Taxis of the United Kingdom

Main article: Taxicabs around the world

This article is about the British Taxicabs. For the book series, see: The Knowledge

There is a mature system of taxicabs throughout the United Kingdom. All taxicabs are regulated with various degrees of sophistication.

However, the regulation of taxicabs in London is the most rigorous in the world, both with regard to mechanical integrity and the knowledge of the drivers. Having said that, a report pointed out that: "Little however is known about the regulation by anyone outside the trade. The Public Carriage Office, who regulate and licence taxis and private hire (commonly known as minicabs) was transferred from the Metropolitan Police to become part of Transport for London in 2000."

London Black Cab

Types of taxicabs

• Hackney carriages ('Black cabs') can be hailed in the street or hired from a taxicab rank.

• Private hire ('Minicabs') are passenger vehicles which are either saloons that carry up to four passengers or MPVs that are licensed for up to six or seven passengers. These cannot be hailed in the street and must be pre-booked by telephone.

• Chauffeur cars are a sub-set of private hire; generally a higher value of car such as a Mercedes or BMW where the passenger pays a premium but in return receives a higher level of comfort and courtesy from the driver who may at times wear a uniform.

Hackney carriages ('Black cabs')

Only black cabs can pick up flag trips on the street, and both black cabs and minicabs are also radio- or computer-dispatched. Black cabs, also known as hackney carriages or hackney cabs, are particularly famous on account of the specially constructed vehicles and the extensive training course (The Knowledge) required for fully licensed drivers; unlike many other cities, the number of taxicab drivers in London is not limited. London's cab drivers are even well-known for having developed an especially big hippocampus, a region of the brain where, among other things, information about locations is stored (this is likely the case with many other taxicab drivers, as well, not just those of London).

Private hire ('Minicabs')

UK Minicab

In the United Kingdom, the term minicab is often used to refer to a private hire car or in other words a car with a driver available for hire on a pre booked basis. A minicab may be pre-booked by telephone, internet or by visiting a minicab office.

Since 2001 minicabs have been regulated in London and many other local authorities in the UK. London Minicabs are now licensed by the same body as the London black taxicabs, the Public Carriage Office. All vehicles driven by London minicab drivers during their working hours must also hold a Public Carriage Office licence showing they are fit for the purpose. This is updated twice a year after checks at licensed garages who issue permits for the vehicle.

Glasgow and Edinburgh

In Glasgow and Edinburgh there are numerous specially decorated taxicabs that are often covered with advertisements. One of the most abundant advertisements is for the nation's favorite soft drink, Irn-Bru. The taxicabs are usually in the style of the regular black cab type, but are decorated in different colours and patterns.

Leeds

In Leeds hackney carriage taxicabs (but not private hire), unlike the usual black livery seen in taxicabs in many other cities in Britain, are painted in white with black bumpers, a black bonnet and a black boot/hatch. There are a number of taxis which feature advertising for various companies.

Luton

Luton has the highest numbers of taxicabs per head of population in the United Kingdom, with companies such as Cabco, Britannia cars and Five twos competing for trade in the town.

London

History

Horse-drawn hackney carriages began providing taxicab service in the early 17th century. In 1636, the number of carriages was set at 50 - an early example of taxicab regulation. In the same year, the owner of four hackney carriages established the first taxicab stand in The Strand. In the early 19th century, cabriolets (cabs for short) replaced the heavier and more cumbersome hackney carriages. Battery-operated taxis appeared briefly at the end of the 19th century, but the modern taxicab service took off with the appearance of petrol-powered, metered taxis in the early 1900s. Today, taxicab service in London is provided by the famous black cabs (the distinctive FX4 depicted in the photo above) and by minicabs.

The Knowledge

The taxicab driver is required to be able to decide routes immediately in response to a passenger's request or traffic conditions, rather than stopping to look at a map or ask a controller by radio. Consequently, The Knowledge is the in-depth study of London street routes and places of interest that taxicab-drivers in that city must complete to obtain a licence to operate a black cab. It was initiated in 1851, and has changed little since.

It is the world's most demanding training course for taxicab-drivers; and applicants will usually need at least 12 'Appearances' (attempts at the final test), after preparation averaging 34 months, to pass the examination.

Course details

The 320 main (standard) routes, or 'runs' through central London, of The Knowledge are contained within the 'Blue Book (officially known as the 'Guide to Learning the Knowledge of London'), produced by the Public Carriage Office which regulates licensed taxis in London. In all some 25,000 streets within a six mile radius of Charing Cross are covered along with the major arterial routes through the rest of London.

A taxicab-driver must learn these, as well as the significant places along those routes including streets, squares, clubs, hospitals, hotels, theatres, government and public buildings, railway stations, police stations, courts, diplomatic buildings, important places of worship, cemeteries, crematoria, parks and open spaces, sports and leisure centres, places of learning, restaurants and historic buildings.

