In the next few months we are being made redundant at our Depot I don’t want to carry on truck driving I’ve had enough of it having spent the last 8yrs on LGV 1 before than 9yrs on LGV 2 I’m thinking of getting a 7 seater S Max OR Galaxy type mpv & doing airport runs that kind of stuff. Anybody done it OR can tell me whether I need to take a test or anything about it would be great thanks. Had the idea put to me & I think I could just mange that
did some cabby work years ago before class 1. even ■■■■■■■ than haullage. mate.
The airport stuff pays good. Heard a bloke complaining on lbc earlier that he was doing 20-25% of his take on derv. He pays pump price with no fuel card and said he did 15k last year. Not bad. On his figures he must have earnt north of 60k. Prob 40k wages in that. Can’t see car and insurance being more than 5k a year
Ask around at local taxi companies whether they are looking for airport drivers. It’s very difficult for a one-man band to set up on their own doing it but if you can get the jobs through an existing business you’re part way there. I have a couple of friends who do it full-time, but they are established with their taxi company & whilst not raking it in are certainly not doing badly at it - they use Mondeo estates by the way. The car itself has to have a taxi plate and the relevant test certificate, and you will need to obviously get the relevant insurance.
I used to do taxiing in a minibus, this was owned by the company and I had a choice of paying ‘subs’ on it or doing 50-50 where everything is split down the middle, profits, fuel, damages etc. Not tips though, they’re the drivers.
Used to hate airport runs then, always silly o’clock in the morning, you really can’t be late, so have to get there early, other jobs not worth the risk, and the rate (usually fixed rates in most areas) was very good FOR THE CUSTOMER, ie Bredbury to Manchester Airport return was around 16 quid IIRC, so take 50% of that for the return journey, then take your fuel, and what’s left is yours - except I then split that with my boss too.
I can guarentee you, they’ll never be ready, then they’ll check and recheck everything, you finally get them loaded up and then they’ll go check the back door, bathroom window etc.
And, there’s a good chance that you’ll pull something with the cases they take away for a weekend.
But, best of luck to you, sometimes I really miss doing the taxi’s
Thanks for the replies. I thought of a 7 seater get more people in then comes do I need a trailer for the luggage. I don’t know anybody in the taxi line of work. Would private hire, pre booked still need taxi plates?. The other type of work I thought about was courier work again with my own van, just up in the air at the moment & with only 6yrs left before I retire {Would have been if not being made redundant} just fed up with so many rules & regs now with LGV & being watched on tracker being asked why did you spend 1hr 13 mins in the services. Just thought working for myself only having the Wife to shout at me… nothing unusual there then…lol.
The silly hour’s don’t bother me because I’ve done night’s & working every weekend for over 17yrs with the present job albeit with 3 different owners PLUS I have the best alarm clock in the world…THE WIFE!!!.
Anymore replies would be greatfully recieved thanks.
Arfa:
Thanks for the replies. I thought of a 7 seater get more people in then comes do I need a trailer for the luggage. I don’t know anybody in the taxi line of work. Would private hire, pre booked still need taxi plates?. The other type of work I thought about was courier work again with my own van, just up in the air at the moment & with only 6yrs left before I retire {Would have been if not being made redundant} just fed up with so many rules & regs now with LGV & being watched on tracker being asked why did you spend 1hr 13 mins in the services. Just thought working for myself only having the Wife to shout at me… nothing unusual there then…lol.The silly hour’s don’t bother me because I’ve done night’s & working every weekend for over 17yrs with the present job albeit with 3 different owners PLUS I have the best alarm clock in the world…THE WIFE!!!.
Anymore replies would be greatfully recieved thanks.
Yeah, hire or reward, you’ll need a badge upto 8 seats, psv 9 or over - these are passenger seats though, so 8 + driver is badge. Most use swb transit / transporter type things as 8 + driver + luggage space.
A 7 seat like a galaxy, back seats would be folded down / took out except for odd private hire work, even then, not sure many people would get in the back seats tbh.
It’s not really a career change, you’ll be doing the same thing but with the added problem of human passengers. Taxi driving is crap, you’ll be back.
Arfa:
just fed up with so many rules & regs now with LGV
Depending on where you live, this is what its like by me (Liverpool), i’d assume other places are similar…
Medical,
CRB,
Proffessional Driver Qualification,
Knowledge test.
