Merry Christmas!

As i will be away over the festive period, i wish you all a merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Make the Most of Christmas Festivities

Christmas Taxi

One of the busiest times of the year has already began in earnest. Make the most of Christmas festivities and have your taxi in tip top condition inside and out!

There is some truth to be said that generating more custom can be attributed by ‘word of mouth’. Having a neat and tidy taxi will have the potential for returning customers who may also pass your number onto their friends and increase your work load. More work undoubtedly means more income, so get the proverbial snow ball rolling and greet the New Year in profit!

What makes your taxi service better than your competitors? Having a clean interior will make an impact on people’s initial perception of your services- dirty cab implies a sloppy attitude!

It’s important to remember that you may not be able to be very selective with your customers, but they can be very selective with which taxi they use! Your own attitude will also have an impact on people recommending you to others!

Being helpful and friendly goes along way with most people. Business cards can be obtained very inexpensively. Give out your card to all new customers to save them having to look you up in the phone book next time they need a taxi. Having a business card also shows professionalism, it informs people that you are serious about your work. Make sure you display your taxi license at all times, failure to do so and you may find yourself in court facing fines!

Above all make sure you have the correct taxi insurance. Having Public Liability included within the policy is well worth the additional cost at this busy time of the year.

Tips in becoming a Licensed Taxi Driver

Before becoming a licensed taxi drivers the are a number of things which need to be in place. There is a checklist available from many licensing and council offices or online.

The check list typically includes that you must have the following:

• A current and full UK driving licence is required. If you have a driving licence issued by another country, particularly if it’s outside of the European Union you may need to apply for a UK licence.
• Three passport sized photographs. The photographs should be taken in the same manner as a passport, e.g. full face etc.
• A completed and successful Criminal Bureau disclaimer.
• Current medical certificate indicating that you have a clean bill of health.
• You may then be asked to complete a multiple choice style questionnaire at accompany the application.
• Once all of the above has been completed the information is passed to an official of the licensing authority.
• If the application is accepted you will then need to show a valid taxi insurance certificate in order to put a license on your vehicle.

The taxi will also have to meet regulations. It must have valid tax, an MOT if applicable and taxi insurance. If you wish to be awarded with a local authority contract Public Liability will have to be included on the insurance policy. The inside of the taxi will need to meet Health & Safety requirements to ensure that there is no potential or actual detrimental affects to the public‘s health.

You will also need to be aware that unless your taxi is a licensed hackney carriage/black cab it is an offence to stop and pick up customers from the kerb. All fare paying customers must be pre-booked.

Is Your Taxi Detrimental to Public Safety?

The police in many cities throughout the country are stopping taxis and requesting them to go to the testing station for an on the spot check. If they find anything which is deemed to be of detriment to public safety on the cab then it’s being taken off the road until its fixed.

The police are also using the opportunity to check that valid taxi insurance is held and that your local authority taxi driver’s licence is being worn.

These spot checks are welcomed by legitimate taxi drivers who are becoming sick and tired of people thinking they can earn some quick cash by offering a ‘taxi’ service without meeting the legal requirements.

Taxi driving is a serious occupation offering a valuable service to the public. Taking care of customers and your taxi is equally important. Having Public Liability taxi insurance will at least provide you with cover if a member of the public harms themselves whilst in your taxi.

Public Liability insurance will also provide cover should your taxi harm a member of the public. Check out your insurance policy to see whether you have the correct type of cover.

Times are hard enough at present with the countries economical decline. Keeping your taxi in tip top condition inside and out and having all the right documentation, including the correct type of taxi insurance, in place before you get pulled over by the police makes for common sense. The spot checks don’t take long and if everything is in order you will be back ‘earning’ the same day or evening.

Christmas Couriers

In the lead up to Christmas courier companies are cramming as many deliveries as they can in order to take advantage of the increase in Internet shopping.

Despite reports earlier in the year informing and advising courier drivers that towing a trailer means that most vans will then exceed the Gross Ton Weight making them illegal to drive on the UK roads, the number of van couriers using trailers is on the increase.

What is probably even more scary is that these courier vans are breaking the law on two other counts. Driving while towing a trailer requires the driver to have the correct driving license. It’s doubtful that many of them actually do have this. Driving without the correct type of license and being overweight will also mean that their van courier insurance will be invalid. Therefore if the parcels are lost, stolen or damaged they will not necessarily be covered.

There are estimated to already be over two million uninsured drivers on UK roads, vans towing trailers illegally will further add to the figures.

It may well be that in order to turn a profit before the end of the year these courier vans are prepared to take the risk of being caught rather than lose out on business, but at what cost if the get caught? Or are the courier van drivers blissfully unaware that they are breaking the law particularly if they are employed by a courier service which has a fleet courier van insurance and are given reassurance by their employers that ‘everything is covered‘?

