Looking to start a taxi business in Scotland

[jblz]

Hi,

My friend and I have come up with an idea to start a taxi business with a slight twist on how taxi companies are operated today.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this? According to a taxi driver we would require a taxi operators licence. After some searching it looks like these are done city by city so if we wanted to operate in two cities it seems we would need two of these licences?

Using Edinburgh as an example - I can't seem to find much documentation online about being an operator, and what criteria 'being an operator' involves. All I can really find is about how to apply to be an actual taxi driver.

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction with this? I have no experience with the taxi business at all and can't seem find even the base information.

 

[Scalloway]

You are correct each local authority area in Scotland issues its own taxi licences. You would need to approach each separately. As far as I am aware not everywhere needs you to register as an operator but Edinburgh has this requirement -

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/11...nces/1106/taxi_and_phc_booking_office_licence

 

[jblz]

Thank you very much. I have read through all the documentation and it is unclear, due to the way our business would work, whether we would come under some of these licence restrictions.

After reading this I don't think anyone on UKBF would be able to help about Edinburgh in particular and I think I would have to speak to someone from the council about our specific business model. Do you know how I could even get to talk to someone in person/email/phone about this?

If anyone has any information about other cities (even in England) that have more relaxed licensing laws I would be very happy to hear from you

 

[Chauffeur Centre]

Call your local council and they will put you in touch with the correct people.


Good luck to you, as the taxi game is a tough game to play!

 

[mdj101]

A friend of mine is a taxi driver in Scotland, he works 12 hour days for very little reward.

he says he would earn more working in McDonalds.

Good luck.

 

[jblz]

Thanks for the responses. If anyone does have any more information on hand about different districts taxi operators policies please do drop me a response!

-mdj101: good thing I'm not going to be driving any taxi's then

 

[Chris Ashdown]

My experiences of taxi's in Aberdeen during the seventies was

They ran a clapped out Skoda, or Marina

The driver was always Glum

Talked about how much they had sold their house for at great profit

Found the longest route between two points

Talked about how their children could not afford to live locally due to high house prices

If going to Peterhead or further North Just shoot yourself

 

My experiences of taxi's in Aberdeen during the seventies was

They ran a clapped out Skoda, or Marina

The driver was always Glum

Talked about how much they had sold their house for at great profit

Found the longest route between two points

Talked about how their children could not afford to live locally due to high house prices

If going to Peterhead or further North Just shoot yourself

You were lucky not to have found one that moaned.