The Knowledge includes such details as the order of theatres on Shaftesbury Avenue, or the names and order of the side streets and traffic signals passed on a route.

There are separate shorter courses, for suburban London, with 30 to 50 "runs" depending on the sector.

"Knowledge boys"

During training, would-be cabbies usually follow these routes around London on a moped, which earns them the name knowledge boys (or girls). In order to pass The Knowledge applicants must have a clean driving licence and no criminal record, then first pass a written test; which qualifies them to make an "appearance". At appearances, knowledge boys/girls must, without looking at a map, identify the quickest and most sensible route between any two points in metropolitan London that their examiner chooses. For each route the applicants must recite the names of the roads used, when they cross junctions, use roundabouts, make turns, and what is 'alongside' them at each point.

In research and film

A humorous 1979 film about this learning experience, called The Knowledge, was written by Jack Rosenthal for ITV, and was in 2000 voted number 83 in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute.

Knowledge Boys/Girls and their online learning communities have recently been the subject of academic research, including a Ph.D. dissertation by Drew A. R. Ross at Oxford University.

There is evidence that training for The Knowledge can result in measurable physical changes in the brain of a trainee cab driver; as reported by BBC News and Scientific American Frontiers.

Public Carriage Office

The Public Carriage Office (PCO) is the body responsible for licensing taxicabs within the London metropolitan area. The PCO is part of Transport for London and is responsible for licensing the familiar London taxicab or "black cab" and is also in the process of licensing private hire or minicab services.

History

PCO licence plate, as seen on the back of all licenced hackney carriages (September 2006)

Since 1600 public carriages for hire have been a feature of London life. The discarded coaches of aristocratic families, complete with their coat of arms, were among the first hackney carriages to ply for hire. They were the forerunners of the French hackney carriage or cab (cabriolet) which first appeared in London around 1820.

The first horseless cab, the Bersey electric powered vehicle, appeared in 1897, followed by the first internal combustion engine cab in 1903. At that time London still had more than 11,000 horse drawn cabs. The last horse drawn cab was removed from service in 1947. There are now over 20,000 licensed vehicles on London's roads.

Regulation of the trade passed to the Metropolitan Police in 1850 and was undertaken by the Public Carriage Office, which was originally located in an annex to New Scotland Yard in Whitehall called "the Bungalow". It moved to 109 Lambeth Road in 1919, remaining there until 1966, when it moved to its present home, 15 Penton Street, Islington.

Present role

On the formation of Transport for London on 3 July 2000, the licensing authority changed, however the day to day licensing function remained with the Public Carriage Office.

With the introduction of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 the role of the PCO has extended to include the licensing of private hire operators, drivers and vehicles, bringing the capital in line with the rest of England and Wales. The purpose of regulation is to give passengers confidence, when they use a licensed private hire operator, that they are dealing with an honest, professional organisation with reliable drivers and safe vehicles.

Implementation of the legislation has been phased, with operator licensing near completion and driver licensing at the end of a consultation process. Over 2,000 operators have applied and It is estimated that there are about 40,000 drivers and a similar number of vehicles.

To cope with the additional volume a new integrated taxicab and private hire information technology system (TAPITS) has been developed. Alongside this, are plans to develop a computer-based Knowledge of London testing system that will interface with the proposed integrated system.

In November 2005, in the report Where to, Guv’?, the London Assembly's Transport Committee reported on a review of the Public Carriage Office and made some key recommendations.

Cabmen's Shelter Fund

A London Cabman's Shelter in Russell Square

The Cabmen's Shelter Fund was established in London in 1875 to run shelters for the drivers of hansom cabs and later hackney carriages (taxicabs).

By law, cab drivers could not leave the cab stand while their cab was parked there. This made it very difficult for them to obtain hot meals and could be unpleasant in bad weather. If they drove to a pub to buy food then they would have to pay somebody to look after their cab while they were inside, otherwise it was likely to be stolen. The Earl of Shaftesbury and other worthies therefore took it upon themselves to set up a charity to construct and run shelters at major cab stands.

These shelters were small green huts, which were not allowed to be larger than a horse and cart, as they stood on the public highway. Between 1875 and 1914, 61 of these buildings were built around London. Most were staffed by an attendant who sold food and (non-alcoholic) drink to the cabbies and were provided with a kitchen in which the attendant could cook this food and also food provided by the cabbies themselves. The attendant was not generally paid, but was expected to make an income from these sales. The shelters were also provided with seats and tables and books and newspapers, most of them donated by the publishers or other benefactors. Most could accommodate ten to thirteen men. Gambling, drinking and swearing were strictly forbidden.

Thirteen of the shelters still exist and are still run by the Cabmen's Shelter Fund. All are now Grade II listed buildings.

External links

• Transport for London's Public Carriage Office Website. The PCO section of this article is a modified version of their webpages and was made with their permission
• Department For Transport:London minicab regulation
• PCO Office Check
• London hackney coach regulations, 1819