How our school runs work
A school run is different from an ordinary taxi booking. It happens at the same time, from the same front door, to the same school gate, again and again. So instead of booking each journey separately, you set it up once with our office and we plan it into the diary for the whole term.
Before the first run we talk through the details with you: who will be travelling, the morning pick-up time, the afternoon collection time, where the driver should wait outside school, and who the driver should hand your child over to at the other end. If there is an after-school club on Tuesdays or an early finish on Fridays, we build that into the weekly pattern.
Safety for children travelling by taxi
Every driver who works with us holds a Transport for London private hire driver licence. To get that licence, drivers go through an enhanced DBS criminal record check, a medical, and TfL's own checks on their driving and suitability. Every car carries a TfL private hire vehicle licence too.
We agree the handover arrangements with you in writing at the start, for example that the driver waits until your child has walked through the school gate, or hands them to a named member of staff. If the driver cannot hand over as agreed, they call you or the office rather than leaving a child alone.
Child seats and booster seats
UK law requires children to use a suitable child restraint until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall, with a few exceptions for taxis and private hire vehicles. Please tell us the age and height of each child when you set up the run, so we can talk through what is needed for your child's journey before it starts.
Schools and areas we run to
We can quote for runs to any school in and around the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Many of our regular routes start in Surbiton, New Malden, Norbiton and Tolworth, and finish at primary and secondary schools in Kingston town centre, Kingston Hill, Surbiton and New Malden. Runs across the river to Teddington or out to Esher are fine too, though the morning traffic over Kingston Bridge means we allow extra time.
Morning journeys around Kingston are often slow between 8am and 9am, especially on the A3, the A307 Portsmouth Road and around the Kingston one-way system. We plan pick-up times with that in mind so that children arrive before the bell, not just as it rings.
Choosing the right car
For one or two children, a standard saloon is usually all you need. If two or three families are sharing a run, or if there are instrument cases, sports kit and bulky school bags involved, our 6 seater taxi gives everyone a proper seat and leaves room in the back for bags. For larger groups, such as a regular run for several children from the same street, ask about a 7 seater.
Prices and payment for school runs
The booking form above will show you the fare for a single journey between your home and the school. For a regular term-time run, call the office and we will work out the total for your weekly pattern. Many parents prefer to settle school runs weekly or at the start of each half-term rather than paying journey by journey, and we can arrange that for you. We accept major credit and debit cards.
Keeping parents informed
The office is your single point of contact. If a driver is held up by an accident on the A3 or roadworks in the town centre, we call you. If your child is off sick or has a dentist appointment, one call to us cancels or moves the run. At the start of each new term we check the timetable with you again, because start times, clubs and pick-up points often change in September.
School run questions
Can you take my child to school every day for the whole term?
Yes. That is the most common way parents use the service. We agree a weekly timetable with you, such as Monday to Friday morning and afternoon, and plan the same journeys for every school week until the end of term.
Will my child have the same driver every day?
We aim to keep the same driver on a regular run so that children see a familiar face. Holidays and illness mean we cannot promise it every single day, and if a different driver covers a run we tell you in advance.
Do the drivers have background checks?
All drivers hold a Transport for London private hire driver licence. To get one, drivers must pass an enhanced DBS criminal record check, a medical and other TfL checks.
What happens on INSET days and half-terms?
Tell us your school's term dates and training days at the start of term. We do not run journeys on those days unless you ask us to, and you are not charged for runs that are cancelled in good time.
Can two families share one school run?
Yes. Families living close together often share a car to the same school and split the fare. For more than three or four children, a 6 seater keeps everyone in one vehicle.