Chauffeurs - what's the deal?
Discussion
I'm in London quite often and recently have been frequenting certain areas where chauffeur driven cars appear to be everywhere. What stands out is the majority of the time these guys are sat in the cars watching TV, on their phone or buffing the bonnet with a cloth.
Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
TopGear7 said:
I'm in London quite often and recently have been frequenting certain areas where chauffeur driven cars appear to be everywhere. What stands out is the majority of the time these guys are sat in the cars watching TV, on their phone or buffing the bonnet with a cloth.
Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
If you are a senior exec earning, say £500k, and the company pays £35k for your exec assistant, what's another £35k for a driver?Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
TopGear7 said:
I'm in London quite often and recently have been frequenting certain areas where chauffeur driven cars appear to be everywhere. What stands out is the majority of the time these guys are sat in the cars watching TV, on their phone or buffing the bonnet with a cloth.
Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
Which areas are you referring to where you say chauffeur driven cars are everywhere?Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
How many cars (honestly) are there.
I live in Chelsea and on a match day my street has chauffeur driven cars “Everywhere” today I counted them. There were 7!
TopGear7 said:
I'm in London quite often and recently have been frequenting certain areas where chauffeur driven cars appear to be everywhere. What stands out is the majority of the time these guys are sat in the cars watching TV, on their phone or buffing the bonnet with a cloth.
Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
We’ve got one permanent and a couple part time Chauffeurs in work. The permanent guy gets run ragged to be fair, always out and about and has to work late twice a week (usually midnight finish and back in for 8am) Money’s pretty decent but he’d probably make a fair bit more with his own car and a few regular clients. Are these guys employed solely by that client. So they could literally just sit there for hours on end waiting around?
What type of business are these people generally in who require chauffeurs on hand all day long? I'm intrigued due to the sheer volume of them all congregate in largely the same areas and streets.
The part time guys are just used a few times a week if the boss goes out at night. Money seems good for what they do plus usually get a fat tip. Ones absolutely minted but he does put the hours in elsehwre. Brand new S Class every year!!
I fancied it myself when I left the Army, had one lined up based in Surrey and commuting to London daily, drop the boss off at work, back to Surrey and run the wife around. Good money, own flat, use of the car when not needed, every other weekend off etc usually stuff, but after chatting to a few of the lads I changed my mind and took a CP job instead. You end up doing a lot more that just chauffeuring.
Get a decent client though and it’s pucka, get a boss who’s a pain or worst a PA who doesn’t like you and your f
ked! They’ve got to stay with the car and usually within sight of where the boss is eating or very close by, quick phone call to say they’ll be a minute and you have to be there. So yeah they could be sat there for hours & hours. Can’t sit there for hours with the car running & can’t sit there with the tv on running the battery down.
Different jobs will have a different number of drivers/vehicles. Ours is nice & simple and very low risk, I’ve been on some jobs where there’s an advanced team to check the venue, escort car plus the clients car and a couple of guys with the client. And yep again.....drivers have to stay in the cars.
Friend of a friend is an ex copper and driver/odd job man for a wealthy London family
He spends most of his time driving the wife around to various hair, makeup and homeopathy appointments around Harley Street and when he's not in the car does stupid stuff around the house for them like changing light bulbs
He has use of the family Mercedes when off duty
Ive no idea what they pay him although he has a decent pension from the Met and the job has been passed down from a number of other retired cops over the years
Cheers
There was one based in a factory unit next door to where I once worked.
As others have posted some days were stupidly long, others fairly sensible.
One of the perks was the directors where he worked giving him their car keys and ask him to fill their cars up for them. This was back when garages ran reward schemes, he was well known at the local garage and as a result he was always given far more reward tickets/tokens than was justified.
Most people could just about scrape enough for a set of glasses or maybe a kettle, he was sending away for TV sets and power drills etc.
As others have posted some days were stupidly long, others fairly sensible.
One of the perks was the directors where he worked giving him their car keys and ask him to fill their cars up for them. This was back when garages ran reward schemes, he was well known at the local garage and as a result he was always given far more reward tickets/tokens than was justified.
Most people could just about scrape enough for a set of glasses or maybe a kettle, he was sending away for TV sets and power drills etc.
One of my friends is a muscular bald company director a la Jason Statham. Jacked in his one man flooring business to do close protection for a Middle Eastern Royal Family. It's just driving them around shopping, hair appointments, eating out etc. He's not even the main driver as he drives the back up vehicle. Not many early starts because the clients don't do mornings, but lots of late nights and lots of money for him.
Some are employed by chauffeur companies and charged out to the client by the hour and others are directly employed full time by the client. There are also a smaller number of self employed ones.
