PCO licence is the permit that every private hire vehicle driver needs to get from TfL to become a PHV driver in London. Getting a PCO licence puts a significant amount of responsibility on you, making you responsible for every passenger’s safety. As a PHV driver, you will be working with strangers and often have to go on entirely isolated and unfamiliar routes. This means as a PHV driver, you must be prepared and equipped to deal with any situation. This blog post will discuss essential tips and practices to ensure passenger safety while providing transportation services.
1. Check Vehicles Regularly
Regular vehicle maintenance is immensely important for passenger safety and helps mitigate the chances of accidents and breakdowns. Regular checks and maintenance also ensure a seamless and comfortable travelling experience for the passenger. Every PCO licence holder must strictly follow scheduled inspections, check all the lights, indicators, and brakes are in working condition, and ensure oil changes and tire checks. Always keep tires properly inflated and replace them when the tread wears down.
2. Maintain Safe Distance
Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you to allow for adequate reaction time in case of sudden stops; this is a necessary measure to avoid accidents. Most accidents are caused because of the closer distance between cars, which puts your and the passenger’s life at risk in case of emergency break of the vehicle in front. Also, it is advised to increase the distance between vehicles during bad weather, heavy traffic, and at night time.
3. Follow Road Rules
As a PCO licence holder, you must learn and follow all the local traffic rules for your and your passengers’ safety. This includes adhering to signs, speed limits, and all other traffic rules. TfL and PCO have established some additional rules and regulations for all PCO licence holders to ensure a high level of safety and professionalism, such as:
- All PCO drivers must hold valid PCO licence.
- Vehicles used for private hire must be in good condition, properly maintained, and meet the criteria set by PCO.
- PCO drivers must be aware of changes to the highway codes and follow them.
4. Pay Attention to Road Signs
As we all know, road signs cannot be avoided when it comes to driving. It is essential to be aware of all the road signs and pay close attention to them while driving; whether they are speed limit, directional sign, or warning.
5. Plan Your Route in Advance
Another necessary requirement to become a PCO licence holder is familiarising yourself with the routes and having the ability to trace a shorter route towards the destination. These skills are highly essential and therefore are tested in a Topographical test while applying for a PCO licence. So, being a PHV driver, you must be able to plan your route effectively, avoiding traffic, unnecessary delays or the need for detours.
6. Adhere to the Speed Limit
Most accidents occur due to over-speeding, and while carrying passengers, it is essential to follow all the rules and stick to the permissible speed limit. Always obey speed limits and adjust your driving speed based on road and weather conditions to provide passengers with a safer and more comfortable experience.
7. Be prepared for Emergencies
Another vital tip for PHV drivers is to always be prepared for emergencies to help the vulnerable. Keep a basic first aid kit with you and always carry essential tools for emergencies like a flashlight, jumper cable, etc. It is also important to be familiar with nearby hospitals and police stations.
Passenger and driver safety has been TfL’s primary concern; therefore, TfL added additional Security, Equality Regulatory Understanding (SERU) assessment as a mandatory requirement for PCO licence. This assessment aims to ensure that every PCO licence holder has knowledge of security requirements, should be prepared to help passengers with anything they need, ready to protect adults and children at risk and ensure road safety.
In conclusion, always ensure a safe and comfortable journey for your passengers. Remember that safety is not just a legal requirement but also a moral obligation to those who trust you with their transportation needs.
Haward Trainings
If you want to become a PCO licence holder and start your new journey as a PHV driver, we can help you prepare for the PCO licence assessments with our easy learning material and training sessions. We ensure every trainee learns at their own pace without any deadline pressure; moreover, we provide lists of mock tests for each assessment so you can fully prepare before the actual test. We have helped numerous trainees pass the assessments for the PCO licence in a single attempt. Enroll now and start learning with the experienced trainers.
