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Can I ask you to look at the backs of taxis in your area

122 replies

mumda · 02/07/2025 09:54

Next time you go out and get stuck behind a private hire taxi could you look at the plate and see where it is registered.
Many of them in my area are registered out of area.
Why?

OP posts:
EeyoresLostTail · 03/07/2025 18:50

HobnobsChoice · 02/07/2025 16:36

Greater Manchester and all the Ubers are Wolverhampton except last week when I got one who is registered to the actual council area we are in. I know in Manchester private/minicabs have to be silver coloured cars and under 5 years old to first register.

Wolverhampton is making a packet from it. Something like 16k licences issued

Most areas have the three/five year rule re taxis for both PH and Hackney

the cities where i am have hackney ones all one Colour Its a Rule they have to enable their Taxis too be allowed to use Bus Lanes I'm a Dual Driver in a town and ours are all different colours I'm sure some drivers try and out do each other on colour choices

Riverswims · 03/07/2025 18:53

PuppyMonkey · 02/07/2025 09:57

lots of Wolverhampton round here (ie nowhere near Wolverhampton).

Welwyn Hatfield yes?

LlynTegid · 03/07/2025 18:56

Bus drivers have one national licence, so do lorry drivers, so do car drivers. Same should apply to taxi and minicabs.

EllieQ · 03/07/2025 21:32

mum2jakie · 03/07/2025 17:02

Lol, we haven't even had Ubers in our area for over 10 years! A couple of years if that

Same here, and if I’m remembering rightly Uber only operated in larger cities at first. Does @NeedZzzzzssss really think that everyone in the whole country stopped using normal taxi firms and switched to Uber 😀

On a more serious note, all the Uber drivers I see here (York) seem to be registered out of the area, often West Yorkshire or Wolverhampton. I know that York requires its taxi drivers to be DBS checked, but I don’t know about other areas, and I’d be reluctant to use Uber because of that, especially as I’m usually travelling on my own. Interesting point about the recommendations about out of area taxi drivers in the Grooming Gangs report.

glassof · 03/07/2025 21:38

Wolverhampton here too near Blackpool. Apparently its easier and cheaper than local council

Painrelief · 03/07/2025 21:40

PuppyMonkey · 02/07/2025 09:57

lots of Wolverhampton round here (ie nowhere near Wolverhampton).

Apparently Wolverhampton is the cheapest area for them to get their license .

Iwasjustasking · 03/07/2025 22:13

I’m in Wolverhampton and the taxi I used yesterday was registered to Sefton 🤣

NeedZzzzzssss · 03/07/2025 23:41

EllieQ · 03/07/2025 21:32

Same here, and if I’m remembering rightly Uber only operated in larger cities at first. Does @NeedZzzzzssss really think that everyone in the whole country stopped using normal taxi firms and switched to Uber 😀

On a more serious note, all the Uber drivers I see here (York) seem to be registered out of the area, often West Yorkshire or Wolverhampton. I know that York requires its taxi drivers to be DBS checked, but I don’t know about other areas, and I’d be reluctant to use Uber because of that, especially as I’m usually travelling on my own. Interesting point about the recommendations about out of area taxi drivers in the Grooming Gangs report.

I always found Uber much safer than taxis as it tracked your movements, everyone was registered on the app and you could send your tracked journey live to someone else as well, a taxi didn't offer anything like this as well as it was all paid through the app and you also knew how far away it was when you ordered it. So much quicker, easier and safer. It was much cheaper too. In assuming that taxis now have probably caught up with this technology too, but at the time Uber was so much better in every way. I'm actually horrified by how often I would get into a random taxi while being completely wasted, in saying that I've not had any issues with a dodgy driver.

