It’s never been a better time to start up a UK based business. The uncertainty of Brexit has many industries worried, but British start-ups have a lot on their side as the country prepares to leave the EU.

Taxi businesses are a particularly lucrative and safe option, but what exactly do you need to get a taxi firm up and running? Below, you’ll discover the top things you’ll need to do to ensure your taxi business is a success.

Understand the basic legalities

There are no set, uniform rules when it comes to the legalities of setting up a taxi business. This is because each council has its own unique rules and regulations which need to be followed. Therefore, it’s more useful to familiarise yourself with a few basics.

Obviously, you’ll need a clean driving license, but you’re also going to need a private hire operator license. There’s also checks which need to be carried out, such as a criminal background check.

It isn’t essential to get proper training, but an Intermediate Certificate in License Education was introduced in 2000 which could be worth completing.

Purchasing a taxi

There’s not a lot that you need to start a taxi business but an actual taxi is one of them. There’s a surprising number of companies selling taxis across the country and of course, you can also buy from private sellers too.

Ideally, you’ll want to purchase a taxi from a reliable and respected company such as Cab Direct. This is because safety needs to be a top priority. You’re responsible not just for your own safety, but the safety of potentially a lot of passengers too.

Speaking of safety, it’s also often required for private hire vehicles to undergo an MOT three times each year. So, you’ll want to look into this before setting up.

Researching the competition

Another thing you’re going to want to do before you set up, is research the competition. These days, you’ll often find most taxi firms have their own website. So, look online and see who your competitors are and how much they charge. See which areas they cover and whether there’s anything you can offer that’s different to give you and edge.

Overall, setting up and establish a taxi hire business is pretty straightforward. However, you will need to contact your local authorities to see what specific rules and regulations you need to meet.