Thoughts on becoming a taxi (airport) driver

[Capra]

I was thinking of USP's, one that comes to mind is a nice looking car, which is clean inside and out, along with a smart looking driver that can string more than two words together!!
We have two local drivers that use an MPV type thing, but both are happy and financially ok to take trips when it suits them. Another thing, I thought that cars had to be of a certain age to meet criteria, both of these are 10 years and older.

 

[KennyN]

I thought that cars had to be of a certain age to meet criteria, both of these are 10 years and older.

I think they have to registered as a "taxi" before they get to a certain age , once registered they can be any age providing they pass their annual inspection.

Kenny

 

[umblecumbuz]

I was thinking of USP's, one that comes to mind is a nice looking car, which is clean inside and out, along with a smart looking driver that can string more than two words together!!

I wonder how often a client phones up to book a car and asks what model of car it is, or how clean it is, or how smart and intelligent the driver is? The frequency of such questions will tell you how important they are to your client base.

When they book with you, what are their priorities? I'm guessing that they will more often ask whether you can meet their unsocial booking times, how much you charge, and sometimes whether you can carry their luggage/dog/wife and children.

Being impressed with the cleanliness of your vehicle, the intelligence of the driver, or the car's make and model, may grow with time, but will not be primary considerations.

 

[Capra]

I wonder how often a client phones up to book a car and asks what model of car it is, or how clean it is, or how smart and intelligent the driver is? The frequency of such questions will tell you how important they are to your client base.

When they book with you, what are their priorities? I'm guessing that they will more often ask whether you can meet their unsocial booking times, how much you charge, and sometimes whether you can carry their luggage/dog/wife and children.

Being impressed with the cleanliness of your vehicle, the intelligence of the driver, or the car's make and model, may grow with time, but will not be primary considerations.

Fair points, but if I was using a service to get me to an airport I would pay a bit extra for the above. When we go to Rome we use the hotel service and they always use new E class MB and the driver is always smart. This is 50 Euros compared to 38 Euros and sometimes a longer walk with the cabs that sit at the airport. I suppose some don't really care, maybe that is the challenge. Even when I walk to the taxi rank here I always try and find the chap with the BMW 730 and not the VW golf estate.

NB - As for dogs, of course you take assistance/blind but I wouldn't be taking a pet dog. as it's not fair on other passengers whom maybe allergic. I have an issue anyway with dog owners who think there dog should be allowed everywhere because they love dogs.

Edit: BTW the way I am an animal lover, cats and dogs especially.

 

[davemercedes]

I was thinking of USP's, one that comes to mind is a nice looking car, which is clean inside and out, along with a smart looking driver that can string more than two words together!!
We have two local drivers that use an MPV type thing, but both are happy and financially ok to take trips when it suits them. Another thing, I thought that cars had to be of a certain age to meet criteria, both of these are 10 years and older.

That's OK within reason - so long as it looks clean and respectable BUT depending on the distance involved. people would be more likely to shy away from older cars for their airport run where punctuality is a major point, along with sufficient room for luggage etc.
One solution here may be to purchase a "distinctive" number plate that matches your chosen company name - it doesn't have to be a flashy dateless number so it should not cost all that much and would belong to your company in due course.
- Example: R500PCS (idea: PCS = Personal Car Service?) is advertised at £164 (plus transfer charges at £112)

With regards to the comments about not working with the public, your chosen sector i.e.: airport runs, will have a high percentage of professional people who want the service you'll be advertising. Families etc going on holiday who choose to use your service are also unlikely to be "pain in the butt" kind of people - based on the fact that they've chosen the door to door more luxurious type of travel.

btw: Once you're established some of your airport customers will call on you for "special" trips as well - e.g.: for my wife's "significant" birthday I arranged for us to be picked up in the nice shiny Mercedes I used for the airport and I had arranged where we were going with our driver which SWMBO did not know. Just like the airport service I only had to arrange a time for the return pickup and when we went outside, the car was waiting.

