Taxi driver jobs

Taxi driving is one of those jobs that, like almost every other occupation, has both its benefits and its drawbacks. If you are thinking about being a taxi driver, the first question you will want answered is, "Is becoming a taxi driver a decent job?"

First, let's take a look at a few of the positive aspects of working as a taxi driver, and then we'll discuss some of the negative aspects.

BEING YOUR OWN BOSS

Being your own boss is a goal that many people strive to achieve. In point of fact, a lot of people decide to ditch the 9 to 5 security of their existing work in order to start their own business. Many individuals will choose to become self-employed despite the fact that this will result in a reduction in their income because of the allure of being able to control one's own destiny and not having a boss who is always breathing down one's neck during the workday.

Because the vast majority of taxi drivers are self-employed, they are free to set their own schedules and choose the number of hours they put in each day. However, in the vast majority of situations, this may only apply to those people who undertake the work in order to make some "pocket money." In all likelihood, the majority of taxi drivers will need to bring in a sufficient revenue in order to maintain their standard of living, and they will be required to work whenever employment is available. Because evenings and late-night "pub" periods are the most financially profitable, this will always rule out working from 9 to 5 throughout the work week.

You may be able to find employment during the day in regions where there is a lot of foot traffic, which might free you from the need to work at night. However, this is contingent on the saturation threshold, which refers to the number of other taxi drivers who have worked the same hours as you have in your region.

For the most part, if you want to make a living as a cab driver, you'll have to put in some unsociable hours, including nights when bars and clubs are closing and on weekends. This is necessary in order to bring in enough money to support yourself. Unsociable hours may have a negative impact on family life, especially if you have a significant other or children to consider.

HOURS PER WEEK

Once again, because you are your own employer, the responsibility for this lies with you. However, in most cases, you will be looking at a somewhat lengthy working week, often ranging from around 50 to 60 hours or perhaps more. Taxis, often known as hackney carriages or black cabs, may be summoned by waving a hand signal in the direction they are traveling or by waiting in designated taxi bays for potential customers. Only pre-booked customers who have been arranged with an operator may ride in private rental vehicles (minicabs).

There is a good chance that you will spend a portion of your working day waiting around for work, regardless of whether you take a taxi or a private rental vehicle. In addition to this, you won't be compensated for the time spent traveling to and from the various pickup sites for passengers. In cities or regions that have already reached or beyond the threshold of taxi driver saturation, it may be necessary for certain drivers to work anywhere from 60 to 80 hours per week in order to make a living wage.

If you are thinking in becoming a taxi driver, your first step should be to speak with your local council about the number of taxis operating in your area and the number of jobs that are available to individuals. The costs of starting a cab business and maintaining it are often significant. However, the following information should give you a general idea of what to expect to pay for things.

EXPENSES OF A TAXI DRIVER

Depending on the specifics of each individual cab driver's life, the costs (also called outgoings) they incur are highly different from one another. The costs that are shown here include daily, weekly, monthly, and annual outgoings. These costs are based on the normal minimum amounts, although it is possible that they will be greater in some circumstances.

The automobile

A person who drives a cab or a hackney carriage may choose to either own or hire a vehicle. Used cars start at around £5,000 and go up from there depending on the mileage and condition, while brand-new automobiles cost over $40,000. The weekly cost of renting a hackney carriage is around 170 pounds or more. You can get packages that already have insurance incorporated, but the price will be higher. If you don't want to pay the extra money, you can always get insurance on your own. It is required by law to have a taximeter installed in a black cab (also known as a hackney carriage). These may be leased, bought new for over a few hundred dollars, acquired previously used for roughly one hundred and more, or owned outright.

If you want to start your own private hire business (also known as a limo service or a taxi service), having a car that is less than ten years old and already in your own might be adequate. If you do not own a car but would still want to rent one, taxi rank operators who own a fleet of vehicles will charge you a weekly hiring price that includes insurance if you choose to rent one from them. The weekly fee may range anywhere from £150 to £250, depending on the employer and the region, but it's normally in that range.

Radios

The majority of taxis and private hire vehicles are equipped with radios, which allow the operator to communicate with the driver and tell them of the numerous runs during the day (or night). Taxis, sometimes known as black cabs, are the only vehicles authorized to pick up customers who wave them down. Regarding this line of work, a radio is not essential; yet, it is often used in order to keep track of pre-booked appointments. Radios are required in private rental vehicles since customers for these vehicles must first make reservations. Weekly radio rentals might be obtained from the company with which you are affiliated in order to meet your communication needs. Radio fees are very variable from one radio station to another and from place to area. You should budget anything from $100 to $200 or more each week for rent.

