PCO licence

Author
Discussion

ILoveCorners

Original Poster:

181 posts

134 months

Friday 7th November 2014
quotequote all
My brother has just finished a bsc at university and know wants to do a masters and then jump onto a graduate scheme. He wants to do a PCO licence and work as a taxi driver for a bit till he completely finished his masters. Whats the process? He is 21 years old and has had his licence since he was 17. Thnaks.

Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
Does he want to do private hire or hackney?

I think the process varies from area to area. In our area you have to

Sit a taxi driving test
Have a medical/CRB
Apply to Council for a badge
Get a car with a taxi plate.

My mate's taxi insurance is about £3k eek

LingSim

13 posts

122 months

Wednesday 12th November 2014
quotequote all
Pco license will mean your London based.

Everything you need to know about the process for license is here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pri...

He will need to buy a suitable car that's less than 5 years old. Most start in a Pruis or Ford Galaxy.

Vehicle will need a yearly PCO inspection (about £114). And 2 MOT per year.

Feel free to ask me anything, as private hire is my game.

ILoveCorners

Original Poster:

181 posts

134 months

Wednesday 12th November 2014
quotequote all
LingSim said:
Pco license will mean your London based.

Everything you need to know about the process for license is here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pri...

He will need to buy a suitable car that's less than 5 years old. Most start in a Pruis or Ford Galaxy.

Vehicle will need a yearly PCO inspection (about £114). And 2 MOT per year.

Feel free to ask me anything, as private hire is my game.
Does he need to have a car? I thought he could get a PCO licence and then work for a company? He lives on the outskirts of london if that helps.

LingSim

13 posts

122 months

Wednesday 12th November 2014
quotequote all
He can try to work for a company that provides a car, but I feel that's going to be quite unlikely but not impossible.

This is because his age may not comply with the company's insurance policy (usually needs to be 25+). And his lack of experience will work against him.

But do call a few companies to see if a company vehicle is likely available to him.

Other option will be to rent a vehicle, until he can afford to buy one.

Expect insurance to be £3k+ Even for the most basic of car. Private car no claims is not recognised for private hire.

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
Apologies in advance for the thread hijack.

LingSim,

Once a car has been PCO'd does the licence stay with the car if it gets sold?

We sell a shed load of Prius for PCO and private hire and frequently get asked if a car has got a PCO on it.

croyde

22,705 posts

229 months

Thursday 13th November 2014
quotequote all
PCO is for the driver but what puzzles me is what does the PCO for a minicab driver entail as all the one's I use are bloody hopeless and that includes the biggest company with the black Galaxies.

Back in '87, I had couriered in vans and on bikes since 1980 and had applied for the Knowledge but to tie me over I bought a Vauxhall Cavalier and joined the biggest London minicab company.

They 'MOT'd' my car and fitted a radio. I had to pass a knowledge test and the Open Call system used by the radio controllers meant that only the guys that knew London like the back of their hands made any money.

Now I get idiots who have no idea and blindly follow their Sat Nav, even when I tell them a better way to go, after mentioning I used to do it for a living biggrin

We had a guy the other day who had only been in the country a week. That's like me getting a plane to Sierra Leone and driving a cab in a country I have never been to. How would I be of any use?

How these guys get PCOs is beyond me.

ETA All the old hands I speak to say it's very hard to make money these days. You have vehicle and radio/computer thingy rental and fuel to cover before you make any profit plus as the Capital is flooded with minicabs, everyone is fighting for a bite of the apple.

I read a great article in the New York times about The Knowledge and how a few of the guys, who are learning now, are giving up in the face of Uber and other apps for minicabs. The numbers are something like 20,000 black cabs to 60,000 minicabs.

Found the NY Times article, worth a read if you have 15 minutes http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/lond...

Edited by croyde on Thursday 13th November 16:09