Contents

1. Understanding the Taxi Business Landscape
2. Requirements to Become a Taxi Driver
3. Acquiring a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Licence
4. The Journey to Becoming a Taxi Driver
5. Choosing a Vehicle for Your Taxi Business
6. Taxi Driver Earnings
7. Why Choose iCabbi for Your Taxi Business?

Understanding the Taxi Business Landscape

In 2022, there was over 260 thousand licensed taxis and minicabs in England, an increase of 3.8% from 2021. The growth was driven by a substantial 5.1% increase in minicab numbers, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Taxi drivers enjoy the freedom to choose their work hours, making it an ideal option for those looking for a “side hustle” or needing to balance multiple commitments.

Requirements to Become a Taxi Driver

To become a minicab driver, you must:

1. Be at least 21 years old
2. Hold a UK driving licence for three years (for London) or one year (outside London)
3. Have the legal right to live and work in the UK

Acquiring a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Licence

To drive a minicab, you will also need a PHV licence. The process includes:

1. Providing proof of identity (e.g., national ID card or passport)
2. Undergoing a Group 2 medical examination to confirm fitness, including an eyesight test and disclosing any medical conditions
3. Obtaining certification, such as an NVQ Certificate in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (Taxi and Private Hire)
4. Passing a topographical or local area knowledge skills assessment
5. Clearing an enhanced criminal record Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

To work in London, you’ll also need to take the Safety, Equality, and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) test, similar to the black cab “knowledge” test.

The Journey to Becoming a Taxi Driver

Becoming a minicab driver can take around six months and cost up to £1,500. Once you submit your PHV licence application, local authorities may take between six to eighteen months to make a final decision. If there are complications, such as a previous criminal conviction or medical issues, the process can take even longer.

Choosing a Vehicle for Your Taxi Business

After obtaining your PHV licence, you can either use your own car or work for a minicab operator that provides a vehicle. Purchasing a minicab can cost between £35,000 and £75,000, especially if you opt for an electric vehicle, which would be more efficient in the long run. You may also need to install a Covid screen or CCTV system for safety purposes.

It’s recommended to work for an existing minicab firm initially to gain experience before committing to buying a vehicle of your own.

Taxi Driver Earnings

Outside of London, taxi drivers can take home around £500 a week after expenses, resulting in an average annual income of £27,000. In London, earnings can be significantly higher, up to £60,000 per year after expenses but before taxes.

Why Choose iCabbi for Your Taxi Business?

So now you’re on your way with your taxi career, how can you expand? iCabbi offers a world-leading taxi dispatch software that helps you manage your business effectively. With iCabbi, you can:

1. Automate a high percentage of bookings
2. Streamline your operations to cut costs
3. Deliver outstanding customer service
4. Compete with ride-sharing apps like Uber

In addition, iCabbi provides exceptional UK-based customer support to help you navigate any challenges that arise while running your taxi business.

Free Demonstration.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to become a taxi driver, now may be the perfect time. It’s not easy to meet all the specific requirements and navigate the lengthy application process. However, with the right tools, such as iCabbi’s taxi dispatch software, you can create a successful and flexible business that meets the needs of your community.

The post Launching Your Taxi Business with iCabbi’s Dispatch Software first appeared on iCabbi UK.

1) Taxi Dispatch Software Provides Your Fleet With Efficiency

Think of all the times you have sat there, thinking of ways to cut costs and provide a better working life for your drivers. All companies have admin and paperwork, but the way the digital age has come about, it is just as important that taxi companies do the same. That is why iCabbi have worked seamlessly to provide taxi software that allows taxi businesses to streamline their work. With voice recognition and state-of-the-art GPS, your taxi drivers can have anything they need at their fingertips. Not only does this bring happiness to the driver, but it also means that there is a reduced need for admin in your business.

Cutting costs and bringing efficiency to your fleet through automated software is something iCabbi can help you with. Check out our iCabbi webinars on YouTube to see what cloud-based shortcuts we can help you with!

2) You can save money for your taxi business

Whilst we have talked about the need for efficiency, this comes hand in hand with cutting costs. Using cloud-based and automatic software, the need for admin staff is reduced. It also limits the interaction between dispatchers and drivers, as well as drivers and passengers. With passengers ordering and booking their journeys through the app you can have for your company, the need for paperwork and dispatchers is reduced.

With fewer employees needed and less manual paperwork required for the existing staff, your outgoings are reduced. You will also not need to splash out on an office for your staff. Whilst taxi journeys are coming back into fashion, remote working is also still popular. With staff having your admin at their fingertips thanks to the cloud, the cost-cutting measures can begin with the iCabbi taxi dispatch software.

3) Increase the happiness of your taxi drivers

Having automated taxi software for your business also increases the happiness of your drivers. This not only provides a better working environment but also allows for the growth of your fleet. As a business owner, your fleet will only grow if drivers want to stay, not leave.

The reason taxi drivers want to stay? If they are still dealing with manual dispatchers then there is sometimes still the accusation of bias and favouritism. With automated software, that isn’t the case anymore. The software simply helps to choose the best driver for the best job. It takes into account the distance that the driver is from the pickup destination and how accessible they are. If taxi drivers know this, they know they will be treated fairly and will earn their fair share of the fare. This particular webinar on iCabbi split invoice commissions is a great explainer on how you can ensure your taxi drivers feel happier about working for your taxi fleet.

