Backend Engineer

Wheely introduces family accounts, making it easier to share bookings and privileges with the people closest to its members. New feature lets members share membership privileges and a single payment method with family, partners, household staff or family offices, managed centrally through the Wheely app. Wheely, the Swiss-founded British luxury services company, has launched Family Accