Being caught drinking and driving in this country means the driver will get a ban (and a possible jail sentence if fatalities occur as the result of an accident). And that's not the end of the driver's problems - when they want to reinsure their car, the premiums for a former drink driver will be sky high.
So, consider the situation faced by someone who has driven to the pub, but because they fancied a drink finds themselves over the limit. Any right-thinking person, unless they could get a lift from a friend, would naturally call up a taxi to take them home.
This could prove very expensive, and the driver would suffer the inconvenience of having to pick their car up the next day. What alternative does the driver have the they don't want to drink and drive - none!
Well now there can be a cheap alternative, in the form of the fold up scooter service, which operates in a similar way to the standard car taxi service.
Here's how it works. The customer - let's say they are in the Dog and Duck at closing time and they've had a skinful - calls up the scooter depot to get a lift home as they are well over the limit to drive. The rider jumps on their scooter and gets to the Dog and Duck in no time at all. Once there, the customer hands them their car keys, the scooter is folded up and placed in the boot, and the driver runs the customer home in their car. When the destination is reached, the driver picks up the charge before unfolding the scooter and scooting off to the next customer.
As a result, there are no drink driving charges and the customer does not have to go back to the pub the next day to pick up the car. Because the operating costs for scooters are less then for cars, the overall charges will be very competitive.
To you, this is a business that is incredibly cheap to set up and run. All you need is your own fold up scooter, a phone and the correct road tax and insurance. The novelty value, practicality, usefulness and competitive rates involved will make it popular with customers because it is cheap to operate, it should provide a very profitable business.
The first step is to acquire a folding scooter, which originated in Germany, though UK agents are selling them. Contact scooter agents and distributors for more information. The next step is to secure the proper insurance for driving the scooter and operating other people's cars. This won't be an issue, as chauffeurs need similar coverage for their services. Reach out to your insurance broker for guidance. Lastly, you'll need a communication system between the customer, base, and driver. Taxis typically use two-way radios, which could be useful if you have multiple taxis and riders. However, if you're operating alone, a mobile phone will suffice.
Make full use of the novelty value when you start up this service. There is much to be gained from contacting local media newspapers, TV and radio, to generate maximum free publicity. Also, there are the standard forms of advertising for such a service like local newspapers and magazines, and it is a good idea to have cards printed and leave them in night-clubs, pubs, bingo halls and so on.
Take note of these pointers and you can set up a similar service very quickly. The fold up scooter service has the potential to be a popular, competitive and above all a profitable alternative to the established car taxi service.