Taxi drivers have to go through demanding safety and licensing conditions to earn and maintain their badges. Despite this, many women say they do not feel safe jumping into a cab after a night out. Instead, they prefer to use a booking app because they know the details of the driver and vehicle and there is an electronic log of the journey. It is understandable for passengers to seek this reassurance, as well as the families of young people who are studying at universities away from home. But passengers might not realise that black cabs can also be booked using apps, as well as being hailed in ..read more

Taxi drivers and other motorists are caught on camera hundreds of times a day as they go about their business and need to be on their best behaviour whenever they are at the wheel. Most of the images captured by CCTV cameras in towns and cities on traffic cameras, dash-cams, CCTV in cabs, security cameras in shops and offices – as well as on mobile phones – are routine and innocuous. But they can also include moments when people have been caught doing things they shouldn’t – from silly and stupid to dangerous. Whether it is having a drink or a snack at the wheel or more serious infringements s ..read more

Patons Insurance staff are donning their kilts to take great strides to help a good cause. The team of six, made up of five Glasgow-based colleagues and a family member, will be stepping out to brave this month’s Kiltwalk and raise money for Chris’s House mental health crisis centre in Wishaw. Cheryl Rennie and her husband, Allan, will be joining Kevin Baird to tackle a daunting 14 miles for the Clydebank to Balloch Big Stroll on April 28. At the same time, Brian McLaughlan, Chelsea Adams and Nicola Karanikki will be undertaking the arduous 24-mile Glasgow to Balloch Mighty Stride. The team is ..read more

Since the pandemic, we often hear about a shortage of taxis and taxi drivers. For wheelchair users and those with other disabilities, taxis are a lifeline and the difficulties they face go beyond simply being able to book a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Most taxi drivers would go out of their way to help passengers and The Disability Act 2010 ensures further protection by making it illegal for taxi and PHV drivers not to take a passenger because of a disability or because they are travelling with an assistance dog. Those guilty face fines of up to £1,000 or losing their taxi badge. But it is ..read more

With taxi drivers struggling to afford vehicles that meet new emissions regulations – and forking out hundreds of pounds to fix damage caused by potholes – it is no surprise that many cabbies in one city have had enough. Taxi drivers in Glasgow say they cannot afford to replace their cars with low-emissions vehicles. Even with grants to help purchase the vehicles, they say that with fares set at the current levels, buying a new vehicle is unsustainable and drivers are considering their options, including leaving the trade. And they feel the situation surrounding the city-centre Low Emissions Z ..read more

Taxi drivers are part of a close-knit group and take great pride in being part of the communities they serve. They are often people who regularly get involved to help make a difference, whether it is campaigning about safer issues in towns and cities, or giving seriously ill children a fantastic day trip out. They also look after each other and form life-long friendships. One taxi driver who really made a difference was popular Basildon cabbie Ralph Morgan, who was not only well known in the area, but worked seven days a week until his death seven years ago. Now colleagues and the community he ..read more

Being blinded by bright headlights is extremely dangerous and is an issue taxi drivers face every night, sometimes with tragic consequences. Figures show it is a contributing factor in 280 crashes a year – with six being fatal. This has a devastating impact on the families of the victims, as well as everyone else involved. But it is not just drivers who forget to dip their full beams that are the problem. Motorists are raising concerns about dazzling LED headlights, especially those that have been retro-fitted onto older vehicles, as well as brake lights and even traffic lights.   Bright ..read more

More taxi drivers will lose their badges for five years if they are convicted of using their mobile phone while operating their cabs as licensing authorities update their safety policies. The latest move is part of new safety measures brought in by Sefton Council and is in addition to any punishment issued by courts. This includes the automatic six penalty points and a £200 fine all drivers face for using a hand-held phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle. This includes drivers waiting in traffic or stopped at traffic lights. T ..read more

No one knows how they will react in an emergency, but a life-saving taxi driver deserves an award for bravery for rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car. When taxi driver Abdul Javeed came across the scene of the horrific crash, he didn’t think twice about getting out to help – as his shocked fare looked on from the cab. Javeed was taking his passenger to Liverpool when he discovered the wreckage in Coppull, Chorley, at 3am on March 2.   Front line While they are not an emergency service, taxi drivers are on the front line and often save the day, whether it is children who have be ..read more

The end of March sees two long-serving members of staff leave our company and go on to retirement. Fiona, who has worked at our Dundee branch for 28 years, and Maria, who has worked at our Liverpool branch for 7 years, are both leaving us to put their feet up and have a well-deserved break! We’re really sorry to see them go and they will both be massively missed by their respective teams and everybody else in the company, who will always remember their huge smiles and infectious laughs. Ahead of their retirement, our Operations Director Jo Noonan said: “I can’t believe the time has come that w ..read more