How Many Hours Should Drivers Be on the Road?
It's important for professional Drivers in the UK to understand not only the limits of the law but also their own personal limits. Some driving jobs are legally protected by the number of hours they can drive, but the rules differ based on the type of vehicle and service.
HGV and bus Drivers must follow strict EU-based regulations, while Passenger Carrying Vehicles have their own guidelines. These regulations are everything to Driver safety since Driver fatigue is a factor in 10-20% of accidents.
However, taxi and private hire Drivers have no such laws—they’re almost totally unprotected. Managing shift patterns is therefore crucial because it bears more personal responsibility, as well as directly affecting one’s income. After all, fare-based income can become a precarious incentive to overwork.
Whether working with ride-hailing apps, a Hackney licence, or for private hire companies, driving time must be balanced with rest to ensure personal safety. Not just for the passengers' sake, but for other road users. This article will look at all driving laws (which taxi Drivers can take guidance from), before looking at how taxi Drivers can stay safe.
Driving hour limits for passenger-carrying vehicles (PCVs)
Under GB domestic regulations, PCV Drivers can drive for a maximum of 10 hours in a single day on public roads, and their total working hours, including all job-related tasks, are limited to 11 hours daily.
But what is a PCV? A PCV includes jobs like bus and coach Driver, such as working for National Express. (PCV doesn’t include taxi driving, something we’ll cover later in this article).
There are strict rules about breaks. For shifts lasting less than 8.5 hours, Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 5.5 hours of continuous driving.
If the shift is longer than 8.5 hours, Drivers can only drive for up to 7 hours and 45 minutes within that, meaning a total of 45 minutes of breaks are needed. Plus, another 30-minute break is required once they pass the 8.5-hour mark, so a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes of breaks during that day.
Rest periods are also important. PCV Drivers need to take at least a 10-hour rest before starting their first shift of the week and after finishing their last shift. Between workdays, a 10-hour rest is required, although this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to three times a week. So, a 4 am finish and 12.30 pm start on the same day is allowed, but only three times a week, and never as a rest between two weeks of shifts. Drivers must also stick to an 11-hour limit for total on-duty time during a shift.
These rules apply to both employed and self-employed Drivers, the law doesn’t make much distinction.
Driving laws for taxi drivers
Perhaps surprisingly, the UK doesn’t have universal driving limits and shift rules for taxi Drivers. For many, this might feel normal, thanks to many of the freedoms it provides. However, when compared to other professional driving jobs (see below), it can feel like a neglected Wild West.
Protection mostly comes in the form of local councils, and many have their own guidelines.
Transport for London
For example, Transport for London (regulated taxi services in Greater London), have the following guidelines:
Drivers should not work more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period
15-minute breaks are advised for every two hours of driving
Don’t begin taking fares if you already feel tired
Avoid heavy meals before driving
Take a short nap as and when needed
Cheltenham Borough Council
While not all councils have strong guidelines, Cheltenham put forward some clear and concise recommendations:
Limit the working period of any given 24-hour period to 16 hours, including breaks and non-driving tasks
Take at least a 30-minute break every 5.5 hours
Have a minimum 10 hours of rest between shifts
Have at least one 24-hour rest period every two weeks to avoid burnout
Working time regulations
When it comes to unified, national working laws, the Working Time Regulations (WTR) offers a framework. This framework lays out a maximum working week of 48 hours, but workers can opt out of this voluntarily. Other rules are that workers should have one day off per week, have 11 consecutive hours of rest in any 24-hour period, and have a 20-minute break every 6 hours.
Although taxi Drivers are included in this, there are exemptions, complexities, and generally a lack of enforcement - particularly when on a fare-based system.
According to National Careers, taxi Drivers typically work between 41 and 43 hours per week. This is a safe amount and within the rules that bus Drivers must adhere to. However, there’s often very little friction in stopping Drivers going from way above this average.
Regulations for other driving jobs
Understanding how other commercial driving sectors are regulated can shine a light on how exposed taxi Drivers are. The most stringent regulations apply to Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) Drivers, but almost all other driving jobs have better protections in place.
HGV Drivers have the most stringent rules, limiting driving to 9 hours daily (extendable to 10 hours twice weekly). 45-minute breaks after every 4.5 hours of driving are required, along with 11 hours of rest between shifts. While the danger to other road users is greater with HGVs, it’s arguably less mentally demanding than taxi urban driving.
