TAXI DRESS CODE POLICY: North Ayrshire taxi drivers could be allowed to wear shorts all year round

Taxi drivers in the North Ayrshire region could soon have the option to wear shorts throughout the year, thanks to a proposed update to the dress code.

The move marks the first significant revision in dress code since 2000, aimed at ensuring drivers present themselves in a professional, clean, and tidy manner at all times.

The proposed changes include a ban on all forms of headgear while driving, including hats, caps, and beanies. The board advocates for drivers to wear full-length, dress-style trousers, explicitly excluding tracksuit bottoms from acceptable attire.

Under the new guidelines, polo shirts would need to be solid in colour and feature a collar, with minimal branding allowed, save for a small manufacturer’s logo or a company name. Round-neck T-shirts, football kits, or club colours are deemed inappropriate for driving a taxi.

A notable addition to the dress code is the allowance for dress shorts, which can be worn any time of the year, provided they are of one colour and equipped with belt loops. However, jeans and three-quarter length shorts remain off the list of approved wear, alongside any garments with loud patterns or promotional printing. Only a discreet manufacturer’s logo may be featured.

For safety reasons, any ties worn by drivers must be of the clip-on variety. The guidelines also permit jumpers, either crew or V-neck, as long as they are not overly patterned and may feature a small logo or taxi company details. Hoodies, however, are not allowed, and suitable footwear includes shoes or trainers, but not sandals or flip-flops.

Exceptions to these rules may be made for clothing that is part of the traditional and customary practices of the driver’s religious, ethnic, or cultural group.

Councillor Nairn McDonald expressed his support for allowing drivers to wear dark jeans, a sentiment echoed by chair Eleanor Collier, who also suggested that smart skirts could be considered appropriate. The committee has resolved to further deliberate on the policy before initiating a consultation process with the Taxi Owners’ Association and independent drivers who are not association members.