Any Chauffeurs on here?

Author
Discussion

chilistrucker

Original Poster:

4,541 posts

152 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
quotequote all
Just curious as to how you got started, what sort of work you do and is a PCO licence a necessity for someone trying to get a start in this industry?

Monkeylegend

26,465 posts

232 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
quotequote all
You will need:

- To be licensed by your local licensing authority.
- An enhanced CRB check'
- An HGV equivalent medical.
- Your car will need to be licensed by your LLA
- If you want to work for yourself you will need an Operators licence with your LLA
- You will most likely need to take and pass an advanced driving test and might be tested on your local knowledge, this varies between LLA
- You will need Private hire insurance probably in excess of £2000 for your first year.
- Restrictions on age and type of car will vary according to your LLA. Some will only give a first licence to cars less than 4 year old.

Having said all that, that's the easy part. Getting yourself known and getting an established client base is the hardest part. Local parish mag advertising works very well, newspapers and glossy mags not so good and very expensive.

Your best bet would be to get yourself and car licensed and see if you can work initially for a local company for a year or so. You will then start to make contacts and will find it easier to branch out on your own.

Meant to say I run an E Class and only do long distance work, in an unmarked car, none of this sitting around all day waiting for the local drunks and doley's.

My split is about 40% corporate and 60% private, mainly airports and into London.

I have worked for myself for 15 years and have established a very loyal customer base and have made a good living. I have just sold my business to retire in the next few months, if you can make it work it is a very satisfying and enjoyable lifestyle, but only if longer term you work for yourself.

There's probably more, I am here all week wink

Good luck if you do decide to go for it.

Edited by Monkeylegend on Sunday 5th April 14:51


Edited by Monkeylegend on Sunday 5th April 14:53

LingSim

13 posts

124 months

Monday 6th April 2015
quotequote all
London PCO chauffeur driver and operator here.

Assuming your London Based, you will require a PCO license.


LingSim

13 posts

124 months

Monday 6th April 2015
quotequote all
London PCO chauffeur driver and operator here.

Assuming your London Based, you will require a PCO license.


Monkeylegend

26,465 posts

232 months

Saturday 8th April 2017
quotequote all
Monkeylegend said:
You will need:

- To be licensed by your local licensing authority.
- An enhanced CRB check'
- An HGV equivalent medical.
- Your car will need to be licensed by your LLA
- If you want to work for yourself you will need an Operators licence with your LLA
- You will most likely need to take and pass an advanced driving test and might be tested on your local knowledge, this varies between LLA
- You will need Private hire insurance probably in excess of £2000 for your first year.
- Restrictions on age and type of car will vary according to your LLA. Some will only give a first licence to cars less than 4 year old.

Having said all that, that's the easy part. Getting yourself known and getting an established client base is the hardest part. Local parish mag advertising works very well, newspapers and glossy mags not so good and very expensive.

Your best bet would be to get yourself and car licensed and see if you can work initially for a local company for a year or so. You will then start to make contacts and will find it easier to branch out on your own.

Meant to say I run an E Class and only do long distance work, in an unmarked car, none of this sitting around all day waiting for the local drunks and doley's.

My split is about 40% corporate and 60% private, mainly airports and into London.

I have worked for myself for 15 years and have established a very loyal customer base and have made a good living. I have just sold my business to retire in the next few months, if you can make it work it is a very satisfying and enjoyable lifestyle, but only if longer term you work for yourself.

There's probably more, I am here all week wink

Good luck if you do decide to go for it.

Edited by Monkeylegend on Sunday 5th April 14:51


Edited by Monkeylegend on Sunday 5th April 14:53
It's like groundhog day round here.

PS. I didn't ever bother with a website wink


Edited by Monkeylegend on Saturday 8th April 17:11

LudaMusser

159 posts

114 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
quotequote all
I used to work at Ocado and got talking to a lad who had just started. He was previously a chauffeur. He did it for at least five years from what I can remember. It was really interesting talking to him about it.

He told me that the most annoying person he ever had to chauffeur was lawrence lou ellen bowen. He said that he would take one sip out of a bottle of water then just chuck it on the floor and then open another bottle. He would never say even hello to you and that he would read a newspaper and then leave it thrown all over the backseats, pages everywhere. Sounded like a real kn0b

I also remember him saying that he chauffeured Cheryl Cole a number of times. His car had white leather and that he had to put towels on the leather as all of her fake tan used to mark all the seats. I think he spent a huge amount of his time just waiting for people to come out of places. He dropped her at X Factor which was filmed and then had to wait the whole day so they could then be filmed driving her away