You will see a number of different vehicles in Southampton transporting passengers including Hackney Carriage Taxis, (like ourselves) Private Hire vehicles and Minicabs but surprisingly not everybody knows the difference!

Often people don't realise that only licensed Hackney Carriage Taxis are allowed to be hailed from the roadside. Private Hire vehicle and Minicabs can only transport passengers who have prebrooked.

In addition to being able to 'hail and ride', there are other reasons for taking a white Hackney Carriage Taxi too:

• Licenced and registered by Southampton City Council
• Drivers are all CRB checked
• Majority of drivers hold NVQ or BTEC qualifications in transporting passengers by taxi
• Nearly all vehicles are fitted with CCTV
• Cars are MOT checked each year and given additional roadworthy testing if over 2 years old
• Vehicles are retired after 9 or 12 years

Hackney Carriage Taxis are easy to spot in and around the city as they are all white with a white taxi sign on the roof and red licence on the back of the vehicle. Private Hire cars, on the other hand, can be any colour and don't have the taxi sign on the roof.

For a safe journey home, choose a Hackney Carriage Taxi!