Privacy & Operations Policy

1. Introduction

This policy sets out how SteeveCars Private Hire Taxi ("SteeveCars", "we", "us", "our") operates its licensed private hire service and how we handle the personal information of the passengers we carry, the customers who book with us and the visitors to our website. It applies to our owners, employees, contracted drivers and anyone acting on our behalf.

Our aim is to give every passenger a safe, punctual and comfortable journey while fully meeting our obligations under UK licensing law, the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Company information

SteeveCars is a private hire taxi operator based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. We provide local rides across Cambridge and the CB1–CB25 postcodes, airport transfers to all major London and regional airports, and long-distance travel throughout the UK.

3. Legal & licensing compliance

We operate under the private hire licence issued by our local licensing authority and comply with the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and all related regulations for private hire operators, drivers and vehicles.

• Our operator licence is maintained in good standing and any conditions imposed by the licensing authority are followed at all times.
• Every driver we dispatch holds a current private hire driver's licence and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Every vehicle we dispatch holds a current private hire vehicle licence, a valid MOT (where applicable) and hire-and-reward insurance.
• We cooperate fully with our licensing authority, the police and other enforcement bodies when required.

4. Booking procedure

All journeys must be pre-booked. We do not accept flag-downs from the street. Bookings can be made by phone, WhatsApp, email or through our website booking form.

When a booking is accepted, we record it in our dispatch system with the following information:

• Passenger's full name and contact telephone number.
• Pickup and drop-off addresses.
• Booking date and requested pickup time.
• Number of passengers and vehicle class requested.
• Any special requirements (child seat, additional luggage, wheelchair access, flight number for airport pickups).
• Estimated fare quoted at the time of booking.

A booking confirmation is sent to the customer showing the pickup time, vehicle allocated and the quoted fare. Customers are asked to notify us as early as possible of any changes or cancellations.

5. Dispatch procedure

Bookings are allocated to the nearest available licensed driver and vehicle that matches the class requested. Every dispatched job is recorded in our system with:

• The driver's name and licence number.
• The vehicle registration and licence number.
• Journey start and end times.
• The fare charged and payment method.

These records are retained in line with our data protection obligations (see section 10) and are available for inspection by the licensing authority on request.

6. Driver standards & conduct

Every driver representing SteeveCars is expected to meet the following standards at all times:

• Hold a valid private hire driver's licence and display their badge visibly.
• Present themselves in a smart, clean and professional manner.
• Drive courteously and within the law at all times.
• Assist passengers with luggage where safe and appropriate to do so.
• Not smoke, vape or consume food inside the vehicle at any time.
• Not use a mobile phone while driving, except through a compliant hands-free system.
• Treat every passenger with respect regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability or sexual orientation.
• Report any concerns about a passenger, incident or safeguarding matter to the operator immediately.

Any breach of these standards is investigated and may result in the driver being removed from our dispatch list.

7. Vehicle standards

All vehicles used on our service must:

• Hold a current private hire vehicle licence issued by a UK licensing authority.
• Display licensing plates and identification as required by that authority.
• Hold valid insurance covering the carriage of passengers for hire and reward.
• Be maintained in a roadworthy, clean and presentable condition, inside and out.
• Carry a serviceable first-aid kit and working seatbelts for every seat.
• Be inspected regularly by the driver and taken out of service if any defect is found until it is repaired.

8. Safeguarding & customer safety

The safety of our passengers, especially children, vulnerable adults and lone travellers, is our highest priority.

• All drivers hold an enhanced DBS check and complete safeguarding awareness briefings.
• Drivers are trained to recognise the signs of exploitation, abuse or a passenger in distress and to raise concerns promptly.
• Any safeguarding concern must be reported to the operator within 24 hours and, where appropriate, to the police, local authority safeguarding team or licensing authority.
• Unaccompanied minors are only carried with prior written agreement from a parent or guardian.
• Passengers are encouraged to ask the driver to confirm the booking name before entering the vehicle.

9. Complaints procedure

We take every complaint seriously. If you are unhappy with any aspect of your journey or our service, please contact us as soon as possible:

We aim to acknowledge complaints within two working days and to provide a full response within ten working days. Serious complaints are investigated by the operator, and where wrongdoing is identified, appropriate corrective action is taken. If a complaint cannot be resolved to your satisfaction you have the right to escalate it to the relevant licensing authority.

10. Data protection

For the purposes of the UK GDPR, SteeveCars is the data controller of the personal information collected through our bookings, website and communications.

What we collect

• Contact details (name, phone number, email).
• Booking details (pickup, drop-off, date, time, passenger count, flight number if applicable).
• Driver and vehicle allocation records.
• Fare and payment records (card payments are processed by our payment provider; we do not store full card numbers).
• Website analytics data (IP address, browser, pages visited), collected through cookies where you have consented.

Why we collect it

• To perform the contract for your journey.
• To meet our legal and licensing obligations.
• To keep passengers and drivers safe.
• To improve our service.

How long we keep it

Booking and journey records are retained for up to six years to meet HMRC and licensing requirements. Website analytics data is kept for a shorter period as set out in our cookie notice.

Sharing

We share information only with the driver assigned to your booking, our payment and dispatch software providers, our insurer, and — where legally required — the licensing authority, police or courts. We do not sell your data.

Your rights

You have the right to access your data, correct it, request deletion, restrict processing, object, and lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). Contact info@steevecars.com to exercise any of these rights.

11. Incident & accident reporting

Drivers must report any road traffic collision, damage to the vehicle, medical emergency or on-board incident to the operator within 12 hours. Serious incidents are reported immediately.

• Details of the incident, location, time and any parties involved are recorded.
• The vehicle is inspected before returning to service if damage or a mechanical concern is identified.
• Where required by law we notify the police, our insurer and the licensing authority.
• Safeguarding-related incidents are handled in line with section 8 and reported within 24 hours.

12. Monitoring & review

This policy is reviewed at least once every year, or sooner if there is a change in legislation, licensing conditions or our operating model. All drivers and staff are informed of any material changes. The version and date shown at the top of this page is the current version.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions about this policy or wish to make a data protection request, please contact: