Taxi drivers drive 46,500 miles a year and pick up 5,750 passengers, study finds

30 March 2023 , 12:18

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Taxi drivers travel 46,500 miles a year - the equivalent of two London to Sydney round trips (Image: SWNS)

The average taxi driver will pick up 5,750 passengers a year, and listen to 13,250 songs on the radio – as they tot up an annual 46,500 miles driving customers around, research has found.

Over a third of cabbies (35%) say they love their job, with 37% considering it “very rewarding” – while just 2% claim they actively dislike the role.

Some of the highlights of the role include meeting new people (63%), flexible working hours (24%), and not having to stare at a screen all day (22%).

And the poll, of 250 private hire drivers, also found they have visited 17 different cities during the course of their work, and guzzle around five cups of tea a day – adding up to 1,170 cups over a year.

However, they also have to deal with aggressive customers 21 times a year – nearly once every fortnight.

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And more than half (52%) have had customers try and do a runner to avoid paying their fare, while 56% have had encounters with people being drunk and disorderly in their car.

Over a third of cabbies say they love their job - as nearly two-thirds enjoy meeting new people (SWNS)

Sten Saar, CEO of commercial insurance provider, Zego, which commissioned the research, said: “Taxi drivers are, in many ways, the backbone of Britain.

“It has been reported that the first “Hackney Carriage” for hire was in London as far back as 1605, and ever since then cabbies have been providing an essential service on our roads.

“Taxi drivers of course need driving skills, but they also need a lot of patience and to be good with people, too. It’s fascinating to see just how many people they talk to each year.”

Despite many people using taxis primarily to get home after a night out, more drivers work during the day than the evening (34% vs 14%).

But 52% try to do a bit of both, as 54% consider driving to new destinations one of the things they enjoy most about their job.

Cabbies also report taking on airport trips 18 times each month – 216 over the course of a year, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

Sten Saar, for Zego, added: “Being a taxi driver is a job unlike any other.

“It’s not just about driving, it’s about being a part of your town or city, and about being a part of the community.

“We’d like to raise a toast to the cabbies of the UK, and thank them for all their hard work and dedication.”

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A CABBIE’S YEAR:

• Will drive 46,500 miles
• Will listen to 13,250 songs on the radio
• Will pick up 5,750 passengers
• Will be asked how busy they are 5,250 times
• Will drink 1,170 cups of tea
• Will visit airports 216 times
• Will deal with 21 drunk and disorderly passengers

Andrew Young