Knowledge test guidance

To offer a safe and efficient service to members of the public it is important that licensed drivers have knowledge of the area in which they work and an understanding of the licence requirements. All applicants are required to pass an online safeguarding course and a local knowledge test before a licence can be issued.

You are strongly advised to complete your Safeguarding Awareness Training before your take your knowledge test.

Please read these notes carefully to help you pass the test.

You will require a good understanding of written English in order to complete the test.

The test will be conducted in silence, you may not speak to any other applicants who may be taking the test at the same time. No assistance will be given by the invigilator during the test unless it is an emergency.

During the test, you will not be permitted to use any of the following:

• mobile phones
• study notes
• text books
• hand held computers
• satellite navigation devices
• any other devices or notes as deemed unacceptable by the invigilator

Evidence of the use of any of the above will result in your test being cancelled.

You will not be permitted to leave the room during the test so please ensure that you have taken any comfort breaks before the test begins.

You will get your results at the end of the test. If you have passed the test you will be issued with a pass certificate, this certificate is valid for 6 months from the issue date.

If you fail the test your application will be refused but you can resit the test. For each full test taken you will be given the opportunity to resit only the sections of the test you failed on your previous attempt. You will have to pay an additional fee before a further appointment will be booked for you.

Arriving for your test

You must attend your appointment promptly, otherwise you may be refused admittance to the test.

Please wait in the seating area located outside the Innovation Station, adjacent to Starbooks Café, 1st Floor, Stockton Central Library, The Square, Stockton-On-Tees, TS18 1TU, where a member of the Licensing Team will meet you.

You will need to produce a valid DVLA photo card driving licence or other approved photographic identification, for example, a valid passport or national identification card. If you cannot provide one of these documents you should contact the Licensing Service immediately, as you will not be allowed admittance to the test and a further fee will be required before a further appointment will be booked for you.

If you fail to attend your appointment it will be considered a test failure and a further fee will be required before a further appointment will be booked for you.

The knowledge test is a computerised, multiple choice test which must be completed in 45 minutes.

Questions will be asked on the following:

• Disability Awareness (5 questions will be asked, 4 must be answered correctly)
• Safeguarding (6 questions will be asked, 5 must be answered correctly)
• Legislation and Conditions (10 questions will be asked, 9 must be answered correctly)
• Highway Code (10 questions will be asked, 8 must be answered correctly)
• Locations (10 questions will be asked, 8 must be answered correctly)
• Numeracy  (5 questions will be asked, 4 must be answered correctly)
• Literacy (5 questions will be asked, the answers do not affect your test result)

In addition to the above Hackney/Combined tests will also include:

• Ranks and Tariffs (5 questions will be asked, 4 must be answered correctly)

You will be required to demonstrate a good level of local knowledge to include being able to identify the locations of certain key buildings or premises in Stockton-on-Tees, such as pubs, bars, schools, train stations, golf clubs, village halls, supermarkets, hospitals etc. Examples of the type of questions you could be asked are given later in these guidance notes.

The examination will also test your knowledge of the seating capacities of licensed vehicles and the use of seatbelts. You will also be tested on how you should behave once you are a licensed driver and also what help, if any, you will be expected to give to passengers.

It will be illegal for you to drive a Private Hire/Hackney Carriage without a licence and driver badges issued to you by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

If your application is successful and you are granted a licence it will be valid for either 12 months or 36 months. A courtesy letter will be sent to you approximately 30 days before the expiry date, however, it is your responsibility to ensure it is renewed before the expiry date.

Knowledge tests take place fortnightly. A test will automatically be booked for you on submission of an application.

If the date and time of your appointment are not convenient you must notify the Licensing Service, giving at least two working days' notice of cancellation, otherwise you will have to pay an additional fee before a further appointment will be booked for you.

I want to drive a private hire vehicle, why do i need to have local knowledge of  Stockton-on-Tees?

It could be argued that Private Hire jobs are booked in advance so routes can be studied before a journey. But, as a Private Hire driver, you are required to collect passengers on time. You may be delayed if you have to keep stopping in between jobs to look at a map. Passengers can also change their minds about routes or add extra drop-off points. They are not always a position to describe to you the route you should take.

Satellite navigation systems should not be relied upon. If you live outside of the area you may not be aware that the road name identified on your system is not within Stockton-on-Tees or the surrounding boroughs. The software for such systems can also become out of date very quickly.

It is therefore more efficient for both you and your Operator if you obtain some knowledge of the local area before you start work.

For example:

• Stockton Town Centre - Stockton Registary Office, The Arc
• Billingham - Merlin Pub, Billingham Forum
• Thornaby - The Roundel Pub, The Jolly Farmers
• Norton and around - Mallable Club, Tesco Extra
• Yarm and around - Conyers School, Yarm Medical Centre

Why do I need to answer questions on the highway code when I have already done this to obtain my DVLA driving licence?

