Currently, London employs approximately 110, 000 PCO rental car drivers. There are more than 45,000 users now registered with Uber. Transport for London (TFL) is in charge of this massive fleet of vehicles and drivers. Taxi drivers are responsible for ensuring that they are informed of any modifications or updates to the rules that govern when, how, and where they can work.
Failure to follow instructions may result in monetary penalties, suspension, or even termination of employment. If you want to build a career as a private hire car driver, private hire operator, or private hire car licensee, you should be aware of the recent revisions to the relevant regulations.
On that note, let’s take a detailed look into some of the most significant changes to the TFL for 2022 that you should be aware of.
PCO Car Insurance Requirement
The regulations regarding the insurance of PCO rental cars and similar vehicles have been somewhat modified. The old regulations stated that your car must have private hire insurance for the duration of its car licence. As a result, seasonal drivers had to pay for private hire insurance on their vehicles even when they weren’t using them as a PCO car. This is no longer necessary due to the new regulation.
As stated by the TfL, Private hire cars are no longer required to have insurance covering the passengers they transport for reward or hire for the length of their PCO licence, a requirement that was instituted in June 2016.
Private hire cars are exempt from this requirement, nevertheless, hire or reward insurance is still required both at the time of licencing and while the vehicle is being used as a PCO car. However, TfL is now investigating the status of hire or reward insurance within the private hire industry and will issue an update as soon as possible.
This implies that, whether you’re a first-time applicant or a licensee seeking renewal, you’ll need to show proof of hire or reward coverage when you apply for or update your PCO licence. You won’t get a new or renewed licence if your car isn’t insured for hire or reward.
If you already have a licence to operate a PCO car, you must have hire or reward coverage in effect whenever the vehicle is being used. If you don’t follow the rules, regulators will act accordingly, and you can even face criminal charges. TfL could also investigate your fitness to maintain your PCO licence.
When a registered PCO car for hire in Drayton fails to verify that a vehicle carrying out a booking has the proper insurance, Transport for London (TfL) can pursue regulatory action, which could see you face criminal prosecution. They’ve also ramped up the frequency of random insurance checks they perform on the streets to make sure everyone’s following the rules.
PCO Car Signage Requirement
PCO vehicles for hire in London are not permitted to have any signs or promotional materials visible outside or inside the vehicle unless specifically exempted or allowed by Transport for London. This is a shift from the former regulation, which prohibited the display of signage or promotional material on PCO cars, and here’s what it means for you.
No signage or promotional content can be shown on or inside a PCO rental car unless exempted or permitted by Transport for London, and no advertising materials may be exhibited within the car unless in conformity with TfL criteria, as per the amended laws. Transport for London’s marketing and PHV signage regulations provide further detail on these prerequisites. Keep in mind that these are being looked at right now.
PCO Car Driver’s English Language Requirement
The London PCO Licensing Application English Language Requirement was implemented by Transport for London in October 2016 and stipulated that candidates must demonstrate proficiency in spoken, written, and oral English. As before, candidates or registrants only need to meet the ELR once, and the acceptable level is equivalent to grade B1 in writing, reading, talking, and listening.
As of October 1st, 2021, Transport of London altered the requirements that applicants must meet to comply with the ELR. They must now take and pass not one but two tests to evaluate their level of English proficiency: the SERU test to evaluate writing and reading skills as well as a secondary listening and speaking test.
Documentary proof for eligibility or a transcript from any of TfL’s designated Secure English Language Assessment providers is not accepted as meeting the ELR. The Department of Transportation recommended in its Basic Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Guidelines released on 21st July 2020 that licencing authorities take candidates’ English language skills into account when making decisions. And The ELR complies with this suggestion.
If you filed for a PCO licence before October 1st, 2021, and you meet the ELR, you need to take no further action. Nevertheless, any candidate or London PCO rental driver who filed for a PCO licence before October 1st, 2021, and either:
- failed to provide the requisite qualification documentation or a valid Secure English Language Testing (SELT) certificate; or
- who provided supporting documentation for a qualification, but TfL was unconvinced by their English language abilities
will need to complete and pass the updated SERU test in addition to the revised English listening and speaking test. The SERU and listening and speaking examinations must be completed by candidates and PCO rental drivers by September 30th, 2022, if they did not submit any documentation supporting their eligibility or SELT certification by September 30th, 2021.
In addition, candidates and PCO car-for-hire drivers who provided documentation of a degree that TfL did not approve must complete and clear the English listening and speaking assessment as well as the SERU test by March 31st, 2023.
