LUED

Greedy drivers are likely to work for more than one company besides Uber anyway, so this limit wouldn't affect them. 

Besides, this 10 hour limit is only for when you've got a passenger on board, and it's very unlikely you'll exceed that limit within a 24 hour period. 

Some use Exec, because it can be cheaper than X on surge (up to a point) - which is handy for me!

Marriott Hotel is on the Bath Road, and isn't within the perimeter road so you would get a job there by not being in the Heathrow queue. You were probably the closest available driver, not in AVA. 

Only jobs you get from being in the Heathrow queue are all the terminals (obviously), Sofitel T5, Hilton T4, Hilton Garden Inn, Hatton Cross Station, and most of the car rental companies, i.e. anything within the airport perimeter road. 

May also depend on acceptance rate. 

You won't make much money at airports anyway, better to work in town, and you're at risk at getting a local job after hours waiting. 

Prefer no rights with flexbility to work when and where you want. 

With rights, you're probably expected to work fixed, set shifts, and accept every job, including pool otherwise you'll be in breach of contract/agreement. You'll also be expected to wait in certain areas and you may not be paid to drive to the first pick up of your shift, and going home after last drop off (similar to working in any other job, i.e. office, Tesco, etc., they don't usually pay your commuting time). 

Confirmation and cancellation rates also. 

i've personally taken Ubers from Ealing Broadway station to take me home, after using the Central Line tube, which runs all night during the weekends. 

You can do but don't forget the rates are lower out there, it's not too far to head towards Kingston or Wimbledon, etc. and start work from there. 

15 hours ago, Johny said:

I agree, if you have a car which can be used both for x and exec is by far the best option and most efficient, hoping you don't have a 16 plate E class  a 12 plate one will be perfect, the old drivers have this opportunity

Definitely, however, mine is a 16 plate, and it's not worth it for me to do X jobs as well, I just stick to Exec only. 

Though as I said, I use my second phone, switch the car to X and Exec, so the X map shows up (still offline), and I can see where X is surging, and those areas are more likely to get Exec work. 

All the PH companies, I mentioned advertise anyway in the trade mags - Professional Driver, Private Hire and Courier, Private Hire News, etc, so it's all public!

However, I don't work for any of them, but I'm considering joining Add Lee as an owner-driver after the summer.

OTS, you have to have an operator's licence to work with them, and if you've got one, you wouldn't do much work for them anyway, but just as a way of filling in your dead time. 

That's right, every operator (including me), has to do this every Monday.

For drivers working for me, I have to submit their PH licence no, and full name.

For the vehicles, it's just the reg no., and the vehicle make.

I do not have to disclose any income details to TfL. 

On 11/11/2016 at 11:22 PM, Johny said:

If you drive for Exec or Lux, you have to drive towards the city, you have to chase the middle class or upper class clients  

If you got a second phone with the Uber driver app installed, and you can do X work as well, keep it open and look for surge areas on X. 

Exec tends to get busy when it surges on X, as the surge price may exceed the cost of an Exec. 

On 08/11/2016 at 4:21 PM, dukeofuber said:

 

I personally prefer it, my favourite areas are: SW of London and South like Epsom, Sutton...

 

I'd careful how far out you go, lower rates outside London. 

Airports are 75p a mile.

Make note where you drop off your passengers if they're going to such a place.

Maybe when you confirm the destination with them, ask them about it, have you been there before? what's it like? can you recommend any other places too? etc, etc.

5 hours ago, skeptic said:

OTS i never heard about them? any good ?

Yeah, they're alright, plenty of work, mostly airports and cruise terminals. 

They send you job offers by e-mail, you can reject them, or type in how much you want for the job. 

If they accept your offer, they'll send you another e-mail confirming if you still want it or not, so typing in how much you want to the job, doesn't bind you to it. 

They say they'll get busy over the summer, just looked at my bin folder of my e-mail and today they sent 17 jobs. 

People carrier/MPV will probably get the most job offers, as they can do estate and standard car jobs too. Those 17 jobs I go today were only standard car jobs, though I can do Exec jobs as well, they're quite rare. 

https://www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk/

Never heard of having to have your driving licence with you for compliance checks.

I never carry mine since it's not a legal requirement to do so.

I've been stopped a few times now, and never been asked for my driving licence. 

4 hours ago, skeptic said:

IS very hard to impossible to get a pco operator licence these days

Have you tried applying for one? Is so, when?

It may be hard if you have done now, or recently, as they're still undergoing the process of changing the fee and size structure. That's why they'v given Uber a temporary 4 month licence, until they sort it out.

I'm on my second operator's licence, and haven't had a problem applying for my first one, and at the renewal (which was a couple of years ago now). 

Addison Lee owner drivers scheme, you can probably log on and off as you please

OTS sends you e-mails, requesting quotes, which you can reject, or if you reply, they'll get back to you if they accept your quote.

Crawfords and Brunel probably want you to work fixed shifts.

Creative Cars probably ask you when you're available  to do jobs for them, they have lots of tv location work so usually need a number of cars in one go after filming. 

If you know the doormen, sometimes they remember you if you drop off at the same hotel regularly. 

However, they often got their own contacts anyway, as well as black taxi drivers, or they've already got a contract in place with a PH firm. 

Obviously if you go for it, you'd probably need an operator's licence, and maybe a facility to accept card payments. 

Addison Lee, OTS, Crawfords, Creative Cars, Brunel...

It's free, try it and see! 

If it doesn't work out, then just delete it. 

Always get a private job booked with a licenced operator, or better get an operator's licence yourself and stay legal.

Drivng around those areas tend to give longer distance jobs. Mileage seems right.