Bradford licensing compliance: questions and answers

1. You are convicted of a motoring offence while licensed in Bradford. When must you tell the council?

1. At your next licence renewal
2. In writing, within 7 days (correct answer)
3. Within 72 hours, by phone
4. Only if you get 6 or more points

Answer: B. In writing, within 7 days. Drivers must declare any conviction and tell the council in writing within seven days. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.38 (private hire) and 1.37 (hackney carriage)

2. You are a private hire driver and you move house. When must you tell the council in writing?

1. Within 72 hours of moving
2. At your next licence renewal
3. Within 7 calendar days (correct answer)
4. Within 28 days of moving

Answer: C. Within 7 calendar days. During a licence period the driver must tell the council in writing within 7 calendar days of any change of home address or operator. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.25

3. You change to a different private hire operator. What else do you need, apart from telling the council within 7 days?

1. A new medical report from your GP
2. A new DBS certificate
3. A new driving assessment
4. A new driver badge (correct answer)

Answer: D. A new driver badge. For a change of operator, or an additional operator, a new driver badge must be obtained. The council charges £5 for a change of operator badge. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.25; Bradford driver and vehicle fees

4. You find out you have a medical condition you did not declare before. What must you do?

1. Tell the council within 7 days and give a medical certificate if asked (correct answer)
2. Wait until your next licence medical is due, then mention it to the doctor
3. Tell your operator only, as it is their job to inform the council
4. Tell the DVLA only, as the council will hear from them directly

Answer: A. Tell the council within 7 days and give a medical certificate if asked. Drivers who become aware of a medical condition not disclosed before must tell the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Service within 7 days, and give a medical certificate if required. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.26

5. Your licensed vehicle is damaged in a collision and the damage affects its safety. When must it be reported?

1. Within 7 days, in writing, on the council's accident form
2. Only at the next vehicle test
3. Within 72 hours, or as soon as reasonably practicable (correct answer)
4. Only if a passenger was in the vehicle when it was damaged

Answer: C. Within 72 hours, or as soon as reasonably practicable. Proprietors or drivers involved in incidents that cause material damage affecting safety, performance or appearance, or passengers' comfort, must report it to the council within 72 hours, or as soon as reasonably practicable. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.35 and 1.33

6. You send the council an email copy of your insurance. What else must you do?

1. Present the paper copy at Shearbridge within 7 days (correct answer)
2. Nothing else, an email copy is enough for the whole licence period
3. Post the paper copy to the DVLA in Swansea within 14 days
4. Give a copy to every passenger

Answer: A. Present the paper copy at Shearbridge within 7 days. An emailed copy of the insurance is accepted, but the hard copy must be presented at Shearbridge within 7 days. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.36

7. A hackney carriage proprietor lets a new licensed driver use the vehicle. When must the proprietor tell the council?

1. At the end of the licence year
2. Within 7 days, in writing (correct answer)
3. Within 72 hours, by phone
4. Only if the driver has convictions

Answer: B. Within 7 days, in writing. Proprietors must tell the council in writing the name and address of every licensed driver driving their vehicle, and of any driver who stops, within seven days. Bradford Conditions Book, 1.38

8. The police give your hackney carriage a vehicle defect rectification notice. Within how long must you present the vehicle at Shearbridge Depot?

1. Within 28 days
2. Within 72 hours
3. At the next annual test
4. Within 7 days (correct answer)

Answer: D. Within 7 days. A proprietor given a Vehicle Defect Rectification Notice by the police must present the vehicle for test and inspection at Shearbridge Depot within seven days, and pay the fee. Bradford Conditions Book, 1.31

9. When should you apply to renew your enhanced DBS check?

1. At least 6 weeks before your licence application or expiry (correct answer)
2. On the day your licence runs out, so the dates match exactly
3. Only when the council writes to you to say a new check is due
4. Every 10 years, when your photocard driving licence is renewed

Answer: A. At least 6 weeks before your licence application or expiry. It is the driver's responsibility to apply for or refresh their DBS at least 6 weeks before the licence application or expiry. A licence is not granted without a valid enhanced DBS. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.6 and 1.7

