A Life On The Open Road

Why I Took Up Driving A Taxi

Knowing me as you do, you may be surprised to learn that, despite my youthful, boyish appearance, I actually retired from 39 years of driving a desk in the Civil and Diplomatic Service of HMG nearly four years ago. Yes, I know! Incredible isn’t it? You thought I was only 35.

To be frank, most of my desk driving was just a means of earning a livelihood. There were ups and downs of course, but in the long run it was just that. When I was released into the wild in 2016 I was so pleased not to have to get up in the mornings that for a while, I didn’t. I took up Spanish lessons, went out with my new camera and was never bored.

I was pleased to be out of the workplace for a while. Partly this was as a result of my last few years in The Ministry being pretty miserable. But things were about to change. I liked having more time but dammit, I’m only 35. Too early to retire completely.

I did a few months on the tills at Tesco in Hexham, and before you knock it, try it. I started to think differently about going to work as there were now days when I did the job with a smile on my face. So if you ever shopped there and wondered who the grinning idiot was who served you, it was me.

I had to leave after a while though as the hours were irregular and I couldn’t work around them. But I left with the words of one of my colleagues there ringing in my ears, saying that he thought I’d like driving a taxi for a living. Pah! I thought. Or maybe I even said it out loud, judging by his expression.

But after a while I came round to the idea. I had heard that Advanced Taxis of Hexham were looking for drivers to do the school runs, 20 hours a week during term times only. Well, that sounded just perfect.

And so it turned out. After a brief friendly interview and a couple of tests about routes and taxi licensing law, I took to the wheel of my taxi for the first time in June 2018.

Immediately, I realised that this was going to be a great job. I go out to Wark and Stonehaugh, across some lovely countryside, picking school children up and either taking them to school in Wark or to the pick up point in the same village, where they catch the bus to school in Hexham.

All the kids live away from bus routes, often in very remote places. And I have to say they’re a great bunch, sometimes quiet, sometimes chatty but unfailingly polite. So the old adage of never work with (animals) or children went straight out of the driver’s window.

So now my office is open for two hours in the morning and two more in the afternoon. The people who populate it are friendly, polite and even on occasion very funny. And that’s not just me. The view from the window is always spectacular, often with added wildlife (deer are a common sight) and there is music playing on the radio.

One of the runs is for the children of Wark First School. To liven up their journey I made a Spotify playlist for them, with each of their names featured. So there would be songs about Sara, if there was a Sara on the bus. Which there isn’t, but you get the drift. They seem to like it anyway.

It took me 40 years, but I have finally found a job I love. I’ll never get rich through it but I don’t care, because there is no such thing for me as the Sunday Night Blues anymore; and I can now go to work with a smile on my face.