Working with us

We would rather run fewer cars with people we are certain of.

A client's opinion of our company is formed in the first thirty seconds of meeting a chauffeur. That is why we recruit slowly, keep the people we find, and say plainly what the work is.

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In partnership with Harrods Aviation · Signature Aviation · SW Global

Why this page exists

Recruitment is not separate from the service

In London and Manchester our chauffeurs are employed by us and drive cars we own and maintain. That is a deliberate and more expensive way to run a chauffeur company, and it only works if the people are right, so we treat hiring as part of the service rather than as an administrative job done when somebody leaves.

We do not advertise on job boards and we do not run a rolling list of vacancies. Good chauffeurs tend to find us, or are recommended by someone already here, and we would rather meet a strong candidate when there is no opening than fill one quickly. If you are the sort of person described below, write to us whether or not you think we are hiring.

Chauffeurs

What we look for in a chauffeur

Driving well is where the list starts, not where it ends.

  • Presentation that needs no prompting: dark suit, clean shirt, quiet shoes, and the self-respect to look the same at five in the morning as at nine at night
  • Real knowledge of London or of Greater Manchester: which entrance a building actually uses, where a car can legally stand at that address, which roads are quick at seven and impossible at nine
  • Timekeeping that treats waiting as the job rather than as lost time. Early is on time, and there is no version of this work where late is acceptable
  • Discretion that is instinctive rather than contractual: no talk about who travelled or where, no photographs, no social media, not once, not to anybody
  • Manner: a person who is easy to be near, who takes the case without being asked, and who knows when a passenger wants silence
  • Calm when a day falls apart, because at some point it will
  • The correct private hire driver licence for the city you would work in, held and current, which we verify before anything else is discussed
  • A background in service as well as in driving is welcome: hotels, private households, aviation and hospitality all teach the part of this job that is not about the road

Licensing

What the licence requires

Where you would workThe licence you needWhat the licensing authority requires of you
LondonA private hire driver licence issued by Transport for London, still widely called a PCO licence after the old Public Carriage Office. It runs for three years.A minimum age of 21, a full driving licence, a Group 2 standard medical, the topographical skills assessment unless you are exempt, the Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding assessment, the English language requirement and the checks TfL makes before it issues a licence.
Greater ManchesterA private hire driver licence from the relevant local authority, for example Manchester City Council. Greater Manchester has ten licensing authorities and your driver licence and the vehicle licence must come from the same one.A minimum age of 21, a full driving licence held for the qualifying period, a Group 2 standard medical, a driver assessment (the universal assessment result is accepted by all ten Greater Manchester councils) and the checks the council makes before it issues a licence.

We check the licence, the authority that issued it and its expiry date before a chauffeur is put forward for any work, and we keep checking it afterwards. If you do not yet hold one, say so: we will tell you honestly whether it is worth your while to apply for it.

Chauffeurs

How to apply

  1. 01

    Write to us

    Email info@odysseyconnections.co.uk with the subject line Chauffeur application, or use the contact page. A short covering note and your history is enough. There is no form and no portal.

  2. 02

    Tell us the essentials

    Which city you can work in, what licence you hold and who issued it, your driving history, your service background, and whether you are available for early starts, late finishes and waiting. Say if you are willing to travel long distance or abroad with a client.

  3. 03

    We meet you properly

    More than once, and not in a hurry. We talk about the work as it really is, and we satisfy ourselves about how you drive, how you plan a route and how you behave at a door, in the car and with luggage.

  4. 04

    Checks, then our way of working

    The checks required of us are completed before anyone carries a client. New chauffeurs learn how we do things before they are put with a regular client, and nobody is left to work it out alone.

Operators abroad

If you run cars elsewhere

Outside London and Manchester our clients are driven by operators we know. That list grows slowly and by introduction, but we are always glad to hear from a good one.

  • Tell us your city, your fleet, your chauffeurs and how you are licensed where you are
  • Tell us how you handle a flight change at two in the morning, because that is what we will ask about
  • English speaking chauffeurs and a desk that answers at any hour are the two things we cannot do without
  • We work with people we have met, so expect a conversation rather than a contract
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What the work is really like

Read this before you write to us

Most of a chauffeur's day is not driving. It is being early, keeping the car immaculate, waiting outside a building for two hours in the rain, and then getting one hour exactly right. The hours move with the client and the early starts are genuinely early. People who enjoy the job take quiet pride in preparation and do not need to be noticed.

Before you write, read our chauffeurs, the Odyssey Standard and the operations centre, which describe what you would be joining.

Questions applicants ask

Before you write

Do you have vacancies at the moment?

We do not publish a vacancy list, because the answer changes and good people are worth meeting regardless. Write to us and you will get an honest reply.

Do I need a licence before I apply?

To drive clients, yes, and it must be the correct licence for the city. If you are in the process of getting one, tell us where you have reached and we will be straight with you about timing.

Can I use my own car?

No. In London and Manchester our chauffeurs drive cars we own and maintain, which is a large part of why the service is what it is.

What about pay and terms?

Discussed with you directly rather than published, because the role, the city and the pattern of work all change the answer. Ask when you write.

I work for a client already. Is an approach confidential?

Yes, entirely, and we would think less of you if you were careless about it. Nothing is said to anyone.

I run a chauffeur company abroad. How do I introduce myself?

Email us with your city, your fleet and how you are licensed. We add operators slowly and only after meeting them.

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