PCO Car Driver’s National Insurance Details
A valid National Insurance number must be submitted in the National Insurance number section of the application form when applying for or renewing a PCO licence. The Department of Work and Pensions as well as the HM Revenue and Customs, are two examples of government agencies that could receive this data.
Updated Requirement For PCO Car For Hires In London
1. Booking Confirmation
Prior to a passenger’s scheduled pickup time, private rental companies are required to send them a confirmation of their reservation. It implies that before your trip begins, the service provider must confirm your booking. All reservations should be confirmed by the operator, who should also request passenger contact details at the time of booking.
The ability to confirm reservations through telephone, email and text message is a basic service that must be offered by all providers (regardless of the ridesharing operator the customer has chosen).
As a bare minimum, the reservation confirmation should include:
- Identification number of the car
- The PCO driver’s full name
- The PCO licence number of the driver
- A driver’s photo should be presented in an accessible area where the customer can see it.
If a customer makes a reservation over the telephone or in person and then asks for confirmation via email or a mobile device, the business must comply by sending a photograph of the guest as proof of the reservation.
2. Voice Contact Requirement
Providers of PCO vehicles for hire in London are obligated to have a contact person present throughout normal work hours as well as all hours throughout a trip in case a customer has a complaint or wants to discuss any other aspect of their reservation.
This can take place at the provider’s operation center or any other permanently located location in London or overseas. That’s why you need to make sure you have vocal contact, according to the Transport of London.
As a legally recognised business, you must specify the days and times that you will be accepting reservations. TfL requires proof that a person can be reached by phone or face-to-face during these times. It is important to think about how you will get things done while the office is closed, such as at night or on the weekend.
As a step of any compliance review conducted throughout the length of your PCO licence, TfL will confirm that your facility is operational. Reading and comprehending the “Voice contact obligation guideline for private rental operators” document can help you provide the correct data to TfL.
3. Changes In Business Models
Any significant modifications to a PCO rental company’s business model that might have an impact on the company’s ability to comply with the applicable regulatory and legal framework for contractors or any requirements of its licence must be reported to Transport for London (TfL).
You can find out what kinds of modifications require disclosure to TfL and what kinds don’t, as well as where to send that data on their page for operating model modifications and Notice 17/16, respectively.
4. Employee Background Checks
Operators should make sure that any employees who interact directly with customers (at a public-facing minicab office, for instance) possess a standard disclosure, which can be obtained by the Disclosure & Barring Agency or can provide evidence that they have filed for one. As a result, TfL advises all impacted employees to register for their standard disclosure as quickly as possible.
Operators should expect basic disclosure instructions from TfL, but it is ultimately up to them to guarantee that their employees are fit for duty. Any doubts regarding the operator’s suitability to maintain a licence could be raised if they failed to comply or didn’t provide the outcomes of the disclosure.
5. Updated Details Of PCO Cars For Hire And PCO Car Drivers
PCO cars for hires in London must report to Transport for London (TfL) the drivers as well as PCO cars they have utilised or made available to complete passenger trips during a given time. TfL utilises the given data for statistical purposes.
This indicates that every Monday, all operators must submit the necessary data for the previous week. If there is a public holiday on Monday, the information can be sent out the next business day.
6. Record Keeping
The minimal retention period for operator records is one year. Customers’ reservations, customer complaints, and missing items will all be recorded here, as will information on each PCO car and its driver. This is a little modification from the prior requirements, which mandated keeping some records for 6 months while others for twelve months.
7. Additional Requirements
Specifically, these conditions must be met:
- Before a consumer embarks on a journey, the provider must offer a reliable estimate of the total cost (unless the fare of the trip has been pre-agreed).
- The operator must note the primary destination of the trip before the ride begins. A journey’s ultimate destination should still be specified even if many stops are made along the way.
- There is a cap of five different company names that can be listed under a single operator’s licence.
Once you have read and made yourself aware of all the updated TfL guidelines, the next step is to get a PCO car that suits your needs, and who better than G&M Direct Hire for it?
With our founding in 2008, we have rapidly grown to develop into one of London’s most reputable PCO car rental agencies. Over our thirteen years in business, we have assisted over 3,000 drivers in finding success with PCO car driving. As a business that prides itself on its stellar customer service, we’re dedicated to assisting even more drivers in achieving their dreams.
Not just in London, we provide PCO car hiring in Feltham, PCO car hiring in Leyton, PCO car hiring in Wandsworth, PCO car hiring in Barnet, PCO car hiring in Barking, PCO car hiring in Whitechapel, as well as many other areas in London. Contact us today to learn more about PCO cars for hire.