Established in 2017, Corker Cars was founded by directors Mudassar (Max) and Anwar Jalil. Max had prior experience in the taxi industry, having worked for a now-defunct firm in his youth.
Like many towns and cities across England, St Albans has a competitive taxi market. With long-established companies and the arrival of Uber, standing out requires more than just a fleet of vehicles. Corker chose to differentiate itself through exceptional customer service—reflected in their name, which in Cockney slang means something “great.”
From the outset, Corker invested heavily in infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art dispatch system. “It’s probably one of the best out there,” Max explains. “We spent a lot to ensure our operations run smoothly.”
In this interview, Max and Anwar share insights into Corker’s journey, community focus, and future plans.
Growing a presence in St Albans
Max:
“For the first few years, our growth was entirely organic—through word of mouth. We had little to no money left for marketing. Breaking into a crowded market like St Albans was tough, so we focused on grassroots efforts. We worked on our social media presence and attended local networking groups to get our name out there.
Although we lacked funds, we gave our time. We helped where we could, moving mattresses, furniture, just to be helpful. We wanted people to see that we’re more than just a taxi company. Many businesses don’t give back to the local community, especially once they’re established. But for us, strong ethics and being caring members of the community is essential.
Over the years, we’ve partnered with local charities, groups, and community centres. We work with the elderly and assist wherever we can. It’s rewarding and has helped us build genuine relationships.
One initiative we’re especially proud of is our annual day trip to Southend, which began just before COVID. Organising it was a challenge, but the outcome was incredible. Many elderly participants hadn’t been to Southend in decades and seeing their joy made it all worthwhile.”
“Most of the customers we serve during the daytime are parents with young children and elderly residents doing errands. With the elderly we speak to them often and witness firsthand the loneliness some people face. Being able to offer not just regular transport, but a bit more through our free trips, means a lot.”
What sets Corker apart?
“In St Albans, there are three or four major taxi companies. They all do a good job – reliable service, clean cars, and competitive pricing. But we believe our local roots and community involvement set us apart.
Many of our competitors are not from the area. We’re local and have been raised here and our long-standing ties to St Albans shape how we operate.
We’ve also invested heavily in our fleet:
- Plenty of child car seats (likely more than any competitor due to our school transport contracts)
- Fully wheelchair-accessible vehicles
- Company-owned minibuses
These assets help us serve the community more inclusively.”
Team and operations
“We have a core team of eight staff, supported by around 100 private hire taxi drivers and over 40 passenger assistance staff. Our services are split between general taxi bookings, via phone, web and app, and structured contract work, primarily school transport for Hertfordshire County Council and other authorities. These types of contract work are now a key area of growth.
Our passenger assistance staff play a crucial role. We transport children with SEND and various medical needs, including epilepsy and severe allergies. We take training seriously. We’ve assessed that official training by authorities was inadequate and didn’t provide enough knowledge to deal with day-to-day issues. That’s why we developed tailored in-house training on autism and other neurodiverse conditions to better equip our team as well as use professional training providers for medical and first aid training.”
On moving to STANTA
“Moving to STANTA was a game-changer. Our old office near the train station had major issues – broken air conditioning, terrible parking, and limited space. We were paying the same for half the value.
Now, the facilities are excellent. The atmosphere is great, and everything just works so much better. It’s made a real difference to how we operate day-to-day.”