I have one, but he was always called my driver, never a chauffeur!
He used to work for Browns (a big London chauffeur company) and I always asked for him by name. After a while we decided it would make more sense for him to work directly for me and subsidise this with him bringing over his two other major clients (who would only use him anyway) so I bought a LWB S Class.
With regard to what type of business people who use drivers/chauffeurs are in, all three of us were in finance (investment management) but that could just be a coincidence. When he was a Browns there was a lot of celebrity work and he was a regular driver for Elton John and Chelsea Clinton.
I was hoping this arrangement would give me a free (or highly subsidised) driver, but to my surprise I actually made a very good profit. So when the credit crunch kicked in and the two hedge fund managers work dried up to almost nothing and I stopped most of my work in London I used the profits to continue to pay him and he eventually moved his family up to the East Midlands to be where I was.
He is still my driver 15 years on, but also my fixer, odd job man, looks after the gardens and swimming pool and, of course, takes care of the cars. He is also a really good mate and family friend. In fact is more family than staff, indeed he gave my wife away at our wedding (her dad had passed away long before we were married.
He gets a good salary, full use of the Range Rover and a very generous final salary pension.
At one point one of the Hedge Fund managers offered him a full time position with his family in New York (where he lived). He had been invited over for his wedding and at the reception someone slapped him on the back saying "hey Derek, great to see you again". It was Bill Clinton! He told Bill about the offer and Bill offered to sign his visa application!
He decided to stay with us though, much to my relief. He has a never ending supply of anecdotes about his old days at Browns but says the hours were absolutely horrendous and getting a full time position with a good family is the dream ticket for drivers/chauffeurs.
Edited for stupid typos
I have one, but he was always called my driver, never a chauffeur!
He used to work for Browns (a big London chauffeur company) and I always asked for him by name. After a while we decided it would make more sense for him to work directly for me and subsidise this with him bringing over his two other major clients (who would only use him anyway) so I bought a LWB S Class.
With regard to what type of business people who use drivers/chauffeurs are in, all three of us were in finance (investment management) but that could just be a coincidence. When he was a Browns there was a lot of celebrity work and he was a regular driver for Elton John and Chelsea Clinton.
I was hoping this arrangement would give me a free (or highly subsidised) driver, but to my surprise I actually made a very good profit. So when the credit crunch kicked in and the two hedge fund managers work dried up to almost nothing and I stopped most of my work in London I used the profits to continue to pay him and he eventually moved his family up to the East Midlands to be where I was.
He is still my driver 15 years on, but also my fixer, odd job man, looks after the gardens and swimming pool and, of course, takes care of the cars. He is also a really good mate and family friend. In fact is more family than staff, indeed he gave my wife away at our wedding (her dad had passed away long before we were married.
He gets a good salary, full use of the Range Rover and a very generous final salary pension.
At one point one of the Hedge Fund managers offered him a full time position with his family in New York (where he lived). He had been invited over for his wedding and at the reception someone slapped him on the back saying "hey Derek, great to see you again". It was Bill Clinton! He told Bill about the offer and Bill offered to sign his visa application!
He decided to stay with us though, much to my relief. He has a never ending supply of anecdotes about his old days at Browns but says the hours were absolutely horrendous and getting a full time position with a good family is the dream ticket for drivers/chauffeurs.
Edited for stupid typos
Edited by JulianPH on Sunday 14th January 09:23
My brother runs a chauffeur drive business in London, doing a lot of work for the embassies and Arab royals.
Bottom line is that, yes, there's a lot of time spent sat on your arse drinking coffee or reading the paper, either while your client is off in the shops, or back at the house waiting to be called upon.
Embassy and business stuff tends to be more efficient - you can be booked for specific trips, to collect someone from the airport for a meeting, or whatever, but again you can be on call to that specific client all day.
Bottom line is that, yes, there's a lot of time spent sat on your arse drinking coffee or reading the paper, either while your client is off in the shops, or back at the house waiting to be called upon.
Embassy and business stuff tends to be more efficient - you can be booked for specific trips, to collect someone from the airport for a meeting, or whatever, but again you can be on call to that specific client all day.
My father's driver is ex army. He was my father's last driver when he was in the army and left when Dad did.
His wife worked as a groom for my mother and now does part-time grooming work for my sister-in-law. They have a cottage in Norfolk rent-free and, when The folks are in town (less and less now) he stays at the Union Jack club or a budget hotel nearby.
Hours very much by negotiation but a general expectation that, unless he's on holiday, he will be available within reason. When not actually driving, he keeps the cars clean and manages all their maintenance. He also helps with odd-jobs, running errands etc, etc
His wife worked as a groom for my mother and now does part-time grooming work for my sister-in-law. They have a cottage in Norfolk rent-free and, when The folks are in town (less and less now) he stays at the Union Jack club or a budget hotel nearby.
