Coronavirus safety guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers

 We’ve outlined some steps you can take to protect yourself and your passengers from coronavirus.

You can also  view our coronavirus safety guidance for taxi passengers.

You can download a copy of the safety guidance, produced by Essex Resilience.

Coronavirus guidance

If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, you should stop driving immediately and apply for a test as soon as possible. You can  apply for a test on GOV.UK or NHS.UK or call 119.

If you have tested positive for coronavirus, you must contact usand self-isolate for 10 days.

You must contact us and self-isolate for 14 days if:

• you have returned from a country that is not in the government’s coronavirus travel corridor
• you share a house with someone who has coronavirus

If you are returning from abroad back to the UK, or if you think you might have been in contact with someone with coronavirus, you should contact us.

You can look on GOV.UK to find out more about  what it means to self-isolate.

If you do not follow the government guidance on coronavirus, we will take the necessary action. We may suspend or revoke your driver’s licence.

Face coverings mandatory for passengers

From 24 September, passengers in a taxi or private hire vehicle must wear a face covering.

Drivers can wear a face covering also, but it is not mandatory.

we will not prosecute you if you refuse a fare because a passenger refuses to wear a face covering without a valid exemption.

Safety advice

Be alert and assess the risks

You should think about your vehicle and your customers and how you can reduce any risks. You should:

• consider installing a screen between the front and back seats. You must get approval for this at a test station first. You must also inform your insurance company if you have made any changes to your vehicle
• open the windows if you can. This will avoid air recirculating within the vehicle

Maintain hygiene

To help protect others, you should:

• regularly wash your hands for at least 20 seconds using soap and water or apply hand sanitiser, if possible
• keep your vehicle clean and your driving area regularly sanitised, including your steering wheel
• clean and sanitise surfaces passengers touch on a regular basis or after every fare. For example, the door handles inside and outside of the vehicle, window mechanisms and seat belt buckles
• consider wearing face coverings as a precautionary measure, where possible

Waiting for fares

Whilst waiting for a fare, you should:

• remain in your car wherever possible
• keep your distance from people outside your household, if you are out of your vehicle

Get tested

As you are an essential worker, you can get a coronavirus test. 

You can find out how you can self-refer on  GOV.UK.