Company Logos Can Reduce Insurance Costs

There seems to some myths associated with courier drivers, with some insurance companies not offering appropriate cover or even a policy as they feel that courier drivers are too great a risk. The fact that hours spent behind the wheel in all weathers and road conditions can make courier drivers experienced and far more diligent than many car users in my opinion.

You know how it is, courier drivers are often blamed for reckless driving and weaving in and out of traffic, especially if the courier is on a motor bike. Fast courier services are a key factor for some companies to maintain their reputation and meet client needs. Drivers of courier vehicles are equally frustrated by those who think they are driving safely and yet are potentially far more of a risk due to lack of experience and improper road use.

Motorway driving terrifies some less experienced drivers and they have a tendency to dodder and dither about making them a potential hazard. Those who just ‘love’ the centre lane of the motorway are my greatest frustration, too terrified to go into the outside lane to overtake, they toddle along doing about 50mph and believe they are driving safely!

Accidents do happen, so having a the right courier insurance is essential. Public Liability Insurance is a must, as is insurance for the goods you are carrying, breakdown cover, windscreens are often included with the policy or can be an optional extra. Simple measures like having a company logo on the vehicle can help reduce the premiums and many insurers are offering payment by monthly instalments to help spread the cost.

Face the Facts

With the marked increase in people using the Internet to do their Christmas shopping there is a real opportunity to earn extra income as a courier, however, you will need to make sure that you set up a legitimate business and have the right type of insurance cover. Many people are unaware about the different type of insurance needed when using a vehicle as a courier.

Unlike ‘carriage of own goods’ those who are transporting goods for a third party and being rewarded or paid will need to have a courier insurance policy which covers multiple drops and the goods.

The incorrect insurance can be a very costly error on your part, cheap courier insurance policies are readily available, but bare in mind that there are some insurance companies who appear to offer a real bargain until you make a claim, you may then find out the hard way that many aspects such as windscreen cover is not included, neither will you be covered if you leave the keys in the ignition or vehicle and as a consequence it is stolen.

It may sound rather daft that people are still leaving keys in the ignition despite all the warnings and advice, however, it is all too simple to overlook when you are in a hurry and jumping in and out of your vehicle frequently. Let’s face most of us are convinced that theft will never happen to us right under our noses, the sad truth is that it only takes one incident to become a statistic and with a vehicle full of Christmas goodies your vehicle might escape theft but the contents may not.

Sat Navs are Easy Pickings

Sat Nav

Many companies with fleet vehicles are insisting that their drivers make a conscious effort to remove all valuables from view when parking to help lower the number of fleet insurance claims they have to make, which in turn may help to lower their insurance premiums.

Cunning opportunist thieves are also wising up to the fact that most people put their Sat Nav out of sight in the glove box! Thieves are now not simply looking for valuables left inside a car but are consciously targeting vehicles which have the tell tale signs that a Sat Nav is used by looking for the circular mark left on the windscreen and breaking into the vehicles to search the glove box to find the equipment, easy pickings for those who leave a mark on their screens.

What is even more frightening is that the thieves are not just selling the Sav Nav to make a fast buck, but are turning them on and using the ‘take me home’ option to let their ‘colleagues’ know that there is an potentially empty house waiting to be burgled. Scary stuff, not only is your car damaged but your home ransacked all in the same day.

A word of advice, remove the mark from your screen with a tissue, making sure you don’t just leave a smudgy mark before you walk away from your vehicle, lock the glove box or take the Sat Nav with you and remove the ‘take me home’ or last destination option from your equipment. All a bit of a pain to do I know, but for the few moments it takes it is well worth it.

Don’t let Breakdowns Stop You Earning

With probably the busiest time of the year just around the corner now is the time to make sure your taxi is running at its best, a break down means that you will be losing out on fares, income and livelihood. Some taxi insurers offer breakdown cover either as part of their comprehensive policy or as an optional extra which is well worth considering, some include roadside assistance and home start style options as well, which can be extremely useful if your taxi is not that new. Some insurance companies also offer a courtesy vehicle which means while your taxi is off the road being repaired you can keep working and earning.

Another thing to include on your insurance is public liability insurance (PLI), you never know when you may have an accident and the last thing you need is to be taken to court for personal damage claims which could ruin you and your business. Most taxi insurance has public liability cover, however, the maximum amount can vary quite considerably, particularly if you are running your taxi from major cities within the UK. Check out your policy and if necessary you can ask to have the PLI increased, of course you’ll pay more but its well worth considering.

If your taxi insurance is due for renewal don’t forget to see whether you can transfer your no claims discount, as this can save an awful lot of money. Taxi drivers with a proven record of no claims can get up to whopping 60% discount with some insurance companies or brokers, making a considerable saving for you.