The Code of Conduct requires drivers to:

Notification requirements

Change of Name and/or Address - The license holder (“the driver”) must notify the Licensing team in writing at Rugby Borough Council (“the Council”) within 7 days of changing name and/or address.

Medical circumstances – The driver must notify the Council in writing immediately if possible, or as soon as practicable of any serious illness, injury, medication or severe physical deterioration which could affect their ability to drive a licensed vehicle.

Damage to vehicle – The driver must inform the operator of any licensed vehicle in his custody of any damage occurring to that vehicle within 24 hours of the damage occurring. If the driver cannot contact the operator within 24 hours he/she must notify the Council in writing within 72 hours of the damage occurring.

Convictions/Cautions or other enforcement action – The driver must notify the Council in writing within 72 hours of any conviction, issue of a formal caution/final warning or issue of a fixed penalty notice by the Police or a Local Authority. For the avoidance of doubt this also applies to any driving convictions.

The driver must inform the Council in writing within 72 hours if they are questioned, arrested or interviewed voluntarily under caution, by the Police regarding any harassment, sexual offences, violent offences or in respect of any criminal offence.

When questioned by the Police or appear in Court, the driver must inform the Police/Court that they are a licensed driver.

The driver must also notify the Council in writing within 72 hours of any other enforcement action taken by any other local authority under the 1976 Act or the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

Where the driver is required to notify the Council, in writing, under sections 4, 5, 6 or 7 he/she shall provide the Council with details of:

- The offence/behaviour complained of;
- Whether the offence occurred in a licensed vehicle and/or if they were working;
- The date of conviction/enforcement action;
- The sanction imposed.

Where the license holder identifies or suspects that someone may be engaged in illegal terrorist related activity, the license holder must refer such person or activity to the police.

Where the license holder amends or changes their insurance policy for the vehicle they are driving then they must produce their amended/new insurance certificate to the Council Licensing department with 7 days.

Where the license holder changes the operator that they work for they must notify the Council in writing within 7 days of that change with details of which operator they work for.

Child Sexual Exploitation & Safeguarding Training

License Holders must report any concerns they have to the relevant bodies as outlined in the Child Sexual Exploitation and Safeguarding Guidance.

Drivers’ Badges/Licenses

Wearing/displaying of badges – The driver must wear the badge issued by the Council to them so that it is clearly and distinctly visible whenever he/she is acting as a hackney carriage or private hire driver. The driver must also display the second badge issued by the Council in a prominent position within the vehicle they are currently driving so that it is clearly and distinctly visible to all passengers whenever he/she is acting as a hackney carriage or private hire driver.

Licenses given to Operator – The driver must provide a copy of the driver license issued to them by the Council to their operator when they have made themselves available for private hire work for that operator. They must also give them a copy of their DVLA driver’s license and insurance.

Return of badges/licenses – In the event of expiry of the license or where the driver ceases to operate as a licensed private hire driver he/she must immediately return his/her badge and license plates to the Council and otherwise upon any request by an Authorised Officer of the Council.

Conduct

Punctuality - The driver shall attend punctually when hired and shall provide reasonable assistance with the loading and unloading of luggage.

Appearance - The driver shall wear respectable and appropriate clothing at all times and appropriate footwear for driving.

Language – The driver must be capable of understanding instructions in the English language from customers and being understood in the English language by anyone hiring the vehicle.

Route - The driver must, unless otherwise requested by the hirer proceed to the destination by the most direct route

Receipts – The driver must, if requested, provide the hirer with a full written receipt for the fare paid.

Number of passengers – The driver must not allow the vehicle to be used for more than the number of passengers the vehicle is licensed to carry.

Other passengers – The driver must not, without the express consent of the hirer, allow another person to be carried in the vehicle.

Front seat – The driver must not convey more persons in the front of the vehicle than the vehicle is designed for and must not convey any child below the age of fourteen years.

Music/Radio – The driver must comply with any request by the hirer to turn down or turn off any radio, music or other sounds in the vehicle other than for the purpose of sending or receiving messages in connection with the operation of the vehicle.

Behaviour – The driver must behave in a civil and orderly manner. The driver must not use any offensive, abusive, profane or insulting language or behaviour. The driver must take all reasonable precautions to ensure the health and safety of persons conveyed in or entering or alighting from the vehicle he is in charge of driving.

Assistance – The driver must offer reasonable assistance to customers with belongings upon request. This includes assistance with carrying shopping and luggage and lifting it into and out of the vehicle.

Check for lost property – The driver must at the end of each hiring search the vehicle for any lost property, which may have been left. Any property found must be handed to the owner, the nearest police station or the base operator.

Offer to hire vehicle - The driver must not, whilst driving or in charge of a private hire vehicle, accept an offer for the hire of any private hire vehicle while the holder of that vehicle is on the road or other public place except where such an offer is first communicated to the driver by telephone, radio or other communication method by a licensed operator or their booking office staff

Agreed fare - Where the fee is agreed in advance, the driver shall ensure that no more than the agreed fare is paid.

Receipts – The must issue a written receipt to the passengers for the fare paid for the journey undertaken, if requested to do so.

Smoking/Vaping – The driver must not smoke in any form, including using ecigarettes and vaping, at any time they are in a licensed vehicle. This includes when driving the vehicle for private use and when working but not carrying passengers.

Data Protection – The must not use any personal data received during the course of their duty for any other purpose than that it was originally intended.

Medical

Medical reports – Group II shows that the applicant meets the required medical standard. License holders over the age of 65 are required to undertake annual medical examinations.

Medical reports where required by the Council - Any driver must, at their own cost, where required to by the Council, undergo a medical assessment with their own General Practitioner or other medical practitioner that has access to their full medical history. Such medical assessment must be completed using the standard from supplied by the Council. The Council will only exercise this power where such a medical is required to assist in the determination of whether a driver is fit and proper, for example where the driver has been seriously ill or an assessment has been recommended by a medical practitioner.

Maintenance check

Maintenance – The driver must before the start of any shift carry out a basic safety check to make sure that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition e.g. checking lights, oil and water levels, condition of tyres, looking for obvious defects on the vehicle. Details of the checks must be recorded in writing, retained for at least 12 months and available to authorised officers of the Council and Police Constables within 72 hours of any request. Any issues with the vehicle must be reported immediately to the operator/proprietor as relevant.

Animals

The driver must not convey in the vehicle any animal except one belonging to a passenger.

The driver may carry any animal belonging to a passenger at his/her own discretion but only in the rear seating area of the vehicle and he/she shall ensure where necessary that such animals are suitably contained or restrained so as not to present a nuisance or hazard to the occupants of the vehicle.

Paragraph 31 does not in any way remove or reduce the duty placed on the driver of the vehicle to carry assistance dogs in the passenger compartment with the dogs’ owner under Equality Act 2010 unless the driver has a valid exemption certificate issue by this authority under that Act (sections 168 and 169 apply to hackney carriage drivers; sections 170 and 171 apply to private hire drivers).

Other requirements

Comply with all other relevant statutory requirements. The most common statutory requirements are set out in the Council’s guidance and policy statement accompanying these conditions.

Code Of Conduct for Dual Driver Licence