DarkLion · 03/07/2025 23:47

Do you live in hull by any chance? 🙈 they are literally all registered in Wolverhampton

MyLov · 04/07/2025 04:30

Does it matter? And I don’t know how you’d legislate against it anyway as taxi drivers typically work multiple areas or travel to areas which have more business. It’s just how the trade works. Plus you can get a taxi across areas, counties, the country even! And the driver would typically try to get a fare or fares back if they can for obvious reasons. So effectively trading in another area. Would be ludicrous (and very environmentally unfriendly) to prevent them from doing this.

sashh · 04/07/2025 05:09

They are all registered in Wolverhampton because it is the easiest to get / pass.

Bjorkdidit · 04/07/2025 05:39

MyLov · 04/07/2025 04:30

Does it matter? And I don’t know how you’d legislate against it anyway as taxi drivers typically work multiple areas or travel to areas which have more business. It’s just how the trade works. Plus you can get a taxi across areas, counties, the country even! And the driver would typically try to get a fare or fares back if they can for obvious reasons. So effectively trading in another area. Would be ludicrous (and very environmentally unfriendly) to prevent them from doing this.

They're not saying that taxi drivers can't pick up/take fares out of their immediate area more that they have to register with the council where they live, not the one that imposes the least onerous route into operating as a private hire driver.

bittertwisted · 04/07/2025 08:38

MyLov · 04/07/2025 04:30

Does it matter? And I don’t know how you’d legislate against it anyway as taxi drivers typically work multiple areas or travel to areas which have more business. It’s just how the trade works. Plus you can get a taxi across areas, counties, the country even! And the driver would typically try to get a fare or fares back if they can for obvious reasons. So effectively trading in another area. Would be ludicrous (and very environmentally unfriendly) to prevent them from doing this.

It matters because there shouldn’t be ‘easier’ tests, they should all meet the same requirements

bittertwisted · 04/07/2025 08:40

soupyspoon · 03/07/2025 18:47

I havent read the whole thread. What does it matter?

Because you want to be safe?? My DS owns a taxi firm, he is registered in Cheshire where we live. The safety and knowledge requirements are much more stringent than Wolverhampton. The background screening more onerous. All the tests should be the same

bittertwisted · 04/07/2025 08:46

NeedZzzzzssss · 03/07/2025 13:51

I've only used Uber in the last 10+ years, didn't realise people still used taxis

Uber drivers have to be licenced

bluechameleon · 04/07/2025 08:53

I listened to a radio programme about this recently. Wolverhampton Council has set up a network of offices around the country to register cabs and are making a lot of money out of it.

mumda · 04/07/2025 09:00

bittertwisted · 04/07/2025 08:40

Because you want to be safe?? My DS owns a taxi firm, he is registered in Cheshire where we live. The safety and knowledge requirements are much more stringent than Wolverhampton. The background screening more onerous. All the tests should be the same

This is what is starting to worry me.

If Wolverhampton is easier, then is it as safe?

OP posts:
soupyspoon · 04/07/2025 09:02

Bjorkdidit · 04/07/2025 05:39

They're not saying that taxi drivers can't pick up/take fares out of their immediate area more that they have to register with the council where they live, not the one that imposes the least onerous route into operating as a private hire driver.

Why what difference does it make?

mumda · 04/07/2025 09:03

Oldham's.

Three important things you need to know before you start:
You need to be 21 or over
Be eligible to work in the UK
Have held a GB driver’s licence for 2 or more years
If you meet the above criteria, you need to have all the relevant documents listed below before you apply:

Current DVLA driver’s licence
Current passport (if you have one)
Proof of right to work
Proof of National Insurance number
Recent passport-sized photograph
If you have lived outside the UK for more than 3 continuous months, since the age of 18, a Certificate of Good Conduct is required.
Guidance on how to obtain all of the above documents is outlined in our information sheet below:

Guidance for New Applicants - Download
In addition to the above, you are also required to obtain the following:

DBS Certificate and Driving Licence check – available on the following link:

TaxiPlus
TaxiPlus FAQs
Group 2 Medical and GP/Doctor Declaration – both forms must be taken together to your GP/Doctor for completion:

D4 Medical form and
GP/Doctor declaration form
Once you have all the required documents, please register your online application below, by creating an account with us:

Online Account

Driver Training and Knowledge Test
All applicants are required to attend a Driver Awareness Training course, which will be followed by a Knowledge Test.

