of the hack and how the firm reacted to stop the breach and improve security.
How the Pandemic changed the Taxi Industry
The pandemic put the brakes on the taxi industry and many others as lockdown and social-distancing measures continued for almost two years.
We recently shared that more people are now getting back behind the wheel of a taxi or are starting out their career as taxi drivers. And, as numbers continue to climb, interesting trends and changes have occurred which could shape the future the taxi trade.
Thief jailed for stealing public hire taxi
It is great news that a stolen black cab has been returned to its taxi driver owner without a scratch on it, and the thief responsible has been locked up.
The incident happened last month in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and fortunately, the illegal fare lasted just seven minutes as the speeding black-cab thief was caught by an elite roads policing unit.