Any taxi drivers here?

[iffy]

So started uber as a side hustle and it worked out for me, now I'm thinking how does one scale it up and maybe go into a more prestigious driving job?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Move away from Uber and market your business locally
You will be able to pick up more profitable work and both local and private contracts
This will inject more revenue into your business allowing you to expand if you so wish .

The only people that win with the Apps are the app owners Nobody ever gets rich working off an App

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Advertise locally for Airport, hospital and school runs, local papers and small web sites would be a good start, leave a business card to all passengers

 

[Kerwin]

As someone that uses taxis quite a lot one thing I find essential is being able to pay with a card or using Apple Pay / Google Pay.

 

[Nathanto]

leave a business card to all passengers

^ This.

Back in the day I was a mini-cab driver in Harrow and came up with an idea for a new business while sitting around bored waiting for my next £2 job.

I had some business cards printed with my contact details and something along the lines of "Interested in getting a mobile phone? Ask the driver..." and displayed them on the dashboard.

Fast forward fifteen years and the business had thirty-odd staff at which point a FTSE100 company made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

 

[Paul Norman]

If you live anywhere even remotely near an airport, transfers are decent business.


It can be competitive, but if you offer clear pricing, a decent, clean vehicle, a reliable service and don't scare your passengers by driving up other folks's exhaust pipe then there is a market here which is probably a bit more lucrative.

It is worth a small premium to get this service done well.

 

[DontAsk]

Don't just advertise, introduce yourself to local businesses, especially multi-nationals who will have staff flying in/out and those who might organise transport for vulnerable staff to get home safely. Get all your mates to leave your details with their employer.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

We used to use a guy for airport runs who ran a VW Transporters/Minibus. Newish vehicle, scrupulously clean and he'd wear a collar and tie, a Blazer etc., with free bottles of water and a couple of daily newspapers offered as part of the service.
That little bit of attention to detail allowed him to pitch his prices higher than the average - more Marks & Spencer than Tesco.

 

[cts1975]

I have run a passenger transport company since 1999 with vehicle sizes from 8 - 37 seats. I had approx 3000 airport customers when I got to Covid lockdown in March 2020. I had to stop airports due to travel restrictions. It was the best thing that could have happened. I would have still been doing them today with Covid.
We have never returned to doing airports and moved more towards Home 2 School transport. I kick myself every week for wasting so many years chasing airports. They will do seroius damage to your health due to lack of sleep and grumpy early morning customers!
If you like the idea of driving buy an 8 seater minibus and get it registred with your local authority and licensed for private hire. Get yourself a local council contract. You will work far less hours and get proper sleep. You can still 'Uber' in between the AM & PM school runs.