Taxi Driver Online

According to the Law Commission document the the term 'taxi' doesn't appear in any legislation until the 1980 Transport Act. Hardly gives the Hackney carriage trade any historical claims of ownership of the term!

ISTR the word "taxi" is also defined in English law. However, look up the word "taxi" in the Oxford dictionary and see what it says. Common usage of a word can eventually negate the legal definition of a word as language changes over time.

Has ANYONE ever phoned to book a hackney carriage or a hansom cab in the last 50 years? I suspect not as most will ask for a cab or a taxi! No amount of licencing, laws or legal terms will put the archetypal "young girl on the street" at any less risk from unlicenced taxi or private hire drivers. After all, how many of those archetypal girls have actually been raped or sexually assaulted by licenced or unlicenced drivers?

I know of at least 2 licenced drivers in my locality who are reportedly disliked by female passengers who are fed up with their sexual innuendos and comments.

Only better enforcement will cut down the unlicenced trade, and that ain't gonna happen in the current economic climate.

This is what the CGSA says

Interpretation of sections 10 to 22

23(1) In sections 10 to 22 of this Act:-
“taxi” means a hire car which is engaged, by arrangements made in a public place between the person to be conveyed in it (or a person acting on his behalf) and its driver for a journey beginning there and then; and
“private hire car” means a hire car other than a taxi within the meaning of this subsection.


Now I read that as saying that a PHC is most definitely not a taxi

But that doesn't apply to 75% of the UK and it still doesn't make Joe Public think that.

What's more, they may be breaking the law, at least up here anyway.

I still say that the private hire operators are using Joe Public's confusion to their own advantage, and are adding to it.
What's more, they may be breaking the law, at least up here anyway.

and vintage buses for weddings.

It's a little known fact that a PSV operator *can* run up to 10% of its fleet as under 8 seat vehicles. Shearings use quite a few as feeder buses for their tours, but there's nothing to stop the same vehicles being used on school contracts or *other* private hire, so one of the exemptions to the PH regulations.

My local licencing office don't like it, but tough on them, I don't write the law! New O licence applicants usually have a condition on their licence which specifically prohibits the use of under 8 seat and novelty vehicles.

And the LC have proposed to change that stupid law.

PK1028224 is the licence number if you want to check the VOSA operator search.

We also have written permission from the Traffic Commissioner to run a car with fewer than 8 seats on the same O licence. It's a little known fact that a PSV operator *can* run up to 10% of its fleet as under 8 seat vehicles.

upto 10%

whats 10% of a 5 vehicle fleet?

I think you're confusing ignorance with apathy, the public are not confused they just don't care

Whether they are using the public's confusion or their apathy, the point is still the same.