Conduct of Drivers

  • The holder of a private hire driver’s licence (driver) shall comply with the following conditions, which should be read in conjunction with the Code of Good Conduct set out in Appendix F:

  • The driver shall be respectably dressed and clean and tidy in appearance.

  • The driver shall at all times, when acting in accordance with the drivers licence granted to him, wear such badge as supplied by the Council in such position and manner as to be plainly and distinctly visible at all times. He shall not lend the badge to any other person or cause or permit any other person to wear it and on termination or surrender of a driver’s licence, he shall return the badge to the Council immediately.

  • The driver shall behave in a civil, polite and orderly manner and shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of persons conveyed in or entering or alighting from the vehicle.

  • The driver shall not wilfully or negligently cause or permit the vehicle licence plate to be concealed from public view or allow the licence plate to be so defaced as to make any figure or information illegible.

  • The driver who has agreed or has been hired to be in attendance with the vehicle at an appointed time and place shall, unless delayed or prevented by some sufficient cause, punctually attend with such vehicle at such appointed time and place.

  • The driver, when hired to drive to a particular destination, shall proceed to that destination by the shortest route.

  • The driver shall not convey or permit to be conveyed in such vehicle any greater number of persons than the number of persons specified on the Vehicle Licence.

  • The driver shall convey a reasonable amount of luggage and afford reasonable assistance in loading and unloading luggage.

  • The driver must not solicit, by calling out or otherwise importune, any person to hire or be carried for hire, and must not accept an offer for the hire of the vehicle except where that is first communicated to the driver by a licensed private hire operator.

  • The vehicle shall be presented in a clean and tidy condition for each journey.

  • The Private Hire Vehicle must only be driven with the consent of the proprietor of the vehicle.

  • The driver must comply with any hirer’s request not to drink or eat in the vehicle, or play any radio or sound equipment which is not connected with the operation of the business. Smoking in the vehicle is illegal.

  • The driver must ensure that the noise emitted from any sound equipment in the vehicle does not cause annoyance to any persons, whether inside or outside the vehicle.

  • The driver shall not operate the horn as a means of signalling that the vehicle has arrived.

  • The driver must not cause or permit the vehicle to stand on a road or in a public place so as to suggest that it is plying for hire, or use any hackney carriage stand within the Borough area.

  • Drivers must not use a mobile phone unless used in conjunction with hands free equipment.

  • Passengers in private hire vehicles have no special exemption relating to the use of seatbelts except in regards to small children when an appropriate restraint is not available – under 3 years no restraint is required, over 3 years an adult belt may be worn. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure, in relation to the carriage of Child Passengers under 3 years of age in the front seat, there must be an appropriate child seat and a child restraint MUST be worn. Where a child passenger is between 3-14 years old an adult seat belt must be worn if an appropriate child restraint is not available.

FITNESS OF DRIVER

  • The driver of a Private Hire Vehicle must at any time, or at such intervals as the Council may reasonably require, produce a certificate in the form prescribed by the Council from a Registered Medical Practitioner to the effect that he/she is, or continues to be, physically fit to be a driver of a Private Hire vehicle.

  • Whether or not such a Certificate is produced, the driver must, if required by the Council, at any time, undergo a medical examination by a Registered Medical Practitioner selected by the Council.

  • The driver must cease driving any Private Hire vehicle and contact the Council immediately if he/she knows of any medical condition, which may affect their driving ability and the health and safety of themselves and any passengers.

FARES AND JOURNEYS

  • The driver shall, if requested by the hirer, provide him/her with a written receipt for the fare paid, including his badge and plate number of vehicle driven.

  • If the Private Hire Vehicle is fitted with a taximeter, then the driver of a Private Hire vehicle shall

  • If the driver is assigned a job by the Operator for which no fare has been agreed with the passenger, engage the meter.

  • when standing and not hired ensure that no fare is recorded on the face of the meter.

  • cause the taximeter to be kept properly illuminated throughout any part of a hiring which is during the hours of darkness as defined for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and also at any other time at the request of the hirer.

  • not demand from any hirer of a Private Hire vehicle a fare in excess of any previously agreed for that hiring between the hirer and the operator.

  • In the event of a journey commencing in but ending outside the Guildford Borough area there may be charged, for the journey, such fare or rate, if any, as was agreed before the hiring was effected.

DUTIES OF LICENCE HOLDER

  • Any change affecting this licence must be notified in writing within 14 days of such to the Licensing Officer.

  • The Private Hire Driver’s licence must be made available for inspection, on request, by any authorised officer of the Council or any Police Officer.

  • The driver must notify the Council in writing, within seven days of starting or terminating employment, as to the name and address of the proprietor concerned, and the date when the employment started and ended.

  • The private hire driver’s licence must be presented to the proprietor concerned, at the beginning of an employment.

  • All licences, badges and plates issued remain the property of the Council at all times. They must be returned forthwith when employment as a licensed driver ceases, the licence expires and is not renewed, or when the licence is suspended or revoked.

  • The driver must notify the Council, within 7 days, of any change of address.

  • The driver must notify the Council in writing, within a period of 7 days, of any conviction for an offence, any caution or of any receipt of a fixed penalty, imposed on him/her whilst the licence is in force.

LOST PROPERTY

  • A driver of a Private Hire Vehicle shall immediately, after the termination of any hiring or as soon as practicable thereafter, carefully search the vehicle for any property which may have been accidentally left therein, carry it as soon as possible and in any event within 48 hours to the Council Offices, and leave it in the custody of an authorised officer on his giving a receipt for it.

ACCIDENT REPORTING

  • A Driver of a Private Hire vehicle shall report to the Council as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any case within 72 hours of the occurrence, any accident to a Private Hire vehicle causing damage materially affecting the safety, performance or appearance of the vehicle or the comfort or convenience of persons using the vehicle.

THE CARRIAGE OF ANIMALS

 

  • A driver must not carry in a Private Hire vehicle any animal which belongs to, or is being looked after by themselves, or the owner or operator of the vehicle while it is being used as a Private Hire vehicle. Animals in the custody of passengers may be carried, at the driver’s discretion, provided they are restrained in a safe manner.

  • A driver must carry assistance dogs when necessary. These include guide dogs for the blind or partially sighted, hearing dogs for the hard of hearing, and other assistance dogs, which assist disabled people with a physical impairment. Any driver with a medical condition, which may be exacerbated by dogs, may apply for exemption from this condition. A certificate of exemption is supplied on production of suitable medical evidence

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES

  • All drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles must:

  • Be fully conversant with the correct method of operation of all ramps, lifts and wheelchair restraints fitted to the vehicle.

  • Before any movement of the vehicle takes place ensure that all wheelchairs are firmly secured to the vehicle using an approved restraining system and the brakes of the wheelchair have been applied.

Ensure that any wheelchairs, equipment and passengers are carried in such a manner that no danger is likely to be caused to those passengers or to anyone else, in accordance with Regulations 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986