10. Which passengers may a Bradford private hire driver carry?

1. Anyone who waves the car down in the street and agrees a fare
2. People waiting at a taxi rank when there are no taxis on it
3. Passengers who booked through the operator the driver works for (correct answer)
4. Anyone who agrees a price with the driver before the journey starts

Answer: C. Passengers who booked through the operator the driver works for. Private hire drivers must only accept passengers for pre-booked journeys made through the licensed private hire operator they work for. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.16

11. You are a private hire driver waiting in the city centre with no booking. Which of these is allowed?

1. Waving at people to come over
2. Calling out to people leaving a bar
3. Stopping when someone flags you
4. Waiting at your operator's base for your next job (correct answer)

Answer: D. Waiting at your operator's base for your next job. Private hire drivers must not call out or gesture to attract passengers, must not wait in a position to attract passengers, and must not take a "flag" from a member of the public. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.16

12. When must a Bradford private hire driver wear the driver badge?

1. Only when carrying passengers, not between jobs
2. At all times, worn conspicuously (correct answer)
3. Only when asked to show it by an officer
4. Only at night, when it is harder to see the plates

Answer: B. At all times, worn conspicuously. Drivers of private hire vehicles must at all times conspicuously wear their driver's licence badge. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.23

13. Your private hire licence is suspended. What must you do with your badge?

1. Return it to the council as instructed (correct answer)
2. Keep it until the suspension ends, then wear it again
3. Give it to your operator to keep in the office
4. Keep it in your vehicle

Answer: A. Return it to the council as instructed. On the expiry, revocation or suspension of a private hire driver licence, the driver must return the badge to the council as instructed. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.24

14. Which colour rule applies to Bradford private hire vehicles?

1. They must be black
2. They must have a green stripe
3. They must be silver or grey
4. They must not be white and all one colour (correct answer)

Answer: D. They must not be white and all one colour. Private hire vehicles must not be white and all one colour. All-white is the hackney carriage colour in Bradford. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.44

15. A passenger leaves a phone in your private hire vehicle. Nobody claims it within 24 hours. What must you do?

1. Keep it safe at home for 28 days in case the owner calls
2. Hand it in at your operator's office at the end of your shift
3. Take it to the nearest police station drop-off point (correct answer)
4. Give it to the next passenger who asks

Answer: C. Take it to the nearest police station drop-off point. Search the vehicle after each hiring. Property not claimed by the passenger within 24 hours must be deposited at the nearest police station drop-off point. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.29

16. A passenger is sick in your private hire vehicle and you cannot carry on working until it is cleaned. What may you do?

1. Ask the passenger for a reasonable amount to clean it (correct answer)
2. Charge any amount you choose, as it is your vehicle
3. Keep the passenger's property until they pay you to clean it
4. Nothing, as the driver must always pay for all cleaning

Answer: A. Ask the passenger for a reasonable amount to clean it. Where a passenger fouls the interior so that the driver cannot continue working with the vehicle, the driver may demand a reasonable amount of money to clean it. Bradford Conditions Book, private hire driver conditions (after 2.24)

17. Your private hire vehicle breaks down on a main road. What does the condition say?

1. Leave it where it is and call the operator to send another car
2. Remove it from the road as soon as reasonably practicable (correct answer)
3. Keep working if it still drives, and book a repair at the weekend
4. Wait inside it for a council officer to come and inspect it

Answer: B. Remove it from the road as soon as reasonably practicable. In a breakdown the vehicle must be removed from the public highway as soon as reasonably practicable, and must never cause an obstruction. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.34

18. What must a private hire driver do about receipts and fares?

1. Give receipts only for journeys over £20
2. Give a receipt when asked, and keep records of fares (correct answer)
3. Never give receipts, the operator does it
4. Charge extra for a receipt

Answer: B. Give a receipt when asked, and keep records of fares. Where requested, drivers must provide receipts for fares paid, and in any case keep records of fares. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.32

