grandad wrote:
There is an interesting situation here at the minute. A driver decided to retire in November. He handed back his plates and badge and removed the meter from the car. However he has continued to carry some of his old regulars and also when people have phoned him to say they can't get a taxi to say the hospital, he has taken them. I do not know if any money changed hands other that say petrol money. He doesn't think he has done anything wrong.
Now I would guess that most if not all on here would say that what he was doing is illegal, however the argument being put forward by him is that he is doing nothing any different to what the local community transport group are doing but they are getting so much per mile for doing it.
I would be interested to hear anyones view on this argument before he get hauled before a licensing sub committee.
If he is not doing it for business use then it is perfectly legal and within the law. Asking for currency to pay for any fuel is fine. It's no different than any normal member of the public taking a family member to a restaurant or hospital and doing the same. Many do that and the driver will be covered under a normal policy for SDP use.
The reason we have business insurance as taxi drivers is due to the fact that we sell our service to the public. The policy both protects the driver, passenger and any member of the public who may get hit in an accident etc.
If there is no proof the driver did it for profit then there is no case.