Driver revising with a smartphone and an open handbook in the front seat of a car parked on a London street, with a black cab behind

SERU study notes

Carrying Out Journeys (PHV)

Why a PHV is not a taxi, licensed operators and booking details, fares, ridesharing, airports and late-night venues, refusing a booking and lost property.

What this topic covers

Why a PHV is not a taxi, licensed operators and booking details, fares, ridesharing, airports and late-night venues, refusing a booking and lost property. The full SERU Revision: PHV & Taxi app contains 40 questions on this topic, each referenced to its section of the TfL handbook.

Worked examples

Here are a few practice questions from this topic. Try answering each before reading the explanation.

Example 1

A London PHV driver's bookings must be supplied by ____.

A. any company with a booking app
B. a passenger who phones the driver
C. a hotel that calls the driver
D. a licensed London PHV operator ✓ correct

Explanation: The only lawful source of work for a London PHV driver is a licensed London PHV operator. Running a booking app does not make a company a licensed operator. A passenger who phones the driver has not booked through an operator. A hotel phoning the driver for a guest is not a licensed operator either. (PHV Handbook s3: Bookings)

Example 2

You are parked outside your operator's office between jobs. A man walks up and asks you to take him to King's Cross now. He has not made a booking. What should you do?

A. Let him sit in the car while you phone the booking through
B. Take him if you write down the journey details yourself
C. Not take him, because he must book through a licensed operator ✓ correct
D. Take him, because you are outside your own operator's office

Explanation: A PHV is not a taxi. The ban on picking up people who have not booked also covers the street outside your operator's centre, so being near the office does not help. No passenger may get in before your operator has sent you the booking, so he cannot wait in the car while you phone. Writing down details yourself does not make it a booking made through a licensed operator. (PHV Handbook s3: Bookings)

Example 3

Before a journey starts, your operator must record certain details of the booking. Which two of these are among the details the operator must record?

A. The route the driver plans to take there
B. The passenger's date of birth and nationality
C. The name of the passenger it is booked for ✓ correct
D. The agreed fare or the estimated fare ✓ correct
E. The passenger's reason for making this journey

Explanation: The operator's record includes the name of the passenger it is booked for and the agreed or estimated fare. It also includes the dates, the pick-up time and place, the main destination, and the driver and vehicle. The passenger's reason for travelling, their date of birth, their nationality and the driver's planned route are not among the details listed. (PHV Handbook s3: Booking details)

Example 4

Your operator is licensed to take bookings at a nightclub. At closing time, a woman comes up to your car in the street and asks for a lift home. What should you do?

A. Tell her to make a booking with a licensed private hire operator ✓ correct
B. Take her, because your operator is based at this nightclub
C. Agree a fare with her and ask the operator to log it later
D. Take her if she pays the whole fare before you set off

Explanation: You may only accept a passenger who has booked through a licensed operator, so you should tell her to contact one to book. Your operator being based at the nightclub does not make a street pick-up legal. Agreeing a fare yourself, or taking the money first, is still carrying a passenger who has not booked. (PHV Handbook s3: Operating centres in late night venues)

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More SERU study notes

Get all 40 questions on this topic in the SERU Revision: PHV & Taxi app.