19. It is 2pm and you arrive to collect a passenger. When may you sound your horn outside the address?

1. Once, if it is daytime
2. Only in an emergency (correct answer)
3. If the passenger is late
4. Twice, then drive away

Answer: B. Only in an emergency. Whatever the time of day, drivers must not sound the horn outside any premises where they are picking up passengers, except in emergencies. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.18 and 1.26

20. A passenger asks if they can smoke in your licensed vehicle with the window open. What do you say?

1. Yes, as long as the window is fully open
2. Yes, if you are parked and not driving
3. No, nobody may smoke in the vehicle (correct answer)
4. Yes, if they pay the extra cleaning charge

Answer: C. No, nobody may smoke in the vehicle. Drivers or proprietors must not smoke, or allow a passenger to smoke, in the vehicle. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.21

21. A blind passenger with a guide dog books your vehicle. You have no exemption certificate. What must you do?

1. Refuse if you do not like dogs
2. Charge a cleaning fee for the dog
3. Ask the passenger to leave the dog at home
4. Carry the passenger and the dog safely (correct answer)

Answer: D. Carry the passenger and the dog safely. Drivers must safely carry a guide dog or other assistance animal, unless the council has issued them an exemption certificate. An exemption certificate must be displayed where the public can see it. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.31 and 1.29

22. Can you bring your own dog with you in your licensed vehicle while you are working?

1. No, you must not carry your own animal (correct answer)
2. Yes, as long as it stays in a cage in the boot
3. Yes, if every passenger agrees before the journey
4. Yes, if it is small

Answer: A. No, you must not carry your own animal. Drivers must not carry any animal that belongs to them or the proprietor. A passenger's animal may be carried safely at the driver's discretion. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.30 and 1.28

23. A passenger has more bags than the boot holds. What is the rule?

1. Put the extra bags on the seats next to the passengers so they all fit in
2. Carry luggage only up to what the vehicle allows, kept out of seating space (correct answer)
3. Refuse all luggage on busy nights so you can take more fares quickly
4. Charge an extra fee for every bag, as set by the driver on the day

Answer: B. Carry luggage only up to what the vehicle allows, kept out of seating space. Drivers must carry luggage up to the quantity allowed for the vehicle, make sure it does not intrude into a passenger's seating area, and help with loading and unloading. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.28

24. When may a Bradford private hire driver use a hand-held mobile phone?

1. Never while driving (correct answer)
2. At traffic lights
3. For short calls to the operator
4. On quiet roads

Answer: A. Never while driving. Drivers must not use a hand-held mobile phone or other device while driving. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.19 and 1.16

25. You have a booking for 7am but you are running late with no good reason. Which condition are you breaking?

1. The rule on vehicle cleanliness
2. The rule on punctual attendance (correct answer)
3. The rule on obligatory signs
4. The rule on luggage

Answer: B. The rule on punctual attendance. Drivers must attend punctually at the agreed time and place of hire, unless delayed or prevented by some justifiable cause. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.17 and 1.51

26. How does Bradford expect its private hire drivers to behave and dress?

1. Any way they like, as long as they drive safely
2. In a full uniform supplied by the council's licensing team
3. Polite, considerate and orderly, clean and respectable (correct answer)
4. In a formal suit and tie only, whatever the weather

Answer: C. Polite, considerate and orderly, clean and respectable. Drivers must always be polite, considerate and orderly, and present themselves in a clean and respectable state of appearance and dress. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.14

27. Which of these is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, as listed in the Bradford conditions?

1. Religion or belief (correct answer)
2. Postcode
3. Football team
4. Job title

Answer: A. Religion or belief. The conditions list the protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Bradford Conditions Book, 2.15 and 1.15

28. What livery must a Bradford hackney carriage have?

1. White, with a black bonnet and boot lid like other cities
2. Black, with a white roof and the council crest on the doors
3. Any colour, as long as it has a lit TAXI sign on the roof
4. Solid white, with a diagonal green stripe on the front doors (correct answer)

Answer: D. Solid white, with a diagonal green stripe on the front doors. A Bradford hackney carriage must be solid white, with a single diagonal green stripe on both front doors, together with the council crest and the vehicle plate number. Bradford Conditions Book, 1.20

