A vetted driver isn't automatically a great driver. The vetting confirms they're qualified to drive paying passengers. The training shapes how they do it.
This article covers what's in the Fare 1 driver-training programme.
Onboarding for every new driver
Every driver — Standard or Executive category — completes the same baseline onboarding before their first paying trip:
1. Fare 1 dispatch app walkthrough. The driver-side mobile app workflow: receiving trip assignments, accepting jobs, navigation start, customer pickup confirmation, trip completion, end-of-day summary. About 90 minutes of guided practice on real trip flows.
2. Customer arrival and pickup. The standard pattern: confirm passenger identity politely, open the rear door, take any obvious luggage to the boot, confirm destination matches the booking. Variations covered: when to use front-seat travel (rare), when to assist with mobility (always offered, never assumed needed), when to wait for the passenger to be settled before pulling away.
3. Communication norms. When to talk and when not to. The default Fare 1 norm: light greeting at pickup, brief confirmation of destination and any preferences (temperature, music), then silence unless the passenger initiates conversation. Drivers who can hold conversation when invited; drivers who don't push it when not.
4. Phone and call etiquette. Driver phone on silent. Phone calls handled at idle stops only, never while driving (legally required, but worth saying explicitly). Phone never used in passenger view unless GPS / dispatch.
5. Cancellation and incident handling. What to do if the passenger doesn't show, if dispatch radios a change mid-trip, if the vehicle has a mechanical issue mid-trip, if the passenger becomes ill. Each has a documented procedure; drivers walk through them in tabletop scenarios.
Executive-tier additions
Executive drivers add modules covering:
Discretion handling. High-profile passengers, business calls in the car, family conversations in the back. The Executive standard: hear nothing, see nothing, talk about nothing.
Vehicle feature knowledge. Mercedes E-Class / S-Class / V-Class specifically — climate zoning, rear-seat entertainment, privacy glass, refreshment compartment. Drivers can explain what's available without being asked.
Door-opening and passenger handling. When to open the door (always at pickup; on request at intermediate stops; always at final dropoff). When to physically assist (older passengers, formalwear, mobility-aided). When to step back (younger passengers prefer self-handled doors).
Premium destination familiarity. Common Executive routes — country house hotels, members' clubs, executive airline lounges. Drivers know the access points and protocol.
Vehicle-presentation training
Both tiers cover vehicle presentation, with Executive standards more rigorous.
For every driver:
- Daily vehicle inspection (lights, tyres, fluids, MOT validity)
- Daily interior wipe-down
- Weekly deep clean
For Executive drivers additionally:
- Between-passenger interior re-set (smudge wipe on leather, replace water bottles, vacuum if needed)
- Daily exterior wash
- Driver attire inspection (pressed suit, clean shoes)
Annual refresher training
Annual refresh covers:
- Updates to traffic law (e.g. low-emission zone changes, new bus-lane rules)
- Updates to airport meet-and-greet procedures
- Any new vehicle types added to the fleet
- Lessons-learned from passenger complaints (anonymised) over the prior year
- Any process changes in dispatch or invoicing
About 4 hours total, split across the year.
What we don't train
To be honest about scope:
Personality. You can't train warmth or attentiveness into a driver who doesn't have them. We screen for these qualities at hire (the customer-experience interview is real) and accept that the training won't manufacture them.
Local knowledge tricks. GPS handles route-finding. We don't quiz drivers on London's back streets. The trade-off: drivers may not know a shortcut a London cabbie would, but they also don't have to lean on memory in unfamiliar areas.
Defensive driving courses. We require valid driving licences and clean record, but we don't run a separate defensive-driving curriculum. The DVLA Group 2 medical and licence requirements are the safety bar.
How long it takes
Onboarding for a new Standard driver: 8-10 hours of training + a buddy-shift with an existing driver before first paying trip.
For Executive driver: same baseline + 4-6 additional hours of Executive-tier modules + observation shift on an Executive dispatch.
Refresher annual: 4 hours, scheduled in quiet weeks.
What this means for passengers
You're getting a driver who's been through structured training, not just "vetted and let loose." The behaviours you'd expect from a professional chauffeur — polite, attentive, discreet, well-presented — are taught, observed, and refreshed annually.
See also
- How we vet drivers — the six checks
- Standard vs Executive driver — what's different
- /careers — what we look for at hire
- /drivers — vetting summary