Wolverhampton plying for hire: questions and answers

1. You are driving a Wolverhampton private hire vehicle (PHV). A man waves at you in the street and asks for a ride to the station. He has not booked. What should you do?

1. Take him if he pays the whole fare before you set off
2. Refuse and tell him to book through an operator (correct answer)
3. Take him if the station is only a short drive away
4. Take him, then ask your operator to log it as a booking

Answer: B. Refuse and tell him to book through an operator. A private hire vehicle can only carry passengers who have pre-booked through an operator. Picking up someone who hails you is plying for hire, which a PHV is not licensed to do. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.1 (Notice for PHV passengers); Taxi licence FAQs

2. What do the stickers at the bottom of the rear passenger windows of a Wolverhampton PHV tell passengers?

1. The fare per mile and the operator's booking phone number
2. The vehicle can carry a passenger in a wheelchair
3. Cameras in the vehicle record sound at all times
4. It must be pre-booked and no smoking is allowed (correct answer)

Answer: D. It must be pre-booked and no smoking is allowed. The council supplies passenger information stickers for each rear window. They say the vehicle must be pre-booked and that smoking is not permitted inside. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.10 (Private Hire Vehicle Signage Requirements)

3. Before a private hire journey starts, what must the driver check about the passenger?

1. They have pre-booked and know the estimated fare (correct answer)
2. They have paid the full estimated fare in cash first
3. They have given the driver a mobile number
4. They are sitting in the front passenger seat

Answer: A. They have pre-booked and know the estimated fare. The council's notice for PHV passengers says the driver will make sure the passenger has pre-booked and is aware of the estimated fare before setting off. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.1 (Notice for PHV passengers)

4. Your operator wants to put its name on the back of your Wolverhampton PHV. Which word is NOT allowed on that signage?

1. The operator's trading name
2. The operator's booking phone number
3. "Cab" (correct answer)
4. "Pre-booked only"

Answer: C. "Cab". Operator signage on a PHV must not use the words "taxi" or "cab", or words that look or sound like them, such as "minicab" or "kab". This applies even if the word is part of the operator's business name. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.10 (Private Hire Vehicle Signage Requirements)

5. Can a Wolverhampton-licensed PHV have a sign on its roof?

1. Yes, if the sign is only lit when the car is free
2. Yes, if the sign shows the operator's name only
3. No, roof signs are not allowed on any PHV at all (correct answer)
4. Yes, but only when working outside Wolverhampton

Answer: C. No, roof signs are not allowed on any PHV at all. The policy says roof signage is prohibited on private hire vehicles. A lit roof sign is a feature of a hackney carriage, which can be hailed. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.10 (Private Hire Vehicle Signage Requirements)

6. A friend asks you to collect him tomorrow and sends the details by text straight to you. You are a Wolverhampton private hire driver. What should you do?

1. Ask him to book through your Wolverhampton operator (correct answer)
2. Accept, as long as he pays you in cash on the day
3. Accept, because you already know him as a passenger
4. Accept, and tell your operator after the journey ends

Answer: A. Ask him to book through your Wolverhampton operator. A Wolverhampton private hire licence covers pre-booked journeys only when a Wolverhampton-licensed operator has taken the booking. A booking made directly with the driver is not through an operator. Taxi licence FAQs (what a private hire driver licence allows)

7. Which drivers can wait on a hackney carriage rank (taxi rank) in Wolverhampton to pick up passengers?

1. Any licensed driver who is wearing a council badge
2. Private hire drivers, when no hackney carriages are waiting
3. Private hire drivers, but only between midnight and 6am
4. Hackney carriage drivers licensed by Wolverhampton (correct answer)

Answer: D. Hackney carriage drivers licensed by Wolverhampton. A Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver licence lets you ply for hire or use a rank in a Wolverhampton-licensed hackney carriage within Wolverhampton. Private hire drivers cannot use ranks. Taxi licence FAQs

8. A private hire driver parks on a taxi rank to wait for work. How does the Wolverhampton policy treat this?

1. Allowed, as long as the driver stays in the car
2. A driving standards issue; it can lead to suspension (correct answer)
3. A parking matter only, with no effect on the licence
4. Allowed, as long as the operator says it is fine

Answer: B. A driving standards issue; it can lead to suspension. The guidelines list unauthorised drivers entering a hackney carriage stand (taxi rank) as falling below the driving standard expected. A first instance can lead to suspension, revocation or refusal to renew. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.26

9. You drive a Wolverhampton hackney carriage. When should you start the meter?

1. When the passenger is seated in the vehicle (correct answer)
2. When you first see the passenger waving
3. When you join the rank and wait for work
4. When you arrive at the passenger's destination

Answer: A. When the passenger is seated in the vehicle. The council's notice for hackney carriage passengers says the driver will not start the meter until the passenger is seated in the vehicle. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.1 (Notice for Hackney Carriage Passengers)

10. A hackney carriage passenger asks to go to a town outside the Wolverhampton licensed area. No fare was agreed before the journey. What fare should you charge?

