Taxi driver
Pick up passengers and take them to their destination by the quickest and safest route.
Also known as: private hire vehicle driver, cabbie, cab driver
About the job
What it's like
You would pick up passengers and take them to their destination by the quickest and safest route.
Taxis are an important part of any town or city's transport system. Taxis can be either a ‘black cab' or a licensed saloon car. Both types have a licence plate and roof sign that states they are a taxi.
The other type of passenger transport around town is a private hire vehicle that runs through an operator.
When working in a taxi or private hire vehicle, you would:
Take job details over the radio from the operator at the office or by an in-car computer
Help to load and unload passengers' luggage
Help passengers to get in and out of the vehicle if needed
Take payments
Keep the vehicle clean and roadworthy
Keep accounts and records, if self-employed
As a taxi driver you might be booked in advance, wait on an official taxi rank or pick up passengers while on the move, for example in a busy shopping area.
If you work as a private hire driver you would only collect passengers that have pre-booked through your operator. You cannot be flagged down in the street.
You could combine normal 'pick-up' jobs with contract work such as school runs. You might also make longer-distance trips such as taking people to airports, or to and from concerts in other towns.
Hours
This job allows you to choose your hours, but you will find more work in the evenings and at weekends. Friday and Saturday evenings would be your busiest times. You would work between 40 and 60 hours a week if full-time.
Environment
You would spend most of your time on the road, sometimes in heavy traffic.
Travel
You would be constantly on the move.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Other careers that you might like
Large goods vehicle driver Delivery van driver Bus or coach driver Driving instructor
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Transport Tourism
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- personal care
- meal planning and preparation
- cooking
- microsoft power platform
- palletizing
- technical services
- medical prescription
- financial advising
- vehicle recovery
- commercial driving
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- problem solving
- resourceful
- respecting
- building relationships
- verbal communication
- recalling
- developing a plan
- time management
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
You don't need to study any specific subjects to do this job. It's more important that you have relevant skills and experience.
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role, however a good general education may be useful.
Many employers value additional driver training which could include the Advanced Driving Test offered by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Qualifications and experience that show helping customers, time management and local geographic knowledge will be of value.
Evidence of basic mechanical skills, such as Skills for Work Automotive Skills (SCQF level 4), would also be welcome.
You will need a special licence to be a taxi driver or private car hire driver. You will apply to your local authority for this licence and each may have their own criteria which may include:
normally, to be 21 years old
to have a clean current driving licence
to have been driving for at least 12 months
You may need to pass a test of knowledge about the local area.
If you are using your own vehicle, it will also need a special licence. These licences need to be reviewed and the timescales of this depends on the local authority.
You may need to pass a medical examination.
You need to be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Taxi driver'
