Independent Drivers Jobs

“The tips are 70 to 80% better than I when I drove for ride share” – J.W.

“When I saw how much the ride share company was taking from me, that’s when I decided to leave. With Charley’s, I keep my own money.” – J.P.

“The ride share company I drove for paid me less than half of the fare, and then charged me General Excise Tax on the full fare at the end of the year. Now I am only paying my own taxes, not theirs.” – L.A.

• How much will I make? That depends on your hours and the customer service you provide, but mile for mile, you will definitely make more money.

• How many fares will I have per hour? Will I be sitting around waiting to get passengers? Our drivers rarely sit around idle. In addition to regular taxi customers we have many established accounts and routes that keep our drivers very busy. Notably, Japanese tour companies contract with us because Japanese tourists typically want taxis only and do not trust ride-sharing programs. Once you prove yourself, you can drive for our regular corporate accounts, which we find for you.

• I like app-based transportation companies because they’re progressive and tech savvy. Phoning for a taxi is outdated. Charley’s Taxi also has an App that customers can use to book a taxi and we offer booking online, by phone, and by email in English and Japanese.

• Do I have to share my tips with the company? NO! Your tips belong to you.

• When do I get paid? Every day if you like. We pay out cash for your credit card charges during office hours (Monday through Friday, from noon to 4pm).

• Do taxis charge Surge Prices? NO!

• What if I get in an accident? You will be covered by commercial insurance and our 2-way camera will quickly exonerate you if it wasn’t your fault.

• What if I don’t have my own car? You can rent a car from one of our experienced drivers to get started.

• Do I have to work full time? No. You set your own hours. Many drivers have other jobs and drive taxis part time to make extra money and meet new people.

• Do I need special licensing? Tour companies require commercial driver’s licenses (CDL), but they help with the test preparation.

• Who pays for my insurance? If you own your car, you pay for your own insurance. If you rent a taxicab, it is already insured and the cost is included in the rental fee. Most new drivers first rent a taxi to find out if they like and are suited to the work. Once they find out the income potential, they often license their own car.

• What kind of training will I have to go through? Our standards are the highest anywhere. We will help you study for the Oral Exam. It’s important that you go to every place on the list. You must take the shortest most economical route (unless customer directs you otherwise. For example, the hospital questions will test you on the location of the Emergency entrance and the Main Entrance). For the Written Exam, read the Ordinance. Once you get your license, plan to spend at least 1/2 day in our Dispatch room. You will get a sense of how and what the dispatchers are doing while you watch videos. Our Driver Education includes Safety & Security, Serving the Elderly & Disabled, Hawaiiana, Multi-Cultural training (Taxi Talk in Japanese), Security & Community Policing, Harassment Free Workplace: What is Sexual Harassment, Accident Reporting & Photographing the Scene of Accident, Public Accommodations (ADA compliance), and Charley’s Taxi Orientation and Tutorial in using our high-tech in-car computer with remote control, Credit Card terminal, two-way radio, smart taximeter, and in-car security camera & security procedures. We also conduct several mandatory training classes per year. Certificates are issued for National Safety Council Defensive Driving classes.