1. Any fare you think is fair for the distance
2. Double the meter fare for the part outside the area
3. The fare shown on the meter (correct answer)
4. The fare a private hire operator would charge

Answer: C. The fare shown on the meter. For a journey beyond the licensed area the fare should be agreed in advance. If no fare was agreed, the driver must use the meter. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.1 (Notice for Hackney Carriage Passengers)

11. You hold a Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver licence. Where can you ply for hire (be hailed) or use a rank?

1. Anywhere in England, in any hackney carriage
2. Within Wolverhampton, in a Wolverhampton-licensed hackney carriage (correct answer)
3. Anywhere in the West Midlands, in any vehicle licensed by a council there
4. In any city that has a public taxi rank

Answer: B. Within Wolverhampton, in a Wolverhampton-licensed hackney carriage. The council's FAQs say a Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver licence allows you to ply for hire or use a rank in Wolverhampton-licensed hackney carriages within Wolverhampton. Taxi licence FAQs

12. Can a Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver do pre-booked journeys outside Wolverhampton?

1. No, a hackney carriage can only work inside Wolverhampton
2. Only to places in the West Midlands
3. Only if the passenger lives in Wolverhampton
4. Yes, pre-booked journeys can be anywhere in the country (correct answer)

Answer: D. Yes, pre-booked journeys can be anywhere in the country. The council's FAQs say a Wolverhampton hackney carriage driver licence also allows pre-booked journeys anywhere in the country. Being hailed or using a rank is limited to Wolverhampton. Taxi licence FAQs

13. You hold a Wolverhampton private hire driver licence. Which journey does it allow?

1. Pre-booked, anywhere in England, in any PHV, through any licensed operator
2. Pre-booked, anywhere, in a Wolverhampton PHV, via a Wolverhampton operator (correct answer)
3. Any journey inside Wolverhampton, whether it is booked or not
4. A journey from a taxi rank, when no hackney carriages are waiting

Answer: B. Pre-booked, anywhere, in a Wolverhampton PHV, via a Wolverhampton operator. The licence covers pre-booked journeys anywhere in the country, but only in a Wolverhampton-licensed PHV and only when a Wolverhampton-licensed operator made the booking. Taxi licence FAQs

14. You live in Leicester and drive a Wolverhampton PHV. People near a Leicester club wave at you for a lift home. What should you do?

1. Accept, because you are near your home address
2. Accept, because Leicester is outside Wolverhampton
3. Accept, if you turn off your operator's app first
4. Refuse, as you can only take pre-booked journeys (correct answer)

Answer: D. Refuse, as you can only take pre-booked journeys. A Wolverhampton private hire licence never allows you to be hailed, wherever you are working. Every journey must be pre-booked through a Wolverhampton-licensed operator. Taxi licence FAQs; Licensing Policy, s.1

15. You are working in Birmingham. A compliance officer from Birmingham City Council asks to inspect your Wolverhampton PHV. What should you do?

1. Let the officer inspect the vehicle and co-operate fully (correct answer)
2. Refuse, because only Wolverhampton officers can inspect it
3. Ask the officer to make an appointment with your operator
4. Drive back to Wolverhampton and have it inspected there

Answer: A. Let the officer inspect the vehicle and co-operate fully. Your conditions say you must permit the vehicle to be inspected by an authorised officer of any licensing authority, or a police officer, at any time, and co-operate with reasonable requests. Wolverhampton Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions, condition 17

16. Do Wolverhampton's conduct standards still apply when you work outside the city?

1. No, only the local council's rules apply there
2. Only if the passenger lives in Wolverhampton
3. Yes, the same conduct is expected outside the city (correct answer)
4. Only if you are stopped by a Wolverhampton officer

Answer: C. Yes, the same conduct is expected outside the city. The guidelines say the standard of behaviour expected applies at all times, including when drivers are working beyond the council's boundary. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.25

17. A police officer in Manchester stops your Wolverhampton PHV. What must you be able to show straight away?

1. Your receipts for the last seven days
2. Your medical certificate
3. Proof of hire and reward insurance (correct answer)
4. A copy of your DBS certificate

Answer: C. Proof of hire and reward insurance. While driving a PHV you must be able to give immediate proof of hire and reward insurance to a police officer or an authorised officer of any licensing authority. Wolverhampton Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions, condition 7

18. A hackney carriage passenger wants to go a long way outside the Wolverhampton licensed area. What is the best thing to do before you set off?

