Milton Keynes cabbies launch Be Taxi app aimed exclusively at hackney carriage trade
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
A new taxi booking app designed exclusively for hackney carriage drivers has been launched in Milton Keynes, positioning itself as a locally focused alternative to private hire platforms that dominate app-based bookings in the area.
The platform, branded Be Taxi, is targeted solely at licensed hackney carriage drivers operating in the city. Its developers say the app is intended to modernise how street-licensed taxis access pre-booked work while preserving the regulatory and operational model unique to the hackney trade.
Hackney carriage drivers in Milton Keynes have traditionally relied on ranks and street hails, with limited access to app-based demand compared with private hire vehicles. Industry figures have long argued that this imbalance has reduced earning opportunities, particularly as passenger behaviour has shifted towards digital booking channels.
Be Taxi is designed to allow passengers to book licensed hackney carriages directly through a smartphone app, with jobs automatically dispatched to the nearest available vehicle. The system does not use third-party fleet operators or intermediaries, with the platform structured around direct driver-to-passenger bookings.
New local booking platform seeks to give Milton Keynes hackney carriage drivers greater access to digital bookings
According to the company, the app is intended to reduce idle time for drivers and increase visibility of hackney carriages across the city’s expanding commercial and residential areas. Milton Keynes has seen sustained growth in recent years, with new employment zones and housing developments increasing travel demand beyond traditional rank locations.
The developers say the platform has been built specifically around the needs of independently licensed drivers, with an emphasis on operational simplicity and maintaining driver autonomy. No details have been published on commission rates, onboarding requirements, or whether the app will integrate with existing rank-based operations.
The launch comes as local authorities and trade bodies continue to debate the future role of hackney carriages in an increasingly app-driven market. Several councils across England have raised concerns that traditional taxi services risk being marginalised without access to comparable digital tools.
A Be Taxi spokesperson said: “This is more than an app - it’s a movement to protect and modernise the Hackney Carriage tradition,.
“With unity, we can build a fairer, more visible, and more accessible taxi service for our city in Milton Keynes.”
