What does a taxi driver do?

What is a Taxi Driver?

A taxi driver is a professional driver who transports passengers to their chosen destinations through the use of a taxi cab. By transporting their passengers, they earn a fare depending on the length of the taxi cab ride. If the driver is working for a company, they will be dispatched by the company to go and pick up passengers. They may also drive around for different hours of a shift to pick up waiting passengers for fares.

A taxi driver's shift may be very busy or slow, based on the area that the driver is working. How busy the shift is and how many fares the driver collects will determine the pay structure for each day.

What does a Taxi Driver do?

There are basically four different types of taxi drivers and they each vary in both responsibility and job function:

Owner-Operators - purchase their own taxi. The owner is responsible for all aspects of the taxi and can work their own schedule. This even allows the owner to lease the taxi cab to other drivers.

Independent Subletters - lease a taxi cab from a company and pay for its use. This allows for more independence for the taxi drivers because they basically own their own business and work as they please.

Taxi Renters - rent their cab for their own shift and work for a cab company. Working for a company allows for more stability and less business-related cost, but does mean less bring-home pay. Many drivers prefer this method of employment because there is less responsibility.

Taxi Leasers are basically like renters, but they have a long-term contract, allowing for more job security. This means that by signing a leasing contract with the company, the driver is guaranteed a longer term of employment.

The job of a taxi driver can, at times, be dangerous. A driver occasionally faces robbery, car accidents, and hazardous weather conditions. It is important to understand the various aspects of the job so that one can be prepared. While the job is not for everyone, many people find the work fun and the pay worth the work.

What is the workplace of a Taxi Driver like?

The workplace of a taxi driver involves driving around in their taxi cab for the entire shift. Some people find this to be boring, while others enjoy the sights and sounds of driving and meeting new people. It is important to note that a driver will be sitting for much of their shift. Occasionally, a driver will be able to get out of the cab for breaks.

It is important that a person enjoys driving if they are going to be a taxi driver. A person must understand that there may be chaotic times when there are many passengers, and other times when there are hardly any pickups and the driver spends the bulk of the time riding around looking for passengers.