A licensed taxi or private hire driver has to behave civilly, keep the vehicle clean, take reasonable care of passengers and their luggage, avoid handheld phones and smoking, and give a receipt on request. A taxi driver must also use the meter, keep to the shortest route unless you ask otherwise, and never tamper with the seals. It is an offence under section 69 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to lengthen a journey unnecessarily. These conditions come from the licensing authority, and the Cannock Chase list is a good example of what to expect.
Where these rules come from
Some obligations are in national law, such as the 1976 Act and the Equality Act 2010. Many more are conditions attached to each driver's licence by the local council. Cannock Chase sets its conditions out in an annex to its taxi policy, and breaking one can lead to a warning, suspension or revocation. Other councils have similar lists with different details, so the table below is a reference point rather than a universal rulebook.
Standards of behaviour in the vehicle
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Civil and orderly conduct | The driver must be polite, courteous and take reasonable precautions for the safety of passengers and other road users |
| No handheld phone, eating or drinking while moving | You can ask a driver to stop if they do |
| No smoking | The driver must not smoke or allow passengers to smoke in the vehicle |
| No extra people | Nobody else may be carried without the hirer's express consent |
| Passenger limit | No more than the number shown on the licence and plate |
| Radio and sound | No music or radio without your consent, other than communication with the operator; and not so loud it annoys others |
| Luggage | The driver must give reasonable help with your luggage |
| Cleanliness | The vehicle must be kept clean and tidy on duty |
| Assistance dogs | Guide dogs and hearing dogs are carried free of charge |
| Receipts | A written receipt on request, with the driver's name and licence number |
The policy also makes a point of professional manner. Drivers are expected to act in a business-like way, avoid asking intrusive questions and not exchange personal contact details with a passenger without the passenger's express agreement. Passengers who feel uneasy are told they can ask the driver to change behaviour and report them if they will not.
Collecting and waiting for you
A driver who has agreed to attend at a given time and place must arrive on time unless delayed by a reasonable cause. At the pick-up, the conditions ask drivers to strike a balance between giving you a reasonable time to notice the car and get in, and accepting that some passengers do not turn up. A driver who leaves must be able to justify it if a complaint follows. The horn is not to be used to attract your attention, for example outside a house or a pub. On a rank and when parked, engines must be switched off while stationary, in line with the vehicle idling regulations.
Rules that apply to taxis (hackney carriages)
- The taximeter must be operated in line with legal requirements, and the table of fares must be visible to passengers.
- The driver must obey the rules of the rank and fulfil bookings punctually.
- The driver must take the shortest available route unless you direct otherwise.
- The driver must not tout for business or use others to do so.
- The driver must not tamper, or allow anyone else to tamper, with the meter, its fittings or any seal, and must only demand the authorised fare, giving a receipt if asked.
Section 69 of the 1976 Act applies to both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles licensed by a district council: a driver who unnecessarily prolongs a journey, in distance or time, without reasonable cause commits an offence. A detour round roadworks or a closure would normally count as reasonable cause. A long loop through the one-way system for no reason is the sort of thing the section covers. The charging side of this is in how taxi fares are worked out.
Rules that apply to private hire drivers
A private hire driver may not ply for hire, may not park or stand in a way that suggests they are plying, and may not solicit on a road or in a public place. Nor can the driver take a booking at the kerb: every passenger journey must be pre-booked through, and recorded by, a licensed operator. Passengers who travel in an unbooked car lose the insurance protection that goes with a proper booking, as explained in taxi or private hire.
Duties the driver owes the council
Several conditions are about the licence itself rather than the journey, but they affect passengers because they keep unsuitable people out of the trade. Drivers must tell the licensing team within 48 hours about any arrest, charge, conviction, caution, fixed penalty or motoring endorsement. They must report injuries to passengers within 24 hours, tell the council about illness or medication that could affect driving, and keep their DBS Update Service subscription live. The national standards say licence holders should notify the authority within 48 hours of arrest or charge for certain offences. Becoming a licensed driver shows the checks applied at the start.
What to do if a rule is broken
Note the plate and badge details and the nature of the breach, and tell the licensing authority. Taxi complaints and lost property lists what to include. How a council responds depends on the seriousness: a late arrival and a handheld phone in use at the wheel are not the same kind of problem, and a charge above the meter is an offence in its own right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a taxi driver refuse to take my luggage?
The Cannock Chase conditions say drivers must afford all reasonable assistance with passengers' luggage. A vehicle with no room is a different matter from a driver who simply will not help.
Can a taxi driver smoke in the cab?
No smoking is permitted. The Cannock Chase conditions say the driver shall not smoke in any vehicle and shall not permit passengers to do so.
Does the driver have to take the shortest route?
For a hackney carriage, the Cannock Chase conditions say bookings should use the shortest available route unless the hirer directs otherwise. Section 69 of the 1976 Act also makes unnecessarily prolonging a journey an offence.
Can the driver sound the horn when they arrive?
The Cannock Chase conditions say drivers shall not sound the horn to attract customers, for instance when waiting outside a house or a pub.
Can a driver take another passenger without asking me?
Not without the hirer's express consent. The conditions bar conveying any other person in the vehicle unless the hirer agrees.