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Black Cabs in London and Taxi Insurance
London has become synonymous with the black cabs that whiz around the city. As one of the easiest and fastest ways to get around the city, cabs are a commonplace sight. However, way before they became cabs and way before there were taxi insurance policies, the black cabs of London had a long and very interesting history. Originally, these services were given to London residents via carriage. It then changed as years introduced cars into the main stream public transport system. The cabs of old, however, did not enjoy any kind of taxi insurance.
The black cabs' ancestors, so to speak, are the horse-drawn carts of London. These carts were also known as hackney cabs and functioned pretty much like today's cabs. The word 'hackney' comes from the French word 'haquenee' that referred to horses that pulled the carts. Originally, hackney carriages originated in London around the 1600s. Although these carriages functioned like cabs, they were not as comfortable nor did they have any form of taxi insurance, which covered neither driver nor carriage nor horse. However, like today, only hackney carriages were allowed by the government to pick up people from the street. Both hackney cabs and cabs today are used by people to ferry them from one point to another without having to share it with people the passenger does not know.
Like today's policies and taxi insurance rules, a hackney driver needed to pass a set of examinations that qualify him as a driver. This test, called 'The Knowledge', requires the cabbie to know every street in the city, especially those in central London. Unlike today, mini cab drivers are not required to pass the test at first. Minicab drivers are required to get a couple of licenses - a driver's license and a license to operate as a cab driver.
However, taxi drivers in London are required to undergo a three-year training course before they are given a license to operate a cab. Like the hackney drivers then, cab drivers in London today are required to know every street in the city. This knowledge and expertise, in fact, is checked when a cab company applies for taxi insurance. Cab drivers are expected to know not only all routes but also the ones that are the fastest way to get their passenger from point to point. While there are different cabs, private and public, a cab driver is still required to have extensive knowledge of main roads, back alleys, and alternate routes before they can serve as cabbies.
Cabs and cab drivers are perhaps the most important feature of your business. While your livelihood is dependent upon the condition of your vehicle, your vehicle's safety is dependent on the driver behind the wheel. With this in mind, you should ensure that your vehicle and driver are covered in case an accident occurs. With taxi insurance policies that cover your vehicle as well as your driver/s, you are also ensuring the strength of your business.
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