4) It can give you the edge over your competitors

iCabbi not only provide state-of-the-art taxi dispatch software, we go that little bit further. The whole iCabbi taxi dispatch engine has so many facets that taxi fleet owners don’t even know about. The software provides you with an app on which you can implement your logo. That means that you get public visibility. Your brand is out there and if your drivers are doing a good job, you are likely to get chosen over your competitors.

Not only do you get visibility, but the passenger app that comes as part of the software is also user friendly. As we mentioned earlier, it is 2022 and in the digital age, being able to order a taxi using an app is a lot easier than talking to a manual dispatcher on the phone. Thanks to Uber, journey booking apps are now the norm, and it is important that as a taxi fleet you keep up to date with them.

5) iCabbi taxi dispatch software provides little to no downtime

The problem with going online is that many businesses fear that there will be downtime. If a taxi company is run manually, then a taxi fleet owner likes to think that their staff will always be on the other end of the phone and the drivers will be easily reachable. However, the iCabbi cloud-based software has little to no downtime.

You can view all you need to know about the trusted software here. We are very open about our stats and reliability, so much that we have set up a live feed for you to read here.

Why iCabbi?

Grow your taxi business with iCabbi fleet management software – the most advanced dispatch system in the world! Contact us via the contact form or phone us on 01623 44 22 11. Alternatively, pop us an email at enquiries@icabbi.etgl.co.uk. Our friendly team will be able to assist you in any way we can.

The post 5 reasons you need taxi dispatch software to help deal with the surge in demand for taxis first appeared on iCabbi UK.

Below we discuss how you can decide which is the best taxi dispatch software for your taxi business. We go through the details explaining why pleasing your drivers is important, as well as why pleasing your passengers is important. It’s all in here as you become the best taxi company on your patch!

The best taxi dispatch software for your drivers

We will start with the drivers because we’ve already begun to discuss this. To keep your drivers happy there will be two simple things. Make your drivers money and let them know that they are being treated fairly. Essentially they just want to know that other drivers are not being prioritised for better jobs. This was a common ‘complaint’ of drivers who still operate with manual dispatch systems and office staff. One part of the software from iCabbi is the driver app which should help you to satisfy your drivers in this regard.

Fortunately, the iCabbi taxi dispatch software helps eliminate the common driver complaints. As a cloud-based taxi dispatch system, it can fairly distribute jobs to the right drivers who are appropriately placed. So if you are a taxi business owner who is looking to improve morale amongst your taxi fleet, check out this system and see how we can help you to keep your drivers happy.

Find a software that is easy to use

As part of the driver app, a taxi driver will also be able to accept a job easily. A seamless transition will also ensure that your drivers are not having to deal with any complicated technology.

One of the key factors in assessing the best taxi dispatch software for your business is the ease of use. A driver won’t always want to fiddle around with the technology they are given. They just want to log in and get going. With iCabbi’s software, you simply provide your drivers with their login details and they’ll be ready to go. It is just a get-up and drive. Another key selling point is that if you are a taxi fleet administrator, you can have access to the system at all times to ensure everything operates smoothly.

To find out more about our industry leading software, request a Free Demonstration to see why iCabbi is the go-to choice for taxi businesses across the UK. You can also call us on 01623 442211, or email us and we can help get you started.

So when assessing taxi software, consider what the aim is for your taxi business. If your drivers are at the forefront of your mind, this system could be perfect for you. You can still be in control but the automation factor eliminates any common complaints. The driver app will revolutionise your business. It is easy to use and also comes with a highly accurate navigation system.

Keep your passengers at the forefront of your mind

For any taxi business, if you don’t keep your customers happy, they won’t keep booking journeys with you. They are an essential part of the growth of your firm. So, if you want to grow your business, let’s put them up there with your drivers. That’s why iCabbi has developed a passenger app that can assist you in providing a fantastic journey.

Passengers essentially just want to get from A to B. However, they want to do it promptly. One of the best ways to get ahead of your competitors is to provide transparency to potential passengers. They are likely to assess two things when booking a taxi journey. These are:

“How long is it going to take for them to get here?”

“What is the cost?”

As part of the best taxi dispatch software, the passenger app is a vital cog. It will help you to convert passengers when they are weighing up their options. With the availability to provide transparency on fees, especially during peak periods, you can guarantee there will be no great surprise for passengers when it comes to paying the fee. This will be a big thing for passengers. An honest and transparent taxi business with an app that provides fees and estimated journey times ahead of the journey is likely to convert a passenger.

Providing this transparency to passengers is what will set your company apart from the rest. The passenger app provides this functionality.

Automate your business with the best taxi dispatch software

Because it is a cloud dispatch software, this advanced system allows you to automate your taxi business. Gone are the days of mountains of admin staff, manually updating prices and ringing each taxi driver to let them know the next journey. With iCabbi software, our excellent customer success teams ensure that you can use the software to better your company.

All in all, when assessing what is the best taxi dispatch software for your company, you need to think of the automation factor. This gives your drivers and passengers a big boost in their confidence in booking a journey with you.

Don’t just take our word for it though, below is a quote from one of our customers – Goldline Cabs. You can see what they said below but click on the image to see other testimonials about the team at iCabbi UK. 

Request a Free Demonstration to see why iCabbi is the go-to choice for taxi businesses across the UK.

Or call us on 01623 442211, or email us and we can help get you started.

The post How to choose the best taxi dispatch software first appeared on iCabbi UK.