1. Agree a fare with the passenger in advance (correct answer)
2. Ask the passenger to pay double in advance
3. Turn the meter off for the whole journey
4. Tell the passenger you cannot leave the area

Answer: A. Agree a fare with the passenger in advance. The council's notice says that if a hackney carriage is travelling outside the licensed area, the fare should be agreed in advance. If it is not, the meter must be used. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.1 (Notice for Hackney Carriage Passengers)

19. Can a vehicle licensed as a PHV by Wolverhampton also hold a PHV licence from another council?

1. Yes, if both councils are in the West Midlands
2. Yes, if the driver also holds both licences
3. Yes, for up to six months while changing over
4. No, another council must not license it too (correct answer)

Answer: D. No, another council must not license it too. The policy says a vehicle may not be licensed as a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle by any other licensing authority. Wolverhampton Licensing Policy, s.9 and s.10

20. Your Wolverhampton operator gives you a booking to collect a passenger in Coventry. Is this allowed?

1. No, private hire journeys must start in Wolverhampton
2. Yes, a pre-booked journey can be anywhere at all (correct answer)
3. No, you need a Coventry licence for any pick-up there
4. Only if the passenger is going to Wolverhampton

Answer: B. Yes, a pre-booked journey can be anywhere at all. A Wolverhampton private hire licence covers pre-booked journeys anywhere in the country, in a Wolverhampton PHV, when a Wolverhampton-licensed operator made the booking. Taxi licence FAQs

21. When a driver plies for hire illegally, what does the Wolverhampton policy say usually happens to the passenger?

1. They are usually not insured during the journey (correct answer)
2. The passenger must pay a fine to the council
3. The passenger is insured by the operator instead
4. The passenger is insured, but only for the fare

Answer: A. They are usually not insured during the journey. The guidelines say plying for hire offences generally result in passengers being uninsured during the journey. This is one reason the council treats them so seriously. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.17

22. A driver is convicted of plying for hire for the first time. What does the Wolverhampton policy normally do?

1. Give a written warning and let the driver keep the licence
2. Suspend the licence for two weeks and order training
3. Revoke or refuse to renew the licence; no new licence for 7 years (correct answer)
4. Add three penalty points to the driver's DVLA licence

Answer: C. Revoke or refuse to renew the licence; no new licence for 7 years. For a first plying or standing for hire offence the council will normally revoke or refuse to renew, and will not normally grant a new licence for 7 years. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.17(a)

23. A driver is convicted of plying for hire for a second time. For how long will Wolverhampton normally refuse a new licence?

1. 2 years only
2. 12 years (correct answer)
3. 5 years
4. 7 years

Answer: B. 12 years. For repeat plying or standing for hire offences the council will normally revoke, and will not normally grant a new licence for 12 years. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.17(b)

24. Why does the council treat plying for hire offences so seriously?

1. They mean the council loses its fee for those journeys
2. They make journeys slower for other drivers on the road
3. They break the rules on fares shown on the meter
4. They show the driver cannot keep within the licence (correct answer)

Answer: D. They show the driver cannot keep within the licence. The guidelines say these convictions show a driver is unable to work within the legal restrictions of a private hire or hackney carriage licence, and passengers are often uninsured. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.17

25. A driver stands outside a railway station asking people, "Do you need a car?" to find fares for his PHV. What is this called?

1. Ranking
2. Touting (correct answer)
3. Pre-booking
4. Subcontracting

Answer: B. Touting. Asking people in a public place to hire a vehicle is touting. The Wolverhampton guidelines list touting as a regulatory offence. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.20

26. A driver is convicted of touting for the first time. What does the Wolverhampton policy normally do?

1. Suspend the licence for up to 2 months, then review it
2. Give the driver a written warning and keep the licence
3. Ask the driver to retake the knowledge test
4. Revoke or refuse to renew; no new licence for 7 years (correct answer)

Answer: D. Revoke or refuse to renew; no new licence for 7 years. Touting is one of the 'other relevant regulatory offences'. A first offence normally leads to revocation or refusal to renew, with no new licence for 7 years. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.20(a)

27. A driver has more than one conviction for touting. How long will Wolverhampton normally refuse a new licence?

1. 10 years (correct answer)
2. 6 months
3. 3 years
4. 5 years

Answer: A. 10 years. For repeat regulatory offences such as touting, the council will normally not grant a new licence for 10 years from the conviction, caution or offence. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.20(b)

28. A licensed driver uses his own unlicensed car to take a pre-booked passenger for money. How does the council see this?

1. As allowed, because the driver already holds a badge
2. As allowed, because the journey was pre-booked first
3. As private hire in an unlicensed vehicle: an offence (correct answer)
4. As a minor matter that only the operator deals with

Answer: C. As private hire in an unlicensed vehicle: an offence. Using or operating a private hire vehicle without a licence is listed with touting as a regulatory offence. A first offence normally leads to revocation, with no new licence for 7 years. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.20

29. True or false: if a passenger who has not booked agrees to pay cash, your hire and reward insurance will usually cover that journey in a PHV.

1. True
2. False (correct answer)

Answer: B. False. False. A PHV can only carry pre-booked passengers. The council warns that plying for hire usually leaves passengers uninsured during the journey. Wolverhampton Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety, 5.1.17

30. How many of the 8 key questions in the Wolverhampton knowledge test are about plying for hire?

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3 (correct answer)
4. 4

Answer: C. 3. The council says the 28-question test has 8 key questions: 3 on safeguarding, 3 on plying for hire and 2 on disability awareness. Wolverhampton taxi knowledge and practical test page