To highlight that it’s not simply to do with dangerously heavy vehicles, commercial van Drivers (under 3.5 tonnes), many of whom operate in similar urban environments to taxis, are limited to 10 hours of driving within any 24-hour period (an 11-hour total duty time including non-driving tasks). This rule acknowledges the demanding nature of urban driving and the need for sufficient rest.
The broader transport sector also has an emphasis on record-keeping to oversee rest management. For example, mobile workers (such as bus Drivers and second Drivers) operate under a 48-hour average driving rule, which is measured over 17 weeks.
Why aren’t taxi drivers protected?
There are a few reasons behind the lack of taxi driving shift laws. The main reason is that it’s a fare-based system which is dominated by self-employed workers. So, on the one hand, their income is directly tied to the number of fares completed, but it also makes it difficult to track. For example, a Driver with a Hackney licence will frequently pick up passengers on the roadside, and may not have a system for tracking the driving time (they are asked to keep a record, but they’re not required).
Ridesharing apps have been equally responsible for the erosion of working conditions, while also being the reason for landmark improvements to laws. After protests around a lack of worker rights, the 2021 Supreme Court announced that Drivers on apps like Uber are now classed as workers, not self-employed contractors. It led to minimum wage and holiday pay.
This certainly helps prevent Drivers from burning out (more security and more likely to take holidays), but it didn’t change working hours directly besides making them now fall under the Working Time Regulations. In fact, the ruling meant that Drivers are now “working” whenever they’re logged into the Uber app, not just when driving a passenger.
The dangers of taxi driving
Because of the lack of strict driving limits, many taxi Drivers overwork. For example, New Year’s Eve often entices Drivers to work throughout the day and night because it’s so busy.
The dangers of this are:
Driver fatigue, which is a leading cause of road crashes in the UK
Passengers have no way to vet their Driver or be reassured they aren’t tired
Long-term health issues can arise from burnout, long hours, and sitting for long periods
Increased costs, which can come from maintenance, insurance and fuel
Therefore, taxi Drivers need to learn about the shift laws of other jobs, like HGV and PCV Drivers, to reinforce and learn the dangers of Driver fatigue. Although not a legal requirement, taxi Drivers should follow PCV laws as a matter of guidance, as local councils cannot be relied upon for guidance. Rightly or wrongly, the duty of care burden is placed on the taxi Driver as an individual, and this responsibility needs to be taken seriously.
App-specific rules
Uber has introduced its own specific driving hour limits for its UK Drivers, setting guidelines that differ from traditional Private Hire operations. Uber Drivers are allowed a maximum of 10 hours of "on-trip" time before they must take a six-hour break. This time is tracked from the moment a trip is confirmed until it's completed, with the app automatically monitoring and enforcing these limits.
The app includes safeguards like notifications to alert Drivers when they’re approaching the limit, and it automatically goes offline once the 10-hour threshold is reached. Only time spent actively driving counts toward the limit, so waiting for ride requests or being stationed at airports does not.
However, a six-hour break between such shifts isn’t exactly ideal, particularly when compared to PCV and HGV laws.
Some critics, including the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, continue to point out the poor working conditions of the sector. Uber has tried to take responsible steps to protect Drivers and passengers, but ultimately, some Drivers will he effectiveness of still switch between different ride-hailing apps (i.e. Uber, Veezu and Zippe). Ultimately, this reinforces that the responsibility is on the Drivers to keep themselves and other road users safe.
Managing driving hours for taxi and private hire drivers
Private hire Drivers must learn how to effectively manage their own hours in order to balance earnings with safety.
One consideration is that peak earning times often occur during rush hours, weekend nights and special events (i.e., New Year’s Eve). So, strategic scheduling is a must.
Furthermore, maintaining a good level of service by being polite and driving safely can improve client satisfaction. Not only does this lead to better Driver ratings, but it can also lead to more work through operators with higher rates. One of the ways to achieve this is, unsurprisingly, to not drive for long periods and sleep well. Regular 15-minute breaks are recommended every few hours, too.
Conclusion
While the desire to drive long hours is understandable, Drivers can earn more money with greater life balance, by prioritising operators that provide better rates. For example, Zippe ensures Drivers have fair rates, which in turn reduces the need to overwork. Interested? Download our app now to try it for yourself.
