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DRIVING HEALTH: Taxi drivers offered remote GP and mental health support under new nationwide service
A subscription-based healthcare service has launched to give taxi, private hire, HGV, bus and coach drivers easier access to medical and wellbeing support.
Driving Health has launched across the UK with remote GP access, mental health and wellbeing support, annual Group 2 health monitoring and funding towards driver medicals.
The service has been designed around the working patterns of professional drivers, who can face difficulties attending conventional healthcare appointments because of long or irregular shifts.
Its launch follows growing concern about physical and mental health across the taxi and private hire sector. According to the National Taxi & Private Hire Driver Survey 2024/25, more than one-third of drivers said their work negatively affected their physical wellbeing.
More than a quarter reported a negative impact on their mental health, while over half of respondents believed the taxi and private hire industry was experiencing a mental health crisis.
The survey also found that the average taxi or private hire driver worked approximately 45 hours a week and covered more than 35,000 work-related miles annually. Long periods behind the wheel, limited opportunities for exercise and irregular meal patterns can make preventative healthcare harder to maintain.
Dr Phill Mars, Medical Director at Driving Health, said: “Professional drivers are responsible for keeping people and goods moving across the UK, often working long and irregular hours.
“Yet looking after their own health can be difficult when accessing healthcare means taking time away from work or trying to fit appointments around a demanding schedule.
“Driving Health was created to make that easier and to encourage drivers to take a more proactive approach to their health.”
The service is also being positioned as a potential workforce support tool for transport operators, fleets, driver organisations and insurers. Driving Health said it was inviting those organisations to discuss partnerships aimed at improving driver health and wellbeing.
The issue has wider implications for recruitment and retention. Department for Transport figures published in 2026 showed that 26% of HGV businesses reported driver vacancies during the final quarter of 2025. Working hours or conditions were cited as a contributing factor by 22% of businesses reporting vacancies.
Although the figures relate to the haulage sector, taxi and private hire drivers face similar occupational pressures, including extended working hours, sedentary conditions and income losses when attending appointments or recovering from illness.
Dr Mars added: “Driver health isn’t simply an individual issue. Poor health can affect a driver’s ability to work, their family, their employer and the wider transport industry.
“We want to explore whether giving professional drivers easier access to healthcare and wellbeing support can help people take action earlier and stay healthier throughout their careers.”
Driving Health is now available to professional drivers throughout the UK. The company’s announcement did not disclose subscription prices or detailed eligibility and funding terms for driver medicals.
