The PCO licence standing for Public Carriage Office lets the drivers in London work as a private hire vehicle in. It is a part of TfL Transport for London.
PCO cars are Uber-ready vehicles meeting TfL requirements for personal transport. Just like license for drivers, PCO license mentioned above, cars should be approved by TfL to be qualified for PHV license.
If you are going to work for Uber in London, you need to know about the license you must get before driving as an Uber driver regardless of you are owner the car or have rented it.
In this post, we are going to provide a complete guide for PCO drivers in London. Don’t miss the post!
- Taxes for PCO drivers in London
- Uber clean air plan
- Most popular PCO cars
- Top Uber destinations in London
There are many PCO motorists in London and unfortunately many of them do not have enough information about taxes they should pay. Being aware of tax details is essential for drivers to avoid any fine. Remember that the taxes are applied to all PCO drivers.
How many taxes should you pay and when?
As a PCO driver, you are self-employed and because you earn money you must pay your income tax though depending on situation you may need to pay for road taxes too. In addition, national insurance taxes are another payments that every driver should plan to pay! Once your manual income exceeds £1000, you must fill the self-assessment form.
However, good news is that if your annual income is less than £12500, you do not need to pay for annual income taxes. For more information on taxing and calculating the tax you should pay via an online tool, refer the official website gov.uk self-assessment tax bill.
How to pay the tax?
First of all, you should know that you are able to do it online. In order to pay your annual income tax, refer to gov.uk and go to self-assessment page. To complete the registration form, you must choose that you are a self-employed and then you will be asked to give some personal information.
Within 10 working days, you will receive a letter which is called URT or Unique Taxpayer Reference. Keep it in a safe place.
To pay other taxes, follow similar process; the difference is that you need to find the appropriate page to complete the process. For instance, to pay the road tax, on gov.uk go to road tax page and simply pay it through your credit card.
Uber clean air plan
Uber clean air plan is very popular among the drivers in UK because on one hand it helps them save more by removing fuel costs and on the other hand gives the drivers eligible a financial aid to buy a new car.
In order to apply for Uber fund, having an electric PCO car registered on Uber is necessary and then you need to be eligible for EV assistant by earning £1000 in Uber clean air plan as well as performing 150 trips during the past 2 months.
The more miles you drive and the more you earn through the plan, the higher funds you can ask for. Remember that driving an electric car means no gasoline and no congestion fees.
Most popular PCO cars
There are many cars PCO drivers can choose but some of them are more popular than others among the motorists due to efficiency and their unique designs. Here we are going to give a brief review of these cars which are high in demand in London. For more details you can read top most popular PCO cars.
Toyota Prius
Since Uber has launched Internet taxi program, Toyota Prius has been the most popular car amongst the drivers. Many Londoners prefer to drive this fuel-efficient and sturdy car and PCO motorists are not exceptions in this rule.
However, it is predicted that the number of PCO drivers who choose Prius reduce in future because due to London’s municipality policy to become a zero-emission city, congestion fees are getting higher day by day and drivers tend to use electric cars.
If you are looking for a car that not only removes gas costs and congestion fees but is as efficient as traditional Prius, Toyota Prius Plug-in Business Edition Plus can be the best choice. The car takes the best of Prius plus having a fully electric engine.
Ford Galaxy
Another popular PCO car is Ford Galaxy which Over 9000 people in London drive it. The car features front and rear parking sensors but in terms of design is not attractive for everyone. This 7-seater car is spacious enough for a comfortable ride.
Nonetheless, just like Toyota Prius, Ford Galaxy enjoys a diesel engine which would not be suitable for entering central area of London. Moreover, hybrid and electric cars are better choices to decrease fuel costs and save more money.
Mercedes Benz Vito
Mercedes Benz Vito has recently attracted many PCO drivers attention because not only is it a congestion fee exempt at present but it has many features such as front and rear climate control and a sophisticated Parktronic System.
Additionally, this 9-seater car is suitable for large families having more than 5 children. Whatever one may expect from Mercedes is available in Vito model as well as being spacious and comfortable. If you are looking for a PCO 9-seater for rent, several companies in London can help you.
Top Uber destinations in London
London is a metropolitan with high demand on transportation. Londoners prefer not to use their own cars to avoid fines or getting stick in traffic and this is where rideshare apps play important role. As a result, there is high demand in both services and drivers.
PCO drivers regardless of the firm they work for are always looking for top destinations to help them make more money. Top 3 destinations that Uber drivers can earn more are as follows:
Heathrow and London city airport
London hosts many visitors annually that most of them chiefly arrive by air which shows how much airports could be important for PCO drivers to earn more money.
Euston, Victoria, Paddington and Waterloo stations
Railway stations are also as much important as airports because they are so overcrowded that you can easily take a new passenger after dropping off the previous one. Euston, Victoria, Paddington and waterloo are top 4 subway stations in London that every Uber driver should know them.
Soho
Soho is the most exciting and vibrant area in London that has lots of restaurants, nightclubs and theatres. So many passengers go there to wander around and discover new places. In fact it is heart of entertainment and socializing in London attracting people from all walks of life and this is a very good chance for PCO drivers to take clients there.
Finally, as a PCO driver in London, you need to get the most recent information on taxes, new plans that Uber or simallar companies offer and the new fuel-efficient vehicles to reduce costs. A PCO blog which is updated periodically can help you be updated and get the most out of your time.