Taxi Driver Online

Hello,
wish to get clarity on these two issues, for a private hire licensed for 4 passengers


Q1. How many extra passengers.... 1 under 3yr? or 2 under 2yr?
Q2. For private hire is there a min age/height of child/person in front seat?




The first question arises from these points that don't match...
Quote taken from post on this board... link here slave labour inc

Is this saying that 4 persons PLUS 2 under two year olds can go in the car?

I was led to beleive (but no official reference) that you could carry 4 persons plus one under 3 year old

The number and the age is conflicting.... Which is correct/incorrect?
Where, if anywhere is this written for our defining (legal) protection/decision making information




The second question (and the first) arises from this scenario... for future clarity
One adult comes out the house with four children.... (all 5 to be transported).... the driver politely enquires if the smallest is under/over 3yrs and the adult immediately blurts "other drivers have done it before".... (kind of sidelining key info and replacing it with an unpleasant discourtesy).....
..... then the adult proceeds to swiftly open the front passenger door and usher into the seat one of the children about 7/8 years and small in height.

The driver politely asks again about the age of youngest.... and is again greated with just another discourteous blag.... followed by a fast and angry decamp with out-of-nowhere shouts of "never use you again"... Leaving a driver feeling quite horrible, but thinking...
.... what if an accident occured (never had one)... and the youngest was found to be four years... and the adult with discourtesy continued attitude to sell driver out, as saying driver didn't care how many got in... etc etc....
.... dead in the water insurance wise... and a reasonably considerate reputation... destroyed... comes to mind




AND SO:
to get clarity on two issues

Q1. How many extra passengers.... 1 under 3yr? or 2 under 2yr?
Q2. For private hire is there a min age/height of children in front seat?

Thanks for thoughts/knowledge

Four passengers means exactly that.

Whether they are 70 years or 70 days old.

If anything the finacial liability of a baby is vastly more than an old fogey.

_________________
IDFIMH

As for Q2, the answer is no.

Providing they are fully secured in a legal manner.

_________________
IDFIMH

Thanks for reply

4 means 4.... is now a third line of thinking that is being banded around.

It is the one I would prefer it was.... it would always provide the option of all to be appropriately strapped in (ie a child present and the adults had child seat or booster seat). I know the law does not require this bit in taxis, but '4 means 4' would provide ALL with a safe option.

Anyway, although I wish '4 means 4'... I still search for the legal gumph???? anyone know where it is legally written.
cheers.

Ask your insurance company for clarity with regards to numbers Personally I don't take more than 4 passengers regardless of age and I never allow children in the front seat unless all 4 passengers are children (which has never occurred). The service I provide is for 4 passengers, end of. I don't need clarity it's my vehicle

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Yes, agree. The top issue is our own car and responsibility for 'content'.
My default call to date is 4 means 4 and also no small children front seats.

When the person went into outrage, with tag lines like 'all the other drivers have never worried about it' etc...
I figured I'd seek wider advice in case I was just uncomfortable with something that is actually legally OK.... In which case they would be legally ok to demand me put em all in.

Asked locally and got a range... but no definitive
Looked on here and see a range also... but no difinitive
Will stick to 4 is 4 default until something definitive, reads to the contrary.

cheers for thoughts

Why not go straight to the horses mouth and ask your licensing officer.

_________________
Grandad,

Yep. Wise thought, thanks.
Have that on 'to do' list

_________________
IDFIMH

Cos our LA would take so long to answer that the babe-in-arms would be at uni...

_________________
Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

4 means 4. End of. If the adult says at the start, "I will never use you again," my response is, "you won't be using me this time either! If other drivers are prepared to risk driving without insurance and losing their livelihoods that's up to them. How would you feel if your littlest 'un was injured and I was deemed uninsured?"

This usually elicits an apology. If not, they ring for another cab.

_________________
Steve.