Making private hire services more accessible to disabled people

A good practice guide for Private Hire Vehicle operators and drivers

Booking a PHV

Responsibilities of Booking Staff

By far the most common means of booking a PHV is by telephone. The attitude and manner of the person receiving calls are extremely important, since this person is the first point of contact for the company. It is therefore just as important for relevant training to be given to booking staff, as to drivers.

For telephone bookings, the person receiving a call should be trained to obtain as much information as possible about the passenger's needs at the point that a trip is booked, and provide any information about the designated vehicle that is necessary. Where only one type of vehicle is available, the caller should be informed as to the type, make, model and colour of vehicle that will be sent. In all cases, the customer should be told the name and sex of the driver that will meet them, and the person booking the trip should take the caller's name, so that the driver can ask for them by that name.

Generally, staff should be aware that some callers have difficulties understanding information that is given by telephone, so should be prepared to speak slowly and succinctly, and avoid 'information overload'. For callers with a speech impairment, booking staff should be patient when trying to understand what is being said, giving the caller the time that they need.

It is possible that a caller has a learning disability, so finds it difficult to understand what is said, and to make clear responses and ask questions. They might also find it difficult to cope with an unfamiliar situation, or to deal with someone they do not know. For callers with learning disabilities, it is especially important for staff to be patient and approachable, to use plain and simple language, and to allow plenty of time for understanding. It might be necessary to check that the caller has understood, by saying something like: 'Would it help if I said that again ?'. Staff should avoid suggesting an answer at the end of a question, and should not patronise adults with learning disabilities by treating them like children.

Callers who have a disability which might make them particularly vulnerable should be given priority over non-disabled customers, to minimise the anxiety that is caused by waiting. It is important that they are informed immediately in the event of the vehicle being delayed.

Booking staff should know which of the firm's vehicles have, say, swivel seats, and should be aware that, from spring 2004, assistance dogs must be carried in all vehicles (subject only to exemptions on medical grounds). They should also know of the training that the firm's drivers have undergone, so that they are able to pass this information on to the caller.

Callers who are deaf or hard of hearing might wish to communicate by Minicom. This is a service that allows callers to make enquiries through a keyboard linked to a telephone, using an operator as an intermediary, and is a general alternative to voice communication.

Other means of booking a PHV

People with access to the internet will increasingly have opportunities to find a PHV firm on-line - an example of a site that enables them to do this is 'www.Taxi2Go.co.uk'. The user enters his or her location, or post code, and is provided with a list of taxi and PHV firms' telephone numbers - this facility includes the means to specify whether, for example, a wheelchair accessible vehicle is required. A related site, offered by the same company, is 'www.whoflies2where.com', which focuses on passengers travelling to and from an airport. Both internet sites can also be accessed using a WAP enabled 'phone.

Another way for a disabled person to order a PHV, which is currently under development in London, is by using a kerb-side terminal such as the one shown in Figure 1. These terminals, which will be strategically placed outside restaurants and other frequently used locations, will enable people to order a PHV using a touch pad. This might help people who are unable to communicate verbally.

Figure 1: Kerbside booking terminal, (currently under development in London)

Published: 03 December 2003

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