Hours very much by negotiation but a general expectation that, unless he's on holiday, he will be available within reason. When not actually driving, he keeps the cars clean and manages all their maintenance. He also helps with odd-jobs, running errands etc, etc
British Chauffeurs Guild! 
They’re like the motoring equivalent of St Johns Ambulance.
Not like that Master Craftsman rubbish that was about years ago.
My mate does it. Long unsocial hours, lots of waiting around, sleeping in the car, drinking coffee etc. Drives a new E class and has his own customers plus other drivers, some of which own their own cars.
He said it used to be great 20 years ago but now and Joe can buy a 10 year old Merc and a £80 suit and call them self a “chauffeur” when in fact they’re just a taxi driver.
He said 99% of the guys who boast about how much they earn are bullstters. The only ones who earn good money are the ones that work solely with one client or the chauffeur company owners!
One Bloke claims he earns £600 a day but drives a 15yo Merc with £30 Chinese ditch finders and shoes that are older than the car.
It’s worse now Uber and the like are about.
Lots of Ex cops who like it because it’s comparatively stress free. You won’t get rich out of it.
They’re like the motoring equivalent of St Johns Ambulance.
Not like that Master Craftsman rubbish that was about years ago.
My mate does it. Long unsocial hours, lots of waiting around, sleeping in the car, drinking coffee etc. Drives a new E class and has his own customers plus other drivers, some of which own their own cars.
He said it used to be great 20 years ago but now and Joe can buy a 10 year old Merc and a £80 suit and call them self a “chauffeur” when in fact they’re just a taxi driver.
He said 99% of the guys who boast about how much they earn are bulls
tters. The only ones who earn good money are the ones that work solely with one client or the chauffeur company owners!One Bloke claims he earns £600 a day but drives a 15yo Merc with £30 Chinese ditch finders and shoes that are older than the car.
It’s worse now Uber and the like are about.
Lots of Ex cops who like it because it’s comparatively stress free. You won’t get rich out of it.
I've done some chauffeuring in my time, only for wealthy families, not firms. Much better than having to work for firms who needed to make it pay. One of the good things about really wealthy families is that they tend to spend a lot of the year abroad in one of their several other residences, so altogether the hours were actually quite congenial 
Thanks for the replies so far all. Very interesting. I did wonder how these super wealthy/important trust all their goings on, whereabouts and family members with a what is stranger driving them about, but the ex army etc makes sense.
In response to the person asking where; mainly around Mayfair - Mount St, Berkeley Sq, New Bond St and surrounding side streets - Piccadilly and Belgravia also. I think they stand out even more for me as I’m quite the fan of big luxury barges.
In response to the person asking where; mainly around Mayfair - Mount St, Berkeley Sq, New Bond St and surrounding side streets - Piccadilly and Belgravia also. I think they stand out even more for me as I’m quite the fan of big luxury barges.
TopGear7 said:
Thanks for the replies so far all. Very interesting. I did wonder how these super wealthy/important trust all their goings on, whereabouts and family members with a what is stranger driving them about, but the ex army etc makes sense.
Rich people learn from an early age that they either have to do stuff themselves (like the rest of us) or have someone else do it for them (their preferred method). The cost of that is having to trust their employees and learn to live without the personal privacy that most people are accustomed to.For instance, if they are on a mobile in the back of the Bentley, they learn not to care whether you are listening.
singlecoil said:
I've done some chauffeuring in my time, only for wealthy families, not firms. Much better than having to work for firms who needed to make it pay. One of the good things about really wealthy families is that they tend to spend a lot of the year abroad in one of their several other residences, so altogether the hours were actually quite congenial
Good point, we usually have a couple of months in Portugal every year and this gives my driver a decent break, though he still has other things to look after (but can do these one day a week).I wasn't going to mention it before, but I have a driver in Portugal too. Same as before, someone I always used to ask for by name and we came to the same arrangement. He, again, is a family friend now and came over for my wedding.
He works the rest of the season for other families, with little to do out of season other than ex-pat families.
TopGear7 said:
In response to the person asking where; mainly around Mayfair - Mount St, Berkeley Sq, New Bond St and surrounding side streets - Piccadilly and Belgravia also. I think they stand out even more for me as I’m quite the fan of big luxury barges.
Definitely loads round there. Usually black S class or 7 series although a few weeks ago I noticed an Arabic family leaving the Mayfair hotel in a fleet of seven black XJ autobiography all with consecutive private number plates Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff