New Taxi Driver Training – Talk to us today!
Vokes has set up a driver training programme to encourage new drivers to enter the profession. Becoming a licensed driver provides a great deal of freedom, you work when you want to work and take time off whenever it suits, but it takes time and effort to become licensed. Here are the basics;
Becoming a taxi driver in Medway requires you to be licensed by Medway Council as either a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Driver;
- Hackney Carriage (“HC”) Drivers are licensed to pick people up from the roadside, i.e. hailing a cab.
- Private Hire (“PH”) Drivers are only permitted to pick up pre-arranged bookings and are not permitted to pick people up from the side of the road.
- Restricted Private Hire (“RPH”) Drivers are only permitted for Home to School transport.
The training course will support you on your path to becoming licensed as either a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire driver. It will initially explain what it means to be a taxi driver, answering all your questions about how the trade operates. It will detail what your costs are likely to be through the qualification process, what your expenditure will be once you have qualified and what you can expect to earn once you have your license.
The course will lead you through the licensing process which includes consists of four sections as follows;
The Medway Council Knowledge Test
This is broken down into 6 sections, all relevant for HC and PH but limited to 4-seaters for RPH.
- Safeguarding; This section is designed to ensure that you understand the essential information about promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
- Highway code; You’ll be required to know the highway code in as much detail as was originally required to pass your theoretical driving test.
- Taxi Law and Policy; Medway Council has a 76-page licensing policy document which all licensed drivers are required to be familiar with.
- Cash Handling; In the test you’ll be required to correctly answer 4 out of 5 multi-choice questions checking your ability to work out how much change should be returned to a customer paying a fare.
- Places of interest; Across the Medway Towns there are hundreds of places of interest that you will be required to recognise and know the address of. We will provide you with a definitive list and set regular tests to enable you to grade your progress in memorising the whereabouts of each (not applicable for RPH).
- Routes; In this final part of the test you will be asked a number of questions on which routes you should or should not take out of a number of multi-choice options. This is the most challenging part of the test In advance of the test we will provide you with numerous test papers designed to enable you to properly test your readiness for the test
Medical
You will need to provide a medical report to the council certifying that you meet Group 2 standards of medical fitness.
DSA Driving Test
You will be required to pass a driving test specifically designed by the Driving Standards Agency for HC and PH drivers. We will provide you with details of the scope of the test and provide all of the contact details you’ll need.
Enhanced DBS Check
An enhanced DBS check involves a check of an applicant’s criminal record against the Police National Computer for any reprimands, warnings, cautions or convictions plus any information held locally by police forces that’s considered relevant. We’ll guide you to the application which must be made through Medway Council, which itself is registered to carry out the check.
Becoming a licensed taxi driver isn’t an easy process and will take several months to complete, but there is an increasing demand for taxi services in the Medway Towns and licensed drivers can look forward to a rewarding long-term career. If you’re interested in finding our more we’d like to invite you to come in and meet us. We’ll explain the basics of what you should expect as a licensed taxi driver and answer all of your questions about the industry. Call now to make an appointment with Graham Humphreys on 01634 843601 to learn more.
