Taxi Insurance

Patons Insurance is continuing its mission to help the taxi-driving community by making sure drivers receive the best-quality services and highest levels of support.

As part of that drive, the family-run taxi insurance broker has made key appointments this year to strengthen the company.

The pandemic put the brakes on the taxi industry and many others as lockdown and social-distancing measures continued for almost two years.

We recently shared that more people are now getting back behind the wheel of a taxi or are starting out their career as taxi drivers. And, as numbers continue to climb, interesting trends and changes have occurred which could shape the future the taxi trade.

Taxi drivers play an important role in our communities and for more than 100 years have been a convenient, reliable and safe way for people to get around.

Passengers would regularly use the same private hire taxi firms and knew where to hail a black cab if they arrived at a train or bus station or other public venue.

Some people see driverless taxis as the future, while to others, they are nothing more than a hi-tech gimmick. But ultimately, it is the passengers who will decide their fate as they have to feel safe and comfortable using the hi-tech taxi.

Whether or not the novelty wears off, there has been plenty of investment into autonomous vehicles and driverless taxis are currently being trialled in America.

We are all feeling the pinch as the cost-of-living crisis makes things more expensive for everyone, so as taxi drivers continue to operate safely on the roads, they understandably want to know why their premiums are going up for their taxi insurance.

While a clean licence and claims-free motoring help keep taxi insurance premiums low, some of the factors that affect the price are beyond the control of drivers and insurers.

The taxi industry has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and taxi drivers are still counting the cost with rising fuel prices and the drive for greener vehicles.

This combination of factors means that many taxi drivers cannot afford to replace their vehicles in accordance with the terms of their license.

One of England’s oldest taxi businesses is steering its way towards an all-electric fleet of taxis.

Whiteside Taxis in St Annes on Sea started with Handsome Cabs in 1880 and has seen many changes in the years that followed. But, as with the transition from Handsome Cabs to the Hackney and private-hire taxis we are familiar with today, it did not happen overnight.

After being decimated by the pandemic, it is great news that the number of taxi drivers are increasing.

The industry was one of many that were badly affected by Covid-19 because people were not allowed to move around freely and could not come into contact with others, especially in confined spaces such as taxis.

The country’s newest Clean Air Zone came into operation on Monday and means many taxi drivers have to pay more to use Bradford’s streets.

It has taken four years to bring in, and now only vehicles such as EVs, that meet greener standards, will avoid the charges.

Technology is being used to show taxi drivers how electric vehicles can help their business and the environment.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have teamed up with EB Charging for a pilot scheme which will see telematics devices installed in a selection of petrol and diesel taxis in the area.

Rising fuel and energy prices are affecting everyone, especially taxi drivers and those who earn their living on the roads – but they can still save money by plugging in instead of filling up.

As fuel prices have continued to rise, and with the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK from 2030, many taxi drivers have been turning to electric vehicles for a cheaper, greener alternative.

There have been many moving tributes following the death of the Queen – and black cab taxi drivers lined up along The Mall has become a symbol of love and respect.

Shortly after Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, dozens of black-cab drivers made their way to The Mall, facing Buckingham Palace.