Questions to the Mayor of London – answered at on 3 October 2019.
What amount of education does TfL provide and how many hours of training do Private Hire Drivers undergo before they become licensed?
Transport for London’s role as the regulator for taxi and private hire services in London is to ensure that all applicants are fit and proper before being issued a licence. As part of the licensing process, drivers undertake topographical and English language assessments.
The licensing requirements for taxi and private hire licensees are available on the TfL website.
Private hire driver licensing requirements: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/private-hire-driver-licence
Taxi driver licensing requirements: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/apply-for-a-taxi-driver-licence
TfL does not provide training for private hire drivers but it does encourage London’s private hire operators to provide relevant training to their drivers.