If you were the first in your group of friends to get a car and a young driver car insurance policy, chances are you've already felt like a taxi driver; running people back and forth to the shops, the pub, the cinema, the airport - or anywhere else they happen to need a lift to.
Some people hate this kind of treatment, but funnily enough others really quite enjoy it. They like being responsible for their friends; they like showing off their driving skills (without doing anything stupid); and they get a genuine kick out of helping people get around.
Obviously it's a bit of a cliché where this kind of person is concerned - but he or she really is going to make a good taxi driver one day!
Just in case you're not 100 percent convinced, however, the cheap car insurance team at Hoot has put together a little sage careers advice for those considering a job behind the wheel and the meter.
What does a taxi driver do?
Taxis in the UK come in two flavours: the traditional hackney carriage or 'black cab' and the more common private hire vehicle known as a 'minicab'.
Drivers of both sorts are expected to collect passengers at one point and drop them off at another, but the distinction lies in the fact that black cab drivers will make unscheduled stops for fares. Minicab drivers, on the other hand, are only available for hire by prior arrangement.
Taxi drivers are linked via radio to a central control centre, and when they aren't carrying passengers, the radio tells them where to go and who to collect next. Some stick to regular short-distance work in town- and city centres, whereas others specialise in longer journeys - to airports, for instance, or faraway clubs and other nightspots.
Most work an average of 40 to 60 hours per week, which can include nights, weekends and bank holidays according to their allotted shifts. Of these, Friday and Saturday nights are generally the busiest.
Am I the ideal candidate?
First and foremost you've got to be a good driver, and a safe one. Never drive in a way that will give your passengers cause for concern - they're not after a thrill ride.
The second important quality is a thorough knowledge of the local area. Sat nav systems are all well and good, but they're no substitute for the mind of a good taxi driver. Indeed, the average cabbie has an unusually well-developed hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for storing locations (this is a genuine scientific fact).
Besides that, you'll need to be good with people, which means polite at all times but firm when required; such as when dealing with drunks or other nuisance fares. This kind of scenario will also require a cool head - as will sitting in traffic, a regular feature in the working day of most drivers.
Good communication skills are also essential, both for using the radio and dealing with passengers. Lastly, you'll need a good enough level of numeracy to deal with fare payments and - if you're self-employed - business accounts.
What qualifications do I need?
You can become a taxi driver without any formal qualifications, but you will need an operator's licence from your local authority.
To get hold of a licence you'll have to be over 21 and hold a full driving licence. On top of that you'll need to pass certain tests, including a criminal records check, a medical exam and the so-called 'geographical knowledge test' (or simply 'The Knowledge' in London).
This last test is the reason why most London cab drivers have all that extra brain matter. The Knowledge takes people an average of 34 months to prepare for, and, as far as anyone outside the industry can tell, consists of learning the London A-Z cover to cover.
Will it make me a millionaire?
Taxi driving is not an especially lucrative career, particularly considering the 34-month unpaid training period.
However, a successful cab driver working 40 hours a week can expect to pull in £12,000 to £16,000 a year, and some have been know to make up to £30,000. Plus, driving a taxi gets you a step closer to many other, better-paid motoring careers - chauffeuring for example.
Further info
Contact your local licensing authority or the DVLA (http://www.dvla.gov.uk) for more information on becoming a taxi driver. For services in London, try http://www.london-taxi.co.uk.
Young driver car insurance from Hoot
If you love driving enough to be a taxi driver, you'll really appreciate the fantastic young driver car insurance rates available from Hoot.
We can afford to offer such bargain motor insurance because, unlike most other car insurance firms, we don't believe in wasting your money on expensive ad campaigns. A single TV advert can cost millions of pounds, so we keep off the TV and radio and stay out of the newspapers.
That way, you get the very best standard of cover on your motor insurance without paying a penny more than you need to.
So, for the kind of young driver car insurance quote you've been looking for, just click below.