The test comprises of 20 multiple-choice questions, and applicants will be allowed 1 hour to complete the test.

The questions will cover the following topics, all of which will be covered in the training provided:

Licence conditions/policy
Customer care skills
Basic numeracy skills
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Road signs
Highway code
Full details on the application process, useful links, and information regarding any documents can be found in our guidance notes below:

Guidance for New Applicants - Download
Dual Driver Licences are issued for a period of 3 years unless otherwise approved.

OP posts:
MissAvainthesun · 04/07/2025 09:04

Friend lives in South Yorkshire and she said there’s a massive increase in Taxis from Wolverhampton driving there. There was something in the local news about a couple on a night out who worked out the driver was younger than the picture so it was obviously not the person registered for driving the taxi and they advised to check before you set off, quite worrying really.

Do taxi drivers have anything where they can only drive for so many hours like lorry drivers do?

There is a local taxi driver petitioning to ensure only local firms can be used in the area as the drivers are losing a lot of money and the displays of registered cars to be bigger.

Here where I am all registered to the local council and have to display their ID front and back of the drivers and passenger seat.

SerendipityJane · 04/07/2025 10:50

bluechameleon · 04/07/2025 08:53

I listened to a radio programme about this recently. Wolverhampton Council has set up a network of offices around the country to register cabs and are making a lot of money out of it.

Remember how everything Americans do is better ?

This is an example of it.

Incidentally is it better or worse for the customer ?

SerendipityJane · 04/07/2025 10:56

mumda · 04/07/2025 09:00

This is what is starting to worry me.

If Wolverhampton is easier, then is it as safe?

When you call an Uber, you know the registration of the car that is picking you up. You can see a photo of the driver whose name you know, and who will know your name when they collect you.

The ride is tracked by Uber as well as anyone you sent the tracking link to.

Never say never, but you would need a series of improbable events to break that model.

Uber is a rare example of a genuine value added layer - they aren't just raking in the mullah. They are doing something for their whack. Which in 2025 is so unusual as to be suspect. What are they really up to 😎

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 04/07/2025 10:57

Same here re Wolves. I am not near Wolves.

carolineol · 04/07/2025 12:39

Yes here in Portsmouth lots of the private hire vehicles - both Uber and local taxi company run - are registered in Wolverhampton; 170+ miles away..

I spoke to a friend who works in the relevant section of the council about this and the division is between private hire drivers and hackney carriage drivers.

Private hirre drivers -ie Uber/minicab etc- require people to ring up/book on app before getting the taxi. These can be licensed anywhere - Wolverhampton offers the best deal in terms of cost and speed of registration apparently. All require basic DBS checks and Wolverhampton say that they carry out a rigorous assessment pricess for all drivers. These drivers generally rely on satnav even in cases where an obviously shorter route is available.

Hackney carriage drivers are those who have a taxi sign on the car and can sit on taxi ranks and pick up at stations and in town and can be hailed in the street. Hackney carriage drivers are licensed to the local area by the relevant city/county council. The local council obviously has more control over these and requires them to show a basic knowledge of the area so they can be relied on to get you home without using satnav. In Portsmouth the council requires that these are all silver so that people can be sure they're getting in to an appropriately licensed vehicle. In other places they have different requirements - in Brighton and Hove for example all the hackney cabs are white with green roofs.

SerendipityJane · 04/07/2025 17:01

These drivers generally rely on satnav even in cases where an obviously shorter route is available.

I will repeat for safety, I really don't think that being able to deviate from the route set is a great feature.

Crap sat nav routes aren't something I want the driver to help with.