To become a Licenced Taxidriver or do the ‘Knowledge’ as it is more commonly known, you must first apply to the Public Carriage Office (PCO) the taxidriver licensing authority for Transport for London (TfL).

To be eligible to undertake the knowledge you must fulfil the following requirements:

Once your application has been accepted, you will be called up to the Public Carriage Office for an initial talk given by an Examiner from which you will learn that you are required to develop a detailed knowledge of the streets and buildings within your chosen sector based upon 30 prescribed routes commonly known as Blue Book Runs. This is when you need to visit Knowledge Point School to learn the best way to get started and how to tackle the Blue Book Runs.

You will be required to learn the 30 routes thoroughly then apply to start a series of progressive oral examinations based on the 30 Blue Book Runs with alternative points plus an awareness of how to reach adjacent sectors. Toward the end of this process you will be required to pass a Driving Standards Agency taxi driving test and an Inner London test to show you have a good working knowledge of central London.

The suburban knowledge takes on average 18 months to complete, dependent upon which Sector you choose and how much time and effort you can put in. Trainees must be prepared to finance themselves through the process. Expenses to be incurred will be cost of a moped (optional), training material, school fees, taxi driving tuition and test fees plus other miscellaneous expenses

It is hard work and requires time, dedication and good training and should not be undertaken lightly.