Professional conduct with passengers

Passengers are often alone, tired or late at night in a stranger's car. The handbook's section on driver behaviour exists for that reason. It is blunt about what is unacceptable, and it says licences are lost over it. This guide sets out the rules in plain terms so you can see where the lines are, and why they are drawn where they are.

Why TfL cares

Section 5 says TfL expects all licensed drivers to offer Londoners and visitors a professional and safe service. It adds that you have a responsibility to make sure passengers feel safe in your vehicle, and that how you interact affects how they feel about the journey. Drivers who behave in an unacceptable way face action by TfL and/or the police.

Passenger information is for the journey

You will see names, addresses and phone numbers. The handbook says you should never use a passenger's personal contact details to start communicating about anything other than the booked journey. Contacting a passenger for personal or social reasons is described as unacceptable and a misuse of the passenger's personal information. Keep the booking in the operator's system and do not copy details into your own contacts. Ride-sharing has a related rule: do not share one passenger's details with another. See the ridesharing guide.

Talk and jokes

You should never make comments or jokes about someone's age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The wider equality rules are in our equality and disability duties guide. A simple test: if you would not say it in front of your operator, do not say it to a passenger.

The back seat

The handbook says that, other than in an emergency, you must not get into the back seat of your vehicle while you have passengers on board. Doing so risks making passengers uncomfortable, and your actions may be misunderstood or seen as inappropriate.

If a passenger is seriously ill, the handbook says to call the emergency services on 999 immediately. You should not try to physically check the passenger or give first aid unless you are following the instructions of the emergency services or a medical professional, or you have had appropriate first aid or medical training.

Helping with physical contact

If a passenger is ill or has a disability and asks for help getting in or out, the handbook says to check exactly what help they want, for example taking hold of your arm for support. Keep physical contact to the minimum needed. Touching someone without permission could be a sexual assault and will be investigated by the police. For help that is welcome, see wheelchair passengers and assistance dogs.

Sexual behaviour: zero tolerance

The handbook states that no type of sexual behaviour between you and a passenger is ever acceptable, even if both of you agree to it. TfL says it takes this extremely seriously, that all complaints and reports will be investigated by TfL or the police, and that you will lose your licence if you are found to have acted in an unsuitable way towards a passenger.

The handbook's list of things you should never do includes:

• Looking at or speaking to a passenger in a way that makes them uncomfortable, such as staring at any part of their body.
• Making sexual remarks about appearance or clothing.
• Having a conversation of a sexual nature, including questions about someone's sex life or sexual jokes.
• Touching a passenger in an unacceptable way.
• Suggesting sex, or offering or accepting sex or sexual activity instead of a fare.
• Taking part in sexual activity of any kind with a passenger, even if they suggest it.
• Watching, showing or sharing pornographic or sexual pictures or other sexual material.
• Committing any other sexual offence.

The handbook closes the point with this advice: avoid any behaviour that might be understood as sexual, however good your intentions are or harmless you think it is.

Passengers at risk

If you are worried about a passenger's welfare, the handbook asks for behaviour that is professional, kind and considerate, and for reports to your operator and the police. See the safeguarding guide.

Practising the rules

These rules turn up in the SERU material on driver behaviour. Try the questions in SERU practice after you read this.

Where this comes from

Handbook section 5 (Complaints; Unacceptable behaviour; Entering the back of your vehicle; Unacceptable sexual behaviour). Checked on 2 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.