Every taxi driver has their fair share of idle time, waiting for the next fare to come along. But are you making the most of those quiet moments?
It’s up to you, of course. If you prefer to switch off in those moments of peace between fares, then that’s your prerogative.
But you might be the type who likes to make the most of every single minute and, rather than just taking a nap or snacking to beat the boredom, you want to invest your time in something more productive.
In this article, we offer up a few suggestions for what you can do while waiting for a fare, and some tips on how best to go about.
We cover everything from using the time to do a bit of admin (like searching around for ) to engaging in a bit of social chit-chat.
There are no right or wrong answers here, it all comes down to personal preference. But we will make a case for every single one of our suggestions!
So, in our humble opinion, here are some of the best things to do while waiting for a fare:
Keep up with current affairs
The radio is every taxi driver’s best friend out on the road. What is your channel of choice?
We’d recommend one of the talk radio stations, which will help you keep abreast of everything from current affairs, to sport, to what’s happening out on the roads.
The only trouble is that the talk radio stations – like BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT – tend to be on the medium-wave (MW) frequency.
As anybody who’s listened to a MW channel knows, the signal quality can leave a lot to be desired; in fact, it can sometimes border on unlistenable.
Your best bet – if your vehicle doesn’t come with an in-built digital radio – is to download a radio app onto your smartphone and find a way to connect it up to your car via Bluetooth.
Most modern cars have Bluetooth functionality – but if yours doesn’t, you could invest in a Bluetooth car receiver like this one.
Do some admin
It doesn’t sound enthralling, we know. But if doing a bit of admin while sitting in the car means that you get more free time at home, then surely, it’s worthwhile?
It’s prime time to stay on top of things like renewing your taxi or PHV driver's licence, searching for taxi insurance cover for your needs and, if you’re self-employed, stay on top of your income and expenses for tax purposes.
Spending an hour on this sort of stuff each day – which is feasible for most taxi drivers – will allow you to walk through the door free from the worry and stress of having to do it in the evening or on the weekends.
Socialise with your fellow drivers
As important as it is to stay on top of your admin, however, it’s just as important you socialise during your working day.
You could argue that being a taxi driver is just about as social as a job gets, what with all the different passengers you meet and greet on a daily basis – but there’s nothing like chatting with someone who’s in the same boat as you.
Spending the time between fares speaking to your fellow drivers is your chance to share experiences and stories, catch up on the latest news from headquarters and discuss what’s happening in the industry – you could say it’s team building for taxi drivers.
Watch a film
With streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and the BBC iPlayer, it’s never been easier to watch TV and films on the go, in the comfort of your driving seat.
Improvement in the availability of 4G – and with even faster 5G on the way – you should have few problems streaming your choice of TV series or film no matter where you are in the UK.
But, if you’re concerned about buffering or running out of mobile data, you can always download your chosen series or film before you head out for the day and then watch it offline.
And it goes without saying that when your fare arrives, your concentration should be fully on the road.
Why not discuss your viewing habits with your fellow drivers?
Learn a new skill
If you’re feeling really productive with your time in between fares, you might go to the effort of learning a new skill.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to know how the stock market works or learn a foreign language. There are some great learning aids out there no matter what skill you want to acquire.
For example, if you did want to learn a new language, there’s the Duolingo app available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad users.
Probably the best known and most popular language app, Duolingo is free to use and provides tuition in more than 30 languages. It also offers courses designed for non-English speakers to learn English or other languages.
Each lesson includes a variety of speaking, listening and translation challenges, and learning is gamified – you race against the clock, earn points for correct answers, and level up.
Duolingo is completely free, although you can pay an extra fee to remove the ads.
Get covered with Taxi Insurer
So, there you have it – by following our tips, you can make the most of your time behind the wheel of your taxi.
But you still need to ensure that you’re protecting yourself against those unexpected events with adequate taxi insurance cover.
Here at Taxi Insurer, we can help you find a policy that suits your needs and we can work out a payment plan to make your payments manageable alongside all the other business expenses.
Benefits of arranging taxi insurance through Taxi Insurer can include:
- Unique rates for public and private hire vehicles
- Interest-free payment plans
- Low deposits
- Public Liability cover
- Employer’s Liability cover
With Comprehensive, Third Party Fire & Theft, and Third party only cover available, get a quick quote for taxi insurance today.