 

[Capra]

That's OK within reason - so long as it looks clean and respectable BUT depending on the distance involved. people would be more likely to shy away from older cars for their airport run where punctuality is a major point, along with sufficient room for luggage etc.
One solution here may be to purchase a "distinctive" number plate that matches your chosen company name - it doesn't have to be a flashy dateless number so it should not cost all that much and would belong to your company in due course.
- Example: R500PCS (idea: PCS = Personal Car Service?) is advertised at £164 (plus transfer charges at £112)

With regards to the comments about not working with the public, your chosen sector i.e.: airport runs, will have a high percentage of professional people who want the service you'll be advertising. Families etc going on holiday who choose to use your service are also unlikely to be "pain in the butt" kind of people - based on the fact that they've chosen the door to door more luxurious type of travel.

btw: Once you're established some of your airport customers will call on you for "special" trips as well - e.g.: for my wife's "significant" birthday I arranged for us to be picked up in the nice shiny Mercedes I used for the airport and I had arranged where we were going with our driver which SWMBO did not know. Just like the airport service I only had to arrange a time for the return pickup and when we went outside, the car was waiting.

Good idea about the plate. Yes, my thoughts were with the more luxury side of things. Some of the taxis here would struggle to fit four adults and their luggage, and a few are happy being local.
I remember a nice touch when I was a kid, we were picked up by a large silver taxi (cannot remember what it was) 14 years ago for a 3 hour ride to the airport. The driver passed myself and my brother two games consoles to keep us entertained. Looking back that was a nice touch, he was chatted to my mum, and my mum can talk for the duration.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Bearing in mind that, on startup, it's all too easy to spend money on things that are not initially important. A personalised plate, while a nice touch, fits this category.

A guy wanting a 2am airport pick,up, half asleep anyway, won't notice your fancy plate in the dark and sitting inside the car, and won't really care anyway - after all, it's not his plate and his main concerns are getting to the airport on time while treble-checking his papers, passport, visa etc.

A distinctive plate might stand you in good stead as a recognisable advertisement in the long term, but even then, if you have based your advertising thrust with a 'Choose this plate for quality service' approach, what happens if you are successful and buy a second or third car - or contract work out to other drivers - all with different plates?

 

[d215yq]

I regularly use a private hire taxi for my journeys to and from Stansted. I have often wondered if it's really a viable business proposition although the person I use seems to be happy enough doing it and has done it for a number of years.

I thought the opposite - Sometimes fly stanstead to work in brentwood: 60 quid at 10am in a new skoda octavia. They said they liked going to Brentwood as could probably pick up other people there. That's what 30 miles, 30 minutes: So 3 pounds in fuel and 3 pounds in wear and tear 4 pounds on lease etc call it 10 pounds variable costs. 50 pound an hour (assumign they waited 30 minutes which they didn't as there was only one car at the taxi rank). I know they have to pay the use of the radio etc and fixed costs but doing that 5 times a day and you're on a very good wage. The driver also said he uses his car for personal use too so he no car to pay for from his take home salary.

Must be some room to make a nice profit out of it if you don't expect to be a multi millionaire or want to do it ia brand new S class, etc.

 

[Argus]

I thought the opposite - Sometimes fly stanstead to work in brentwood: 60 quid at 10am in a new skoda octavia. They said they liked going to Brentwood as could probably pick up other people there. That's what 30 miles, 30 minutes: So 3 pounds in fuel and 3 pounds in wear and tear 4 pounds on lease etc call it 10 pounds variable costs. 50 pound an hour (assumign they waited 30 minutes which they didn't as there was only one car at the taxi rank). I know they have to pay the use of the radio etc and fixed costs but doing that 5 times a day and you're on a very good wage. The driver also said he uses his car for personal use too so he no car to pay for from his take home salary.

Must be some room to make a nice profit out of it if you don't expect to be a multi millionaire or want to do it ia brand new S class, etc.

That's great if you can get 5 trips each day. The likelihood of getting a run from Stansted to Brentwood and a return 5 times each day is fanciful in my experience.
I have stopped doing airport runs. I was mainly doing Suffolk to Heathrow which is 250 miles return and the fare was £125, i.e. 50p per mile. When I do my sums at the end of the year my costs amount to about 46p per mile, so my income is £10. And it takes 5-7 hours. Sometimes more depending on how well the M25 is behaving.
Also, bear in mind what type of licence you get from your Licencing Authority, Private Hire or Hackney. You may get the choice but often you don't. I don't have the option, I am PH. As a PH driver you cannot market yourself or take any bookings otherwise you will be considered as an unlicensed Hackney or an unlicensed Operator. You can only get work pre booked with an Operator (a registered PH company). And your insurance is invalid if you do take a personal booking.
Why we have two different systems for cabs (Private Hire and Hackney) I don't know or understand. For 99% of the population a cab is a cab and they don't know, or need to know, the difference.
HTH

 

[Capra]

