Chauffeuring as a job.
Discussion
Evening all. I'm currently a stay at home dad and as my lad is now at school full time I fancy going back to work. I'd like to do a bit of chauffeuring, part time going into full time maybe. What would the best way to get my foot in the door. I'd like to work for myself if possible (maybe subcontract to begin with) can anybody give me any tips and ideas on costs please.
When you first posted that I thought you meant driving the customers' cars. If you are thinking of providing your own car, then AIUI you are basically going into the private hire business. If that's the case then you will need to find the relevant bit on your council's website, which will give you all the required info re licensing (you and the car). Then you will need insurance, of course.
If you are intending to drive the customers' cars (trips to airport etc, then return car to customers' houses, means they don't pay for long term parking and you pick them up on their return) then AIUI all you need it suitable insurance.
If you are intending to drive the customers' cars (trips to airport etc, then return car to customers' houses, means they don't pay for long term parking and you pick them up on their return) then AIUI all you need it suitable insurance.
A business associate of mine is owner of an exec car company in London. All drivers are owner-drivers, need a good exec car (E-class, 5 series) and be presentable. Some of his top drivers are doing £6k - £7k per month (though they put in a lot of effort for that).
PM me and I'll be happy to pass your details on.
PM me and I'll be happy to pass your details on.
I have to say I would regard this as a boring job to have.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
StevieBee said:
A business associate of mine is owner of an exec car company in London. All drivers are owner-drivers, need a good exec car (E-class, 5 series) and be presentable. Some of his top drivers are doing £6k - £7k per month (though they put in a lot of effort for that).
PM me and I'll be happy to pass your details on.
I assume the 6-7k is before overheads.PM me and I'll be happy to pass your details on.
vxr8mate said:
I have to say I would regard this as a boring job to have.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
We use a firm who employ a lot of ex policemen as drivers. E class or V class MB, very professional guys with some interesting anecdotes if you want to chat and they seem to drive relatively swiftly too (but not in any way dangerously) particularly on the motorway.Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
In my previous job the company used private hire cabs. One chap got lost on the way to the airport one morning (got confused when a section of the motorway was closed) and another bloke in a diesel accord picked me up from Manchester airport and sat at a fuel-saving 50mph on the motorway. I'd got off a very long flight, it was quite late in the day and the last thing I needed was a 100 mile ride turning into a 2 hour journey. I had a word with him about 10 miles into the journey about that and politely asked if he'd mind turning up the wick a bit!
Not really helpful but a guy I met once was a chauffeur/driver working for his dad. He got pick up some cool characters including piling up kimi raikkonen and on numerous occasions picking Rubens barrichello up off the runway to go straight to silverstone. How excellent is that! Though he said kimi was well miserable.
vxr8mate said:
I have to say I would regard this as a boring job to have.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
Keeping within the speed limit?Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
A chauffeur will haul a$$ if asked to.
Once while on the way to a meeting, I told him I was late (due to the inbound flight) and he took off down the motorway like a stabbed rate.
He then proceeds to tell me that he can see a cop car behind him with flashing lights.
I say "maybe you should slow down and pull over"
You know what he said?
"No, I'll be okay"
StevieBee said:
Some of his top drivers are doing £6k - £7k per month (though they put in a lot of effort for that).
This is what I do for a living, and I get weeks of billing 100H to the companies I work for, and I wish I'd get half as that, as a self employed, owner driver. I have to pay tax and bills (car, fuel, car parks, PCN's, and so on and so on after that!)I don't drive a Merc, but a E90 3-series.
Very important, is the area where you work. To avoid some old battered cars running around, some councils are enforcing a 5 year limit on the cars you are able to license for private hire.
Darkk said:
Very important, is the area where you work. To avoid some old battered cars running around, some councils are enforcing a 5 year limit on the cars you are able to license for private hire.
Out of interest, is there any way of finding out which councils these are without contacting them all directly? oldbanger said:
Darkk said:
Very important, is the area where you work. To avoid some old battered cars running around, some councils are enforcing a 5 year limit on the cars you are able to license for private hire.
Out of interest, is there any way of finding out which councils these are without contacting them all directly? Inside Greater London, it's easy, as it's legislated by TFL, and they do have the 5 year limit to license a car for the 1st time, renewable up to 10 years.
Anywhere else, I have no idea how to find out, without calling every single one of them.
SirBlade said:
vxr8mate said:
I have to say I would regard this as a boring job to have.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
Keeping within the speed limit?Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
A chauffeur will haul a$$ if asked to.
Once while on the way to a meeting, I told him I was late (due to the inbound flight) and he took off down the motorway like a stabbed rate.
He then proceeds to tell me that he can see a cop car behind him with flashing lights.
I say "maybe you should slow down and pull over"
That surprises me as their licence represents their livelyhood. Too many points for speeding and the like and it's p45 time.
You know what he said?
"No, I'll be okay"
vxr8mate said:
SirBlade said:
vxr8mate said:
I have to say I would regard this as a boring job to have.
Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
Keeping within the speed limit?Shuttling business people or celebs around, waiting outside venues, working all hours would be bad enough but driving within speed limits at all times and keeping a cool head under all circumstances would eventually defeat me.
A chauffeur will haul a$$ if asked to.
Once while on the way to a meeting, I told him I was late (due to the inbound flight) and he took off down the motorway like a stabbed rate.
He then proceeds to tell me that he can see a cop car behind him with flashing lights.
I say "maybe you should slow down and pull over"
You know what he said?
"No, I'll be okay"
Usually, "I'm really sorry, but I'm unable to go over the speed limit as our cars are GPS tracked and flagged If I go over the limit, and will be suspended accordingly! But I'll do my best to find the best and quickest route possibly..."
Standard response.
Result: Clean License and absolutely no hassle!
Not only a loss of license means a loss of job, but a massive increase in the insurance premium, which is now 2600£/year, 3rd party, for my 330d or 4750£/year fully comp. No accidents and no points.
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