Currently, all hackney carriage and private hire drivers that are licensed in Derby must successfully pass a knowledge test as part of the licence process.

From October 2015, operators of private hire (Minicab) businesses in Derby will be able to sub-contract work to other private hire (Minicab) businesses elsewhere in the country.

This could result in vehicles and drivers working in Derby that are not familiar with the area and means that they would have to rely on an alternative method to identify the journey.

Also, hackney carriage drivers and vehicles licensed by other local authorities are already allowed to undertake private hire work elsewhere in the country which results in vehicles and drivers working in Derby that are not familiar with the area.

Subsequently, the benefits of continuing to require a knowledge test for drivers licensed in Derby need to be considered. Comments are sought on whether requiring a knowledge test for both hackney carriage drivers and/or private hire drivers is necessary.

Changes have also been introduced to the length of time certain licences are valid. For both hackney carriage and private hire drivers, this is now three years and for private hire operators, this is now five years.

Licences for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles remain the same as an annual licence. As the cost of providing the taxi licensing service has to be recovered from all these fees, the future implications of the changes need to be considered.

Work has already been undertaken to propose a set of licence fees and charges from 1 October 2015 and in accordance with legal requirements, a notice has been published in the Derby Telegraph for comments to be made. This proposal is based on reduced staffing levels within both the administration and compliance roles of the licensing team and a re-allocation exercise on the time spent by officers as workload on taxi driver licence renewals decreases. Comments are sought on which of the following options would be preferred:

I'm behind with all this I'm just waiting for the knowledge to be scrapped so I can apply for my taxi badge studying it's too hard for me i know all of Derby but don't know how to write getting from Derby to outbid town for e.g in writing

you are absolutely 100% right as customers get messed around ,
But for some like myself and others that have the knowledge of Derby but can't seem to pass the test . We would appreciate no knowledge test

Ph badge is all I want I have my reasons might not be the right reasons for aquring it but that would work for me

That won't effect me I welcome anyone

wasn't this the basic thrust of what the NTA said would happen?

screw the DBS, screw the medicals, screw the DVSA driving test - your ONLY cab drivers after all - any tom, dick or arry can do that

but its ok - because you'll all be working for uber soon (self employed naturally)