SERU Mock
Plying for hire and touting: SERU rules explained
A private hire vehicle is not a taxi. In London you must only carry out bookings received from a licensed PHV operator, and you must not pick up people in the street.
The rule
The handbook says you can only carry out bookings you have received from a licensed London PHV operator. You must not pick up people on the street, at stations or at airports unless they have booked through a licensed operator. This also applies to the street outside your operator’s office.
What counts as touting
- Do not give a sign or say anything that suggests you are free for hire without a booking.
- Do not let a passenger get into your vehicle before you have received the booking from your operator.
- Do not encourage the public to approach you. If someone does, you may give them a card with the operator’s number or website.
- Never approach people on the pavement or outside a pub or nightclub to offer a journey. This may be an offence and can lead to prosecution.
Late-night venues and airports
An operator licensed to work from a late-night venue can only take bookings inside the venue. At airports, which are private property with their own rules, you need a booking to pick up. Taxi ranks at Heathrow and London City Airport are for taxis only.
Check the operator
Never accept a booking from an unlicensed operator. If you are not sure, ask for the operator’s licence number and check it on TfL’s online licence checker.
Why it matters
Unbooked pick-ups put passengers at risk, because they cannot check who you are. You could also lose your licence. Practise the rules with free Mock 1 and read the handbook guide.
Questions
What is plying for hire?
Offering your vehicle for hire without a booking, which is what taxis do. A private hire driver must only take bookings made through a licensed operator.
What is touting?
Approaching or inviting people to use your vehicle without a booking, for example outside a nightclub. The handbook says this may be an offence.
Can a PHV driver pick up from the street?
No. The handbook says a PHV is not a taxi and you must not pick up people on the street, at stations or at airports unless they booked through an operator.
Can I wait at the airport for a booking?
You need a booking or you must park in an authorised area to wait for one. Read the handbook rules for each airport.