Taxi Driver Online

I have just passed my knowledge for Birmingham, but am cacking myself about starting work. The test was really hard, and took me a couple of years to get through but I still don't feel confident about getting around.

I started work in Kidderminster 16 years ago but the trade is very different there, much more personal, most Taxi users travel every day. My catchphrase for the first couple of months was "which way do they usually take you" I have a feeling that the trade in Brum will be mostly people coming into town for meetings/business and will not know how to get to their destination, still, I have a satnav and a bit of cheek, if I am not sure I will jump out and ask another driver. Most Drivers are very helpful to there comrades. They are in Kiddy anyway, and I am hoping they are in Brum.

2 years for gaining a Taxi driver license in Birmingham?

You could do London with a big push for that.

I know, but then I would have to move to London.

I could have probably done it in a year, with some help and if I lived closer.

They Give you 342 routes to work out and then memorise and 1680 points of interest which they call two point locations because you need to know the road it is on, and the next nearest road as a reference.

They don't give you the route, or the address of the locations, it took me a year to find them all, some of them just said "maple house, cannon house, priory house, with no help towards what area they might be in, if there were 2 pubs with the same name it would give you the general area, like "Ha Ha bar (Sutton Coldfield)"

They only test you on 20 routes and 80 locations along with 6 legal questions, but obviously You need to know it all as you don't know what is going to come out on the day of the test.

Pass rate is 90%

I got 98.

BC helped me by giving me 5 out of the last 6 locations that I couldn't find, thanks BC.

I didn't want to go private hire, that is probably how most learn it, I don't like radio work.

Just got to meet with the Licensing committee now, to see if My caution for assault on a constable from 2001 will be allowed, that is tomorrow morning.

May the fourth be with me.

Fingers crossed.

when they look like they should/could know where they are going, use the "where, is that by the....mmm......" (whilst waving a finger in the air)

they fill in the rest

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

Well done, Birmingham is a lot bigger than my town



I am sure you will be fine, and from all the feedback on here I feel most of the public are understanding

Fingers crossed for the meeting tomorrow, 98% is excellent considering what you had to learn. I gained an 84% mark and required 85% for my hackney so I was chuffed for my first attempt, sadly the tight arses still only give me a PH badge but its my step to preparing for the hackney.

I thought I would ask also about the tax side of things if anyone has an idea how I play this scenario out when doing my books

If I work for a firm on a 50/50 share when it comes to entering my takings in my accounts book do I put the whole amount earned before I have paid the firm their 50% or do I record the amount after I have paid them??

This is how I am working until I see how it pans out for me and what my earnings are in relation to hiring a vehicle or using my own.

Thanks

You should record your total earnings and put the sum you pay as rent down as an expense.

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Grandad,

thanks

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Where to then guv?......eh? where's that then ???

Hi all,

i said I would pop back and let you know how things have progressed since my last post.

Last Tuesday after a stroke of luck too I got work with the firm I wanted, absolutely carping meself at first and did rely on the sat nav a bit but I got around ok and have now survived my first week plus I hadd an absolute ball last night with lots of stags, hens and a front passenger called steve who was plastic and full of air (lol)

Not everything is rosy as the car I have been using has seen better days, it smells a bit and I am a bit ashamed to drive it let alone have passengers in it, the night driver just does not clean it either so i am making it as pleasant as possible, I expect I would not get a fantastic drive at first being the newb.

the other drivers are friendly and the majority tell me they have been doing the job toooo long hehe I think they still enjoy it as they keep coming back. So anyway I do like my job and being out on the road, I am just getting used to 12 hr days again but its well worth it.

thanks to the people who give me lots of advice and I will be forever lurking here somewhere.

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Where to then guv?......eh? where's that then ???

You will get use to the long hours.

In about 20 years.

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IDFIMH

Then he'll be saying he's been doing the job toooo long