Some people love driving and if you are a people person too, perhaps driving a taxi is the perfect occupation for you. You get to meet many people and it is a rewarding feeling to know that you are helping people to get where they need to go. Regardless of your current occupation, it isn’t that difficult to obtain a taxi driver’s licence and in this short article, we delve into taxi driving for a living.
Obtaining the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Licence
The first thing to do is contact your state authorities and find out how to apply for the CPV licence. You must obtain a medical certificate from a doctor and provide the required documentation when applying for the licence. There are specific courses you must take, including first aid and fatigue management and when your CPV licence is issued, you can contact a vehicle provider/employer.
Buying or leasing a vehicle
There is commercial car finance that allows you to acquire a new taxi either on finance or leasing and searching the web should put you in touch with the right commercial finance company; of course, you might have big plans to gradually acquire a fleet of vehicles and lease them out to approved drivers on a shift basis. You need to weigh up the pros and cons of both leasing and purchase; for example, leasing allows you to expand without investing a lot of capital.
Online lenders
There are established Australian finance providers that are directly involved in helping businesses get the finance they need to acquire commercial vehicles. A quick Google search will put you in touch with an online lender who offers financing and leasing options. Click here for tips on running a wholesale business.
Learning the roads
Whether you are based in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, you need to have a sound knowledge of the roads, which saves a lot of time when picking up passengers. People like to get from A to B as soon as possible and knowing shortcuts can make a difference, especially during rush hour.
A few weeks of riding around on a moped should etch routes into your memory and you can ask your partner to test your knowledge. Of course, we have Google Maps to fall back on, which does help a new driver; set up your smartphone and you are good to go.
Working as an employee
You could seek work from an established taxi company, either as directly employed or a freelancer; generally speaking, you will make more money if you freelance your services and even more if you own the vehicle.
It all depends on you; if you are ambitious, the growth potential is there, or if you merely want to make a reasonable living, working for a local taxi company is ideal.
Setting up your own business
If you are planning to set up your own business, you can purchase or lease a new taxi under the business name and if you are so inclined, you can build up a fleet of vehicles according to a structured plan.
You might have a goal to spend the first year or two with one vehicle and if that goes well, you can add a vehicle and rent it out to qualified drivers on a 12-hour shift basis. Many successful entrepreneurs began with a single cab and over the years, developed their business to include multiple vehicles and drivers.
Mandatory training
Prior to working with the general public, you have to go through mandatory training that incorporates resolving disputes, learning safety protocols, and understanding fare structures. There is a mandatory criminal history background check and you must show a medical certificate in order to obtain your CPV licence.
On-the-job training is a direction that many new drivers prefer to take and when you work for an established taxi company, there is always an option to receive hands-on training. Your state government would regularly run workshops on different topics that you might be interested in and you can browse the many online resources for details.
Driving a taxi is a very rewarding occupation whereby you get to meet many people are provide a safe service that helps passengers get to their destination. We hope that this short article goes some way to helping you gain a deeper understanding of what is involved in driving a taxi in Australia.
Your state government can help you in many ways and by following their guidelines, you can legally drive fare-paying passengers.
