What to expect from your chauffeur if you need extra help

The short version: ask, do not assume

Good help is specific to you. A driver should offer assistance, ask how you would like to be helped and then do exactly that. The details below are what you can expect and what you can ask for.

What our drivers' code requires

• A driver must carry an assistance dog with its owner, at no extra charge, and must not refuse the booking or ask you to pay more because of the dog.
• A driver must give reasonable assistance to a disabled passenger, including help getting into and out of the vehicle, and with mobility aids and luggage, without charging extra for it.
• A driver must not refuse a booking because a passenger is disabled. If a driver is ever unsure whether they can carry someone safely, they call the office first, not the passenger.

Before the journey: tell us what we cannot guess

Tell us at booking if you use a wheelchair, walker or other equipment, and its folded size. Do not assume a ramp, a lift or wheelchair restraints are available in a standard car; ask the team to confirm in writing what will be provided. The full picture is in travelling with a wheelchair, a walker or other equipment and our guide to chauffeur journeys with wheelchair access. If we cannot provide a suitable vehicle or assistance, we would rather tell you in advance than on the kerb.

What good help looks like on the day

Mobility aids

• The driver asks whether you would like to move into the seat or stay seated, and follows your lead.
• A folded aid is stored carefully and not moved without asking. You are told where it is.
• The car stops where you can reach the entrance with the least walking, and you are given time to get in and out.

Hearing

• The driver faces you and speaks clearly, and will write a message if that is easier.
• The destination is confirmed before the car moves.

Sight

• The driver says who they are, offers an arm only if you want it, and tells you when you have arrived and what is by the door.
• An assistance dog is made comfortable at your feet.

For everyone

• The driver speaks to you, not to the person with you.
• You are not rushed.

If something falls short

Tell us what happened with your booking reference. We take it seriously, and a driver who fails these duties risks their licence.