What Makes a Good Private Hire Driver?

October 31st 2020

At ZedCarz, we pride ourselves on our exemplary service, which means that when we are recruiting executive private hire drivers, we follow strict criteria to ensure we take on the right people who will uphold our company values.

We thought we’d share with you a few things that we deem important characteristics in our executive private hire drivers, the very same things we look for in our own people, so that we can make sure our service levels are never compromised.

First impressions

The very first impression you have of your private hire driver really does matter. If it’s negative, chances are it will mar your entire journey. For this reason, we go a lot on first impressions when we interview our drivers. After all, what you think of our drivers is what you’ll think of us as a company overall.

We’ll therefore be looking for friendly drivers who are naturally helpful, for example prepared to assist passengers with shopping bags and making sure disabled travellers are properly taken care of in a dignified way. Patience is an important trait we’ll demand.

We also look for excellent communication skills. We make a point of only hiring drivers who speak fluent English and can be easily understood by our customers.

An aptitude for numeracy and recall are important to us too, and we like our drivers to be well-organised, smartly presented, and professional in their approach to the job.

Experience

It’s essential that the drivers we entrust to take care of our executive private hire business can be fully relied upon, and this means we have to demand a certain level of experience.

We’ll look at their driving history in general, as well as their experience specifically as a private hire driver. An untarnished record is what we’ll be looking for, together with outstanding references.

Local knowledge

A good private hire chauffeur won’t rely solely on a satnav to get his or her passengers to their destination.

In-depth local knowledge is vital if you are going to work out the best directions, especially if your passenger specifically asks for a certain route, maybe the scenic alternative, or to take in specific landmarks. Last minute changes in course due to roadworks or other issues will also be smooth-running if the driver knows all the options.

Safety conscious

We like our drivers to put safety first, and this includes adhering to strict COVID-secure measures. Of course we provide our own training, but an aptitude to safety and a willingness to go the extra mile to protect the health and safety of our passengers will always make a difference when we are taking on a new driver.

A private hire driver who knows how to plan ahead for every eventuality will always pique our interest. From being prepared for harsh weather conditions, to dealing with unexpected traffic situations, a cool, calm and collected driver who can keep passengers relaxed and ensure they reach their destination on time come what may, will be our first choice.

Time-keeping

Our private hire drivers are always on time, and know how to make sure that happens. Schedule planning comes naturally, and allowing for changes of plan and unexpected incidents is part of the job.

Checking ahead for any diversions, road closures or traffic incidents will allow punctuality to reign, and knowledge of access routes, opening times and flight arrivals makes all the difference.

Discretion

Passengers should always feel confident that their private business is totally protected. Our chauffeurs are chosen because they know precisely how to exercise discretion, and have a natural proclivity to keep themselves to themselves. We appreciate how important confidentiality is to our customers.

 

Executive private hire from ZedCarz

Because we understand how important your journey is to you, we make sure you are able to enjoy every minute of it, whilst feeling safe, secure and at ease.

Our executive private hire service has been relied upon by professionals, corporate organisations and businesses for more than a decade. To learn more about our executive account services, you are welcome to get in touch.