That's great if you can get 5 trips each day. The likelihood of getting a run from Stansted to Brentwood and a return 5 times each day is fanciful in my experience.
I have stopped doing airport runs. I was mainly doing Suffolk to Heathrow which is 250 miles return and the fare was £125, i.e. 50p per mile. When I do my sums at the end of the year my costs amount to about 46p per mile, so my income is £10. And it takes 5-7 hours. Sometimes more depending on how well the M25 is behaving.
Also, bear in mind what type of licence you get from your Licencing Authority, Private Hire or Hackney. You may get the choice but often you don't. I don't have the option, I am PH. As a PH driver you cannot market yourself or take any bookings otherwise you will be considered as an unlicensed Hackney or an unlicensed Operator. You can only get work pre booked with an Operator (a registered PH company). And your insurance is invalid if you do take a personal booking.
Why we have two different systems for cabs (Private Hire and Hackney) I don't know or understand. For 99% of the population a cab is a cab and they don't know, or need to know, the difference.
HTH

Hi Keith, from what I have read, you have to have an additional licence as a PH licenced driver, and that is the operator licence, so you can take bookings?
Your £125 fare for a £250 sounds too cheap. The drivers here are charging £160 for 80 miles, that is the local Bristol airport run. Not having the Hackney licence means you cannot wait for business, but you can be booked in advance, and your free to martket/advertise for your services.
This is just what I've read so sorry if my facts are off!!!

Do you have any contracted work? Also, what is the wear and tear on your vehicle like?

 

[noonboots]

Hi Keith, from what I have read, you have to have an additional licence as a PH licenced driver, and that is the operator licence, so you can take bookings?
Your £125 fare for a £250 sounds too cheap. The drivers here are charging £160 for 80 miles, that is the local Bristol airport run. Not having the Hackney licence means you cannot wait for business, but you can be booked in advance, and your free to martket/advertise for your services.
This is just what I've read so sorry if my facts are off!!!

Do you have any contracted work? Also, what is the wear and tear on your vehicle like?

Every local authority has different regulations. You would need to check with your local one. In our town anyone can own and run a private hire car. What doesn't seem to change from one area to another is that all bookings have to be in advance. However the workaround is that there is no stipulation on how much in advance the booking has to be. In our town's case a call in to base to book a journey in two minutes time makes it legal. As said, it's not easy to make money long term. EG Every pound spent on the car has to be earned back. One puncture can ruin your whole day. A broken windscreen your whole week.

 

[Argus]

Hi Keith, from what I have read, you have to have an additional licence as a PH licenced driver, and that is the operator licence, so you can take bookings?
Your £125 fare for a £250 sounds too cheap. The drivers here are charging £160 for 80 miles, that is the local Bristol airport run. Not having the Hackney licence means you cannot wait for business, but you can be booked in advance, and your free to martket/advertise for your services.
This is just what I've read so sorry if my facts are off!!!

Do you have any contracted work? Also, what is the wear and tear on your vehicle like?

Yes, as a PH driver you can only receive work from a licensed operator (the cab firm) and, here at least, you cannot advertise.
Wear and tear on the vehicle? Cabs have a hard life and few people have much respect for them. Often you get told "It's only a f****** cab mate!" I find that of all the different cars Ive used MB stand up best to the constant use/abuse.

 

[Capra]

Yes, as a PH driver you can only receive work from a licensed operator (the cab firm) and, here at least, you cannot advertise.
Wear and tear on the vehicle? Cabs have a hard life and few people have much respect for them. Often you get told "It's only a f****** cab mate!" I find that of all the different cars Ive used MB stand up best to the constant use/abuse.

Can you be your own licenced operator?

 

[noonboots]

Can you be your own licenced operator?

Each local authority has their own rules. In our town you can have your own single license as an owner/operator.

 

[Argus]

Can you be your own licenced operator?

Yes, as noonboots said. It is dependent on your local council although all that I am aware of allow individuals to be operators.

 

[christopherwk]

Just seen this thread..most questions I see are already answered.

Yes, plenty of one-man band chauffeurs in London have their own operator's licence to take their own bookings.

Airport runs tend to be most firms "bread and butter" work, and companies often offer cheap fixed rates in order to compete, as people will look to compare prices from a number of firms in an area.

The unpredictability of arriving flights does make it hard to schedule bookings, and you have to factor in waiting for the passengers to come out.

Mileage wise, I used to do 65,000 miles a year when I worked for an airport-only firm at Heathrow, Car was serviced almost every 3 months! (as opposed to 2 months, as mentioned earlier!).