Although black cab and private hire taxi drivers and other transport workers are not required to wear a face mask by law, passengers must wear a face covering unless they are exempt from doing so. Failure to comply means they could be refused a ride or even fined £200. There are however some individuals who may be exempt from wearing a face mask, including while travelling in a taxi.
Understanding Exceptions
There are many reasons why people may be exempt from wearing a face mask and these include:
- Children under the age of 11 (Public Health England does not recommend face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)
- People who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause the individual severe distress
- If the individual is speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip–reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
- To avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury to the individual or others ‒ including if it would negatively impact on the ability to exercise or participate in strenuous activity
Some people may provide an exception card to prove they do not need to wear a face covering, but this is a personal choice and not required by law.
Certain job roles including police officers and other emergency workers are also not required by law to wear face coverings, as it may interfere with their ability to serve the public. This also applies to transport workers – including taxi drivers while they are working.
Mitigate the Risk
Although it’s not the law, it is advisable to wear a face covering in your taxi when you cannot ensure social distancing, if you feel able to do so. Other measures you can put in place include the installation of a partition screen, thorough cleaning of your taxi, sanitising all surfaces touchpoints by passengers including when cash is exchanged, encouraging contactless payments and trying to ventilate the cab by keeping windows open when possible.
Taxis for Sale
We offer black cabs for sale and they are considered one of the safest ways to travel thanks to the partition screen that separates driver and passengers and the leatherette seating that’s easy to wipe down. We also offer a range of hybrid and electric taxis to suit private hire drivers as well as a range of approved used taxis. Please enquire online or call the number at the top of this page to find out more about how Cab Direct can help you.