Taxi Policy - Appendix C - Private hire driver licence conditions

Driver conduct

The holder of a private hire driver's licence ("the driver") shall comply with the following conditions:

The driver shall whilst working as a private hire driver be compliant with the dress code for licensed drivers.
The driver shall not allow the identification badges granted to him to be used by any other person or cause or permit any other person to wear it.
The driver shall behave in a civil, polite, and orderly manner while carrying out business and shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of persons conveyed in or entering or alighting from the vehicle.
The driver shall drive with due care and courtesy towards the passengers and other road users.
The driver shall take the most time efficient route bearing in mind likely traffic problems and known diversions and agree with the passenger any diversion from the most direct route.
The driver shall ensure that the passenger has pre-booked before commencing the journey.
The driver shall provide reasonable assistance to passengers (getting in and out of the vehicle and unloading luggage to the outer door of the premises/building).
The driver shall ensure luggage is stored safely and properly secured in the vehicle.
The driver shall not eat or drink in the vehicle whilst passengers are in the vehicle except with their permission.
The driver shall not play the radio, utilise phone or internet whilst passengers are in the vehicle except with their permission. An exemption is the use for sending or receiving messages in connection with the operation of the vehicle.
The driver shall not behave in a way that may be deemed to be standing or plying for hire, by not plotting or waiting without a booking:
- in high footfall/high visible areas
- outside busy venues/businesses
- at the front or back of designated hackney ranks
- in groups or lines that present as a rank
- in contravention of road traffic orders
The driver shall ensure that the vehicle is kept clean (inside and out) and free of rubbish.
The driver shall stop or park the private hire vehicle considerately and legally and shall switch off the engine if required to wait.
The driver shall wherever possible ensure that children or vulnerable adults leave the vehicle directly onto the kerb and outside their destination (if it is safe and legal to do so).

Fares and Journeys

The driver shall ensure the meter (if fitted) is set to display any fare table adopted by the private hire operator.
The driver shall ensure any meter is set to the tariff displayed and sealed appropriately.
The driver shall not operate the meter until the journey commences (this does not apply where no meter is fitted in the private hire vehicle).
The driver shall provide written receipts on request.
The driver shall report immediately to the operator any incident of concern, including accidents where hurt or distress has been caused, customer disputes or passenger conduct concerns.
The driver shall be vigilant regarding vulnerable passengers and safeguarding concerns when working and shall report any concerns immediately to the private hire operator.
The driver who has agreed or has been hired to be in attendance with the vehicle at an appointed time and place shall, unless delayed or prevented by some sufficient cause, punctually attend with such vehicle at such appointed time and place.
The driver shall know and comply with the highway rules for children travelling in private hire vehicles, particularly the provision of car seats and where in the vehicle children are permitted to sit.
The driver shall keep relationships with passengers on an appropriate professional basis.
The driver shall not engage in any sexual or illicit activity in a licensed vehicle, even if consensual and the vehicle is not being used for private hire purposes.

Duties of Licence Holder

The driver's licence must be made available for inspection, on request, by any authorised officer of the Authority or any Police Officer.
The driver shall notify the Authority, in writing, the name of their private hire operator within 7 days of commencing taking bookings from the operator.
The driver shall provide the holder of the private hire vehicle licence with a copy of their current private hire driver's licence prior to driving a licensed vehicle.
All licences and badges issued always remain the property of the Authority. They must be returned forthwith when employment as a licensed driver ceases or if the licence expires and is not renewed or where the licence is suspended or revoked.
The driver shall within 7 days of a change of address notify the Authority in writing of the change of address.
The driver shall within 2 working days of a request being made, provide the Authority with a DVLA check code to enable a check on his DVLA licence to be undertaken.
The driver must notify the Authority, in writing and within 48 hours of an arrest and release, charge or conviction of any sexual offence, any offence involving dishonesty or violence and any motoring offence.
The driver shall keep a copy of the Policy (which includes these driver conditions) in the licensed vehicle being used by that driver.
The driver shall before commencing work with a private hire operator provide the private hire operator with a copy of his current private hire driver's licence.
The driver shall notify the Authority of any newly diagnosed or change to a current medical condition which may restrict their entitlement to a driver's licence requiring a DVSA Group 2 medical standard. Notification must be sent to the Authority in writing immediately of the relevant diagnosis or change to medical condition.
The driver shall undertake a daily vehicle check at the beginning of each shift to ensure as far as reasonably practicable that the vehicle is in a safe and clean condition.
The driver shall undertake a weekly vehicle check using the record sheet published by the Authority. Any defects should be noted, and corrective action undertaken. The record of the check is to be always kept in the vehicle and will ensure the information is available for inspection by an authorised officer of the Authority. In the case of vehicles licensed to a person other than the driver, the vehicle licence holder must be informed of any defects identified and corrective action undertaken if required.
The driver shall report to the Authority any form of road traffic accident/collision/incident in which the licence holder was the driver of a vehicle involved in the incident. This is regardless of whether the incident was in a licensed vehicle or not. The incident should be reported as soon as possible and in any event within 72 hours. It should be reported using the Accident Form on the report a vehicle accident section.
The driver shall ensure that relevant documentation (including DBS update status, medical certificate, and right to work) is maintained throughout the period of the licence.
The driver shall undertake any reasonable training appropriate to the role of a licensed driver as required by the Authority. Any costs associated with the provision of training will be borne by the licence holder.

Lost Property

The driver shall immediately after the completion of each hiring or as soon as practicable thereafter check the vehicle for lost property.

The driver shall notify the owner of the lost property found in the vehicle (if this is possible by either booking records or personal details found in the lost property). Where the owner of the property cannot be ascertained the lost property must be handed to the private hire operator who will hold the property for a period not exceeding 6 months, before disposing unclaimed items.

The Carriage of Animals

A driver shall not convey in a private hire vehicle any animal, which belongs to, or is being looked after by, himself, the proprietor or operator of the vehicle.

A driver shall, however, carry assistance dogs. Assistance dogs include guide dogs for the blind or partially sighted, hearing dogs for the hard of hearing, and other assistance dogs, which assist disabled people with a physical impairment.

The driver shall ensure that their private hire operator is aware of any exemption certificate they have from the Authority in relation to the requirement to carry assistance dogs. A copy shall be kept in the licensed vehicle.

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles

All drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles must:

be fully conversant with the correct method to operate ramps, lifts and wheelchair restraints that can be fitted to the vehicle.
ensure that all wheelchairs are firmly secured to the vehicle using an approved restraining system and that the brakes of the wheelchair have been applied prior to the vehicle setting off; and
ensure that any wheelchairs, equipment, and passengers are carried in such a way that no danger is likely to be caused to any passenger in accordance with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.