While working as a taxi driver is certainly not for everyone it can be a great choice if you love driving, want to see more of your city, and you are happy working your own hours. You should also really enjoy dealing with people and be able to tell when they want to have a conversation, and when they are happy being quiet. 

 

If this sounds like you, then being a taxi driver can be fantastic career opportunity for you. 

 

You will inevitably meet people from everywhere. Tourists coming into town from another country, professionals who were born on the other side of the world, those with amazing back-stories that you could hardly believe. Emotional intelligence and charisma is a huge part of being a great cab driver, and can make a massive difference to the experience you offer. Some passengers don’t want to talk at all, others are happy to tell you about themselves. Knowing how to read people can make your job easier and more enjoyable. 

Taxi drivers are independent contractors, meaning you work your own hours. The only exception to this is if you work with a private cab company that only takes bookings, so you have periods where you are on shift, and those that you are not.  Though you make your own hours there are certain times of day that are more lucrative than others. These are evenings and weekends, which means that you will be working rather unsociable hours. If you much prefer hanging out with your family and having your days free, however, then this can be a perfect trade-off. Since you are in charge you can make exceptions for big events like birthdays or holidays.  

While many opt to buy their own cab, there are some that cannot afford it and instead rent their cab. Over time renting is going to be the more expensive option, so if you were interested in working as a taxi driver you will want to eventually buy your own cab. You can get a taxi for sale at cabdirect.com and save since you are shopping directly. If you want to increase your profit margins even further, then choosing a hybrid is another excellent option.  The size of cab you drive will depend on what type of runs you want to focus on. Those who want to ideally opt for the lucrative city-to-airport runs will often want to get one of the larger vehicles. Those that prefer to do city runs would benefit from a smaller hybrid or electric vehicle.  

You may think that Uber or Lyft drivers are the only ones who use apps, but that is far from the truth. There are apps for licensed taxi drivers and apps for private cab companies. This is because customers have come to like being able to book a cab from an app, seeing your location, and being able to share that information with someone else for safety’s sake. Either find the app that works best for you or consider designing one if you manage a fleet.