Take me to a
New Career
Taxi giants Take Me are on a huge recruitment drive to meet the fast-growing demand for taxis here in the UK. Here, we chat with CEO David Hunter about the post-pandemic boom, prosperous driving careers, and taxis falling from the sky WORDS BY EMILY MILLER
“P
eople are of course still expecting taxis to be falling out of the sky the minute they need them,” says Take Me’s CEO David Hunter. “We are doing our best to meet that demand, but we need more drivers. The demand is greater than I’ve ever known it.” When I ask why, he tells me it’s “for a number of reasons”, but primarily it’s down to the world opening up. “With the lifting of restrictions and nightlife back in business, people working in offices again, going out, and predominantly not going abroad but spending their money socialising here in the UK, we are seeing clients simply needing our services round the clock again – more so than ever.” The shortage of drivers, he tells me, is multi-layered: “During lockdowns, trade dropped significantly in the evenings, meaning many drivers adapted to working more in the day. Now they aren’t so eager for the night time work, but we are seeing drivers requesting these shifts again as they can see the benefits of quieter roads and increased demand.
48 | NICHE
“In addition, many drivers chose delivery work because there was a demand there. And then of course there has been a huge drop in European workers due to Brexit and/or drivers returning home during Covid who are not able to come back,” David adds. Word on the streets is that there has been a drop of approximately a third in taxi drivers on the road across the industry, Take Me, which is a national company with fleets across the UK as well as here in Leicester, is on a drive to get new drivers on board. Why drive with Take Me A driver with Take Me can earn on average around £1,500 a week and can work on a self-employed or employed basis, each of which has its own benefits. All drivers can expect training, support, four weeks’ commissionfree driving, a vehicle if needed, assistance with car maintenance, and even reduced insurance rates. As a self-employed worker, a driver can choose their shifts, so if night shifts work best for you, or you have