Insurance is a fortune, the annual test tough.
Mike-C:
Arfa:
just fed up with so many rules & regs now with LGVDepending on where you live, this is what its like by me (Liverpool), i’d assume other places are similar…
Medical,
CRB,
Proffessional Driver Qualification,
Knowledge test.Insurance is a fortune, the annual test tough.
Knowlege test…OK I give up. I don’t even know the Street names where I live & I lived 26yrs, all I know is TESCO, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & some Co Op warehouses. Now there’s a thought warehouse tours anybody.
Arfa:
Mike-C:
Arfa:
just fed up with so many rules & regs now with LGVDepending on where you live, this is what its like by me (Liverpool), i’d assume other places are similar…
Medical,
CRB,
Proffessional Driver Qualification,
Knowledge test.Insurance is a fortune, the annual test tough.
Knowlege test…OK I give up. I don’t even know the Street names where I live & I lived 26yrs, all I know is TESCO, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & some Co Op warehouses. Now there’s a thought warehouse tours anybody.
but arfa your doing airport runs,not city centres,you dont need to know street names,just follow the airport signs 
Arfa:
Knowlege test…OK I give up. I don’t even know the Street names where I live & I lived 26yrs, all I know is TESCO, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & some Co Op warehouses. Now there’s a thought warehouse tours anybody.
Just check your local council, there are (or where) a few where you did not require a knowledge test. ■■■■■■■ for example, there was no knowledge test required there, that was about three years ago. There may still be a few but i think you’ll find 90% require a knowledge test, even for private hire licence.
Cheers ady1…thats made me laugh. Just imagine follow that plane.
Arfa:
Cheers ady1…thats made me laugh. Just imagine follow that plane.
been off for a bit arfa so out of loop,are you still both closing,i thought planning woes at magna park[so memo i read said] might put a spanner in the works of there plans 
I spent 10 yrs as a private hire driver and controller.
My advice?
Don’t do it!!
Another point to make is that taxi-ing is also suffering badly in the downturn. Local cab companies are going to be laying off drivers from the summer since they will be losing a schools contracts (the local LEA isn’t going to exist in September, and an awful lot of taxi companies rely on this source), & it’s happening the same all over the country. Take that along with the fact that money is tight in some areas & even the evening trade is decreasing so you’ll be up against experienced, ready-plated drivers. There always used to be ads in the local rag for drivers but there haven’t been any for a while.
Just out of curiosity. Why do we need the knowledge nowadays? Surely every bugger has a sat nav! The last taxi I went in had one. And that was only in Torquay. 
Arfa:
In the next few months we are being made redundant at our Depot I don’t want to carry on truck driving I’ve had enough of it having spent the last 8yrs on LGV 1 before than 9yrs on LGV 2 I’m thinking of getting a 7 seater S Max OR Galaxy type mpv & doing airport runs that kind of stuff. Anybody done it OR can tell me whether I need to take a test or anything about it would be great thanks. Had the idea put to me & I think I could just mange that
Somebody I know does the airport thing at Bristol Airport and its a bit of a closed shop there and I think he had to wait a couple of years to get in on it and that was only down to airport expansion that he got in that quick.
Saying that he’s doing ok though.
Another idea was if companies around here have people coming say in on a train doing that BUT then again all companies have car’s. Got my 1 to 1 next Thursday so will know if I’m get £5 or £10 for 17yrs service, so might end up with a tandem & trailer. Thanks again for the replies.
bald bloke:
Arfa:
In the next few months we are being made redundant at our Depot I don’t want to carry on truck driving I’ve had enough of it having spent the last 8yrs on LGV 1 before than 9yrs on LGV 2 I’m thinking of getting a 7 seater S Max OR Galaxy type mpv & doing airport runs that kind of stuff. Anybody done it OR can tell me whether I need to take a test or anything about it would be great thanks. Had the idea put to me & I think I could just mange thatSomebody I know does the airport thing at Bristol Airport and its a bit of a closed shop there and I think he had to wait a couple of years to get in on it and that was only down to airport expansion that he got in that quick.
Saying that he’s doing ok though.
Does he drive one of those silver Ford Galaxies?