Over time it is easy to forget some of the rules of the road. The overriding concern is for the safety of the public. Questions in the test regarding the Highway Code are a refresher for applicants. Please ensure you re-familiarise yourself with the Code thoroughly before sitting the knowledge test.

You can find copies of the relevant legislation at the following links: 

• Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
• Town Police Clauses Act 1847

Local Authorities can licence vehicles to carry up to 8 passengers plus the driver. Vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats must be licensed through the Department of Transport.

Private Hire drivers can only obtain work by working through a Licensed Private Hire Operator.   It is illegal for a Private Hire driver to accept a flag down (stop for passengers in the street) or arrange bookings. If people wanting to hire the vehicle approach you or if you stop for a passenger in the street and you radio the booking into the office for the Operator to record on their booking sheets, this does not legitimise the booking. If you accept the fare it will still be deemed to be an offence and you and the Operator face possible legal action.

A driver can refuse to take a passenger if they genuinely believe that their health and safety may be put at risk or if the passenger is excessively dirty, abusive or drunk. You may not refuse a passenger on the grounds of their gender, race, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.

Private Hire/Hackney Carriage drivers must wear their badge at all times while they are working. The dashboard display badge must be displayed in a prominent position in the front of the vehicle on the Dashboard. The Private Hire Driver Record Card should be deposited with the Private Hire Operator you are working for. The Hackney Carriage Driver Record Card should be deposited with the vehicle proprietor.

Private Hire charges are determined by the Licensed Operator, the Council does not set charges to be made. Private Hire bookings are a contract between the hirer and the Private Hire Operator and the driver cannot charge more or less than the agreed fare.

Authorised Officers of the Council and the Police have the same powers under the Act and all assistance must be afforded to them if they ask for information. Failure to provide information could be considered as obstruction which is an offence. If a customer asks for your details you are required to give your name and badge number.

Hackney Carriage drivers can obtain work from the ranks, flag downs, telephone and from Private Hire Operators or by telephone calls to their home.

The Local Authority determines the Tariff rates for fares that can be charged by a Hackney Carriage. The Table of Fares should be displayed in a prominent place where the hirer can easily see the charges. The charges listed are the maximum that can be charged, the driver can however charge less than the maximum allowed by the Council.

Hackney Carriage Maximum Table of Fares

Extras

£50 soiling charge

15p waiting time, each period of 30 seconds or part

30p luggage stored in boot or designated area (excluding wheelchairs or any other apparatus used to assist persons with a disability)

Note

The meter should not record any fare when you enter the vehicle. The driver will then switch the meter on and it must correspond with fares tabled above. Quoted fares cannot exceed meter price. For complaints and information contact the licensing team.

View our Hackney Rank Locations.

Conditions

Conditions are attached to the grant of a Private Hire driver's licence. A copy of these conditions are available from our website, you must be familiar with all of them as you will be asked questions on these in your knowledge test. Please refer to the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy.

The law relating to the use of seatbelts differs slightly in connection with Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles.   These guidelines refer to Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles only and are not intended to give advice to drivers/owners of any other type of vehicle.

Driver seat belt requirements

Private hire drivers

A driver's seat belt must be worn when not carrying passengers. Whilst carrying passengers it is recommended that the driver wears a seatbelt but it is not a legal requirement to do so.

Hackney carriage drivers

No legal requirement to wear a seat belt at all when in a licensed Hackney Carriage vehicle, provided the vehicle is displaying the correct signage (i.e. plates, door decals etc.) It is recommended that the driver wears a seatbelt but it is not a legal requirement to do so.

Passenger seat belt requirements and responsibilities

Children up to 3 years

If a child restraint is not available then the child may travel unrestrained in the rear.

Children aged 3 and above, until they reach either their 12th birthday or 135cm in height

Children can only travel in the front seat if a child seat is fitted. They may be carried in the rear of the vehicle in either a child seat, if one is fitted, or the adult seat belt.

Children 12 or 13 years old or over 135cm in height

Children can travel in either the front or rear seat using the adult seat belt.

Legal penalties

As a driver, if you are convicted of failing to ensure that a child passenger is using an appropriate child restraint or wearing a seat belt according to the legal requirements described above, you could face a fine of up to £500.

You should obtain a good knowledge of the local area before taking the test. In order to help you study you should consider the following:

• spending time in the local area and studying a map
• researching the names of the roads on which pubs, bars, schools, train stations, golf clubs, village halls, supermarkets, hospitals etc. are situated
• asking the operator who will be allocating work to you or an experienced driver for advice
• re-familiarising yourself with the Highway Code
• looking on our website at where you will find the Private Hire And Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy