Taxis or hackney carriage and private hire vehicles are licensed to ensure that they are suitable and safe for the carriage of the public.
The legislation covering the two is quite different. In brief, a taxi can stand on a rank, be flagged down in the street, or can be booked through one of the many licensed operators. A private hire vehicle can accept pre booked calls only, cannot rank and cannot be flagged down. If a private hire driver does either of the latter two, you may find that not only do they commit an offence, but their insurance may be also be invalid.
Vehicles must be of a certain standard before and whilst licensed. Taxis at 12 months of age must have an MOT certificate. All vehicles must pass a stringent, mechanical inspection every six months until five years old, then every four months thereafter. They must be clean, comfortable and carry safety equipment such as a fire extinguisher, first aid kit and a spare wheel.
Specifications:
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