We want you to get the most from your taxi journey. That’s why we’ve put together these useful hints and tips to help you have a safe trip.
In Sheffield you will find 2 types of taxi:
- hackney carriage (known as a black cab)
- private hire vehicle
What to do in an emergency
If you are in an emergency, you should:
- call 999 to contact the police if it’s a serious emergency where there is a crime taking place or threat to life
- call 101 if it’s a non-emergency where you might need to report an incident that has happened or report to prevent further crime
Stay safe in a private hire vehicle or hackney carriage vehicle
- always book a private hire vehicle in advance – never flag one down or approach the driver directly
- when the vehicle arrives, confirm it’s your booking with the driver before you get in
- arrange to be picked up from a safe meeting point
- try to sit in the rear seats of the vehicle, ideally behind the driver
- avoid sharing any personal information with the driver during the journey
- if you are using a hackney carriage, try to hire one from a taxi rank
- make a note of the vehicle licence number and any other things that might identify the vehicle
- make a note of the driver’s name and their licence number, which are on display in the vehicle
- share these details with someone else you know, such as a friend or family member
What to do if you are worried
If you have any concerns at all when your taxi arrives, do not get in the vehicle.
If you start to feel worried during the journey, then ask the driver to stop in a busy area and get out of the taxi.
Booking a taxi
Hackney carriages
You can get a hackney carriage in the following ways:
- hire one at a designated taxi rank
- hail or flag one down in the street if the hackney carriage has it's light on
- pre-book through an operator
Private hire vehicles
You will need to book a private hire vehicle before your journey. This is done by contacting a licensed private hire operator by either:
- mobile app
- telephone call
- website
You will then receive information from the operator about which vehicle and driver will collect you.
Before getting into a private hire vehicle, you should check the booking information matches the vehicle and driver.
When you book in advance, you are using a driver and vehicle which are properly licensed, insured, and have been through the correct checks and tests.
Private hire operators must record the details of every booking they take, which makes it easier to trace if an incident happens.
You should never flag down a private hire vehicle or approach the driver directly to arrange a journey. If you do this your journey may not be licensed or insured and it puts you at risk.
How to identify a taxi
You will find a Sheffield City Council licence plate at the rear of every taxi. It will contain the following information:
- licence type
- vehicle registration mark
- licence number
- licence expiry date
- maximum number of passengers
If you are ever unsure whether the vehicle you are in is licensed by us, you can check on either our register of private hire vehicles or register of hackney carriage vehicles.
Hackney carriages
You can identify a hackney carriage by the:
- amber taxi sign on top of the vehicle, which lights up when the vehicle is available for hire
- licence plate on the rear of the vehicle will say ‘hackney carriage’
Private hire vehicles
Private hire vehicles are usually normal looking saloon, estate or hatchback cars. You can identify them by:
- Sheffield City Council signs on the front doors which show the licence number, and say, ‘licensed private hire vehicle’ and ‘advanced booking only’
- private hire operator signs on the rear doors
- signs on the front windscreen and rear passenger windows that show the vehicle licence number
- the licence plate at the back of the vehicle will say ‘private hire’
How to identify a taxi driver
You will be able to find out who a taxi driver is by their identification badge. They should be wearing this when they are driving your taxi. It will include their:
- name
- licence number
- photo
You will also find this information on either the vehicle’s front windscreen or partition screen.
If you are ever unsure whether a driver’s licence is authentic, you can look it up on our driver licensing register.