Information for Taxi Passengers

General Guidance

• If possible, plan your journey in advance and book a taxi. If you haven't booked a taxi, always carry a reputable taxi telephone number with you.
• Know the difference between a hackney carriage vehicle and a private hire vehicle. You can only hail hackney carriages on the street, and private hire vehicles must be pre-booked. (See below for more information.)
• Make sure you only ever use a licensed vehicle displaying a valid rear licence plate.
• Always check the driver's badge. All licensed drivers are issued with an identification badge.
• Ride with friends where possible. Sharing a vehicle is a great idea and you can share the cost.
• Never get into an unmarked vehicle.

The difference between taxis (hackney carriages) and private hire vehicles:

Taxis (Hackney Carriages) can:

• Pick up passengers that hail them in the street.
• Pick up passengers from an authorised rank.
• Pick up passengers that have pre-booked.

Taxis (Hackney Carriages) licenced by Torridge District Council can be recognised by a red plate on the back of the vehicle, stating the licence number and how many passengers the vehicle is licensed to carry. They will also have a red internal plate on the left hand side of the front windscreen.

Example plate:

They will also be fitted with a taximeter which shows the price of the fare and have a roof sign which will be lit up when the vehicle is available for hire.

Private Hire Vehicles can:

• Pick up passengers that have pre-booked.

They cannot be hailed in the street and cannot wait on a taxi rank. This invalidates their insurance policy.

Private Hire vehicles licenced by Torridge District Council can be recognised by a green plate on the back of the vehicle, stating the licence number and how many passengers the vehicle can carry. They will also have a green internal plate on the left hand side of the front windscreen.

Example plate:

Private Hire vehicles will also display door/window stickers on either side of the vehicle and in the front and back which state 'advance bookings only'.

Example Stickers:

Private Hire vehicles can have a taximeter installed but it is not a requirement.

Fares

Taxis (Hackney Carriages) must have a meter fitted that calculates the fare for a journey, they must, by law, put the meter on at the start of the journey. The council sets the maximum fares that can be charged, however it is up to the individual taxi owner whether they charge the maximum fare.

A table of fares should be clearly displayed in the vehicle. You can also view the current fares here Table of Fares (PDF, 146 KB)(opens in new tab)

The fares for private hire vehicles are not regulated by the Authority. It is best practice for the driver/operator of the private hire vehicle to advise you of the fare when you make a booking.

Making a Complaint

Complaints about licenced taxi drivers can be made directly to the company that they work for. If this doesn't address your concerns then you can report them to the licensing team using the Licensing Complaint form here: Make a Complaint