29. When should you switch on the meter in a Bradford hackney carriage?

1. When you start driving to the pick-up
2. At the start of the journey (correct answer)
3. Only when the passenger asks
4. When you reach the destination

Answer: B. At the start of the journey. The meter must be put on only at the start of the journey, and it may only show the two tariffs in the council's table of fares. Bradford Conditions Book, 1.25

30. Which route must you take when hired to a destination?

1. The route with the most main roads, even if it is much longer
2. The shortest and most reasonable available route, unless the hirer says otherwise (correct answer)
3. Any route you like, as long as the meter is running from the start
4. The first route the sat-nav shows, even if the hirer asks for another

Answer: B. The shortest and most reasonable available route, unless the hirer says otherwise. The driver must go to the destination by the shortest and most reasonable available route, subject to any directions from the hirer. Bradford Conditions Book, byelaws, 1.52

31. Your plate says 4 passengers. How are young children counted under the Bradford byelaws?

1. Every child counts as one person, whatever their age
2. Children are never counted on the plate, only adults
3. Two children under 10 count as one, and under-3s with an adult are not counted (correct answer)
4. Only children over 12 are counted, so younger ones go free

Answer: C. Two children under 10 count as one, and under-3s with an adult are not counted. Under the Bradford byelaw, two children under ten count as one person, and children under three are not counted if an adult is with them. Bradford Conditions Book, byelaws, 1.53

32. Where must a Bradford hackney carriage driver wear the badge?

1. On the left breast, outside the outer garment (correct answer)
2. Around the neck on a long cord, tucked inside the coat
3. On the right sleeve of the jacket, below the shoulder
4. In a trouser pocket

Answer: A. On the left breast, outside the outer garment. The byelaw says the badge must be worn on the left breast, outside the outer garment, so it is plainly and distinctly visible at all times when standing, plying or driving for hire. Bradford hackney carriage byelaw on drivers' badges (1983)

33. You are standing on a rank. Can you call out to people to get them to hire your taxi?

1. Yes, if business is quiet
2. Yes, if you ask politely
3. Only after midnight
4. No, canvassing is not allowed (correct answer)

Answer: D. No, canvassing is not allowed. When standing or plying for hire, the proprietor or driver must not call out or otherwise importune anyone to hire the taxi, and must not use anyone else to do it. Bradford Conditions Book, byelaws, 1.49

34. A passenger in your hackney carriage asks to see a copy of the byelaws. What must you do?

1. Tell them to look online
2. Show them a copy (correct answer)
3. Refuse, as they are for drivers only
4. Ask them to contact the council

Answer: B. Show them a copy. At all times when standing, plying or driving for hire, the driver must produce a copy of the byelaws when asked by an authorised officer, a constable or any person in the taxi. Bradford Conditions Book, byelaws, 1.55

35. Your hackney carriage breaks down on a rank and cannot be fixed at once. What must you do?

1. Leave it on the rank until the next day and come back for it
2. Keep taking fares from the rank, as long as the meter still works
3. Arrange its removal and put a notice on it saying it cannot be used (correct answer)
4. Ask the other drivers on the rank to push it to the back

Answer: C. Arrange its removal and put a notice on it saying it cannot be used. A disabled taxi must not stay on a stand longer than needed to arrange its removal. If it cannot be fixed at once, the driver must put a notice on it saying it cannot be used and will be removed for repair. Bradford Conditions Book, byelaws, 1.58

36. Which signs must a Bradford wheelchair accessible hackney carriage show?

1. Only a roof light with the word TAXI and the council's crest
2. Two side TAXI stickers and one rear, a wheelchair logo, and the green stripe, crest and plate number (correct answer)
3. A sign saying that wheelchairs are only carried by advance booking
4. The operator's name and phone number on both rear doors, and nothing else

Answer: B. Two side TAXI stickers and one rear, a wheelchair logo, and the green stripe, crest and plate number. Wheelchair accessible hackney carriages must display two side and one rear TAXI sticker, a wheelchair logo sticker, and the green stripe, crest and plate number. Bradford Conditions Book, 1.20