GuideLast checked 2 Oct 2026
Ridesharing explained for PHV drivers
What ridesharing is, what the TfL handbook says about booking and safety, and the habits it recommends when you carry strangers on separate fares.
Section 10 is the shortest section of the handbook, but it deals with a situation that can go wrong easily: carrying strangers who pay separate fares in the same vehicle. This guide covers every point the handbook makes and turns them into a simple routine.
The definition
The handbook defines ridesharing as when people who do not know each other pay separate fares and travel together in the same vehicle. It is not the same as a group of friends splitting one fare. The key feature is separate bookings and strangers.
The licensing rule
All ridesharing journeys must be booked with a licensed London PHV operator, and you can only carry out ridesharing bookings that you have received from a licensed London operator. That is the same rule as for any private hire booking: no street pick-ups, no deals outside the system. See our driving and parking rules and operator basics guides for how bookings fit the wider rules.
If you work for an operator that offers ridesharing, the handbook says to talk to them about ridesharing training for drivers, because the operator should provide it. The handbook does not describe what the training contains, so ask your operator.
The risks the handbook names
Personal information. The handbook gives an example: two people with similar routes to and from work who book a ride-share. One passenger could be put at risk if the other learns things about them, such as their home address, where they work, their daily routine, or whether they live alone. A stranger knowing this may make a passenger vulnerable to crime.
Booking by mistake. A passenger may book a ride-share journey by accident. If you stop to collect a second passenger and the first was not expecting it, an argument could follow.
The handbook's good habits
To reduce those problems, the handbook says it is always a good idea to:
- Confirm with each passenger, as soon as you pick them up, that they have booked a ride-share.
- Explain how many other people you will pick up and the predicted route.
- Tell them if you have to change the predicted route or pick up new passengers during the journey.
- Give a time estimate of how long it will take to reach their destination.
- Make sure they know the likely cost.
It also suggests telling passengers that if they feel uncomfortable at any point, they can ask to get out and arrange for a non-rideshare PHV to meet them at a point along your route. The word used is "may be a good idea", so it is advice rather than a rule, but it is a very sensible one: it gives a passenger a way out without drama.
The privacy rule
The handbook is direct: you should not share the personal details of one passenger with any other passenger. That includes small things that feel harmless in conversation: where the first passenger got in, their name, where they are going, or what they told you about their day. If the second passenger asks, a polite redirect is enough. Something like "I can't discuss other passengers" keeps you on the right side of the handbook.
It ties in with a rule from section 5: never use a passenger's personal contact details for anything other than the booked journey. See also our safeguarding guide for how to stay professional with every passenger.
A simple ride-share routine
- Before the first pick-up: check the booking on your operator's system. Know whether it is a ride-share and how many pick-ups are planned.
- At each pick-up: check the passenger's name and destination, then confirm the ride-share and explain the plan.
- On the way: if something changes, tell everyone affected and let the operator know as soon as it is safe, so fares can be updated.
- At each drop-off: use safe stopping places and remind passengers to check for belongings.
The handbook says to tell your operator about changes to a booking so the operator can update the fare, and to check for lost property after each journey. Both apply here.
Where the handbook is silent
The handbook does not explain how ridesharing fares are calculated, how routes are planned, or what happens if one passenger refuses to travel with another. It does not describe any app features. For those, ask your operator. If you are unsure whether a particular journey is allowed, the handbook's general advice is to ask your operator.
General information from the handbook, not legal advice. TfL's own pages are the authority.