Vehicle Insurance

When traveling it alone, getting taxi or private rental automobile insurance is something you really need to do. The costs, just as with regular auto insurance, are determined by your location, as well as whether or not you have any driving convictions and how much experience you have. It goes without saying that a significant portion of your time as a cab driver will be spent behind the wheel. Insurance companies will see you as a higher risk customer the more time you spend behind the wheel. The cost of taxi insurance begins out high and only gets worse from there. You should anticipate paying something in the neighborhood of at least $3,000 each year, if not far more than that. Because they have less experience behind the wheel, younger drivers would suffer the most as a result of this change, as their insurance costs will be forced to skyrocket or they won't be able to get coverage at all.

As is the case with standard auto insurance, payments may be stretched out over the course of a month. However, using this technique can result in interest rates of up to 10 percent, which is a significant amount considering the annual cost is £3,000. It's possible that the only payment plan available to you is one with monthly installments, but another choice is to rent a car from a company where the weekly rate includes insurance coverage.

The Cost of Daily Fuel

This is, of course, contingent upon the number of miles that you travel on a daily basis, the kinds of roads that you typically travel on, the manner in which you drive, the amount of gasoline that your engine consumes each mile, and the current price of fuel per liter. The average daily expenditure for a taxi driver might be anywhere from thirty to fifty pounds.

Various Other Costs

The initial costs are going to be determined by the council that you choose to operate under. However, most require applicants to pass both a test of their ability to drive a cab and a test of their familiarity with the area's roads and routes.

Taximeter checks to confirm that your meter is functioning correctly (if you have one).

An MOT certificate is obligatory for any vehicle that is older than three years. Taxis and vehicles used for private hire may also be subject to further inspections by the local council, which will result in the payment of additional costs.

There are other costs associated with maintaining a taxi driving license (in addition to an application fee that includes checks) and fees associated with vehicle licenses. The costs for licenses are continuous, and the most up-to-date information may be obtained on the websites of local governments.

For certain people, particularly those who work overnight hours and are thus more likely to encounter inebriated passengers, investing in security camera equipment is an absolute must.

If you are self-employed and choose not to work, you will not get payment. A personal accident or health insurance policy is something to think about as a potential choice.

SALARY OF A TAXI DRIVER

If you're thinking about becoming a taxi driver, you probably want to know how much money you can expect to make. Because there are so many different factors at play here, there is no one right solution to this question. Your compensation may be affected by a variety of factors, including the following:

irrespective of whether you want to operate as a taxi or a private hire,

irrespective of whether you are renting a car or already own one,

There is a possibility that certain regions may charge greater fares than others.

Expenses incurred per week, such as operator fees (radio hire and supply of passengers)

Insurance for a car may be rather expensive based on factors such as location, age, and vehicle.

maintenance for vehicles, as well as general wear and tear

current prices for the gasoline

the total number of hours put in

If you work a typical 40-hour work week, you may anticipate earning anything between £15,000 to 30,000 GBP year, taking all of the factors mentioned above into consideration. If a driver puts in a lot of hours and extends their shifts into the late evenings, nights, and weekends, they may be able to earn more than £30,000 a year. Location is a role in determining the cost of fares. Taxi drivers often have to put in long hours that interfere with their personal lives in order to bring in enough money to cover their continuing costs of living and still make a living wage after everything is said and done.

THE WORKING DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TAXI DRIVER

You will unavoidably interact with individuals, perhaps quite a few of them in a single day, the vast majority of whom will, on the whole, be kind and courteous. To be a cab driver, you will need a few abilities, but you do not necessarily need to be someone who enjoys interacting with others. The vast majority of clients will be pleasant, simple to work with, and provide opportunities for enjoyable conversation and belly laughs. On the other hand, there are some that could put you in a difficult scenario, for which you need to be well-prepared and know how to behave in the proper manner while dealing with it.

Every once in a while, we all have a day that is less than ideal, and there are those people who may choose to take out their frustrations on the taxi driver. Regardless of how annoying a passenger may be, it is always preferable to find a way to diffuse a tense situation rather than to make it worse. It is in everyone's best interest to avoid an escalation of the problem by transporting a passenger to their destination and collecting payment for the service.

During the late hours of the night, you are more likely to encounter drunks as well as suspected drug users. These passengers might be unpredictable in both their physical and emotional states, which can shift at any moment. Maintain your steadfastness while still being comfortable, pleasant, and serene. It is beneficial to have cameras installed within to capture occurrences in the case that any scenario gets out of hand; this is particularly true in the late hours of the night. The value of video evidence demonstrating that you are innocent of any wrongdoing cannot be overstated.

One of the highlights of a taxi driver's day is often getting to talk to a wide variety of fascinating individuals. However, for others, the monotony of driving for several hours every day may become intolerable. You could also discover that "small chat" will contain many talks about the same topic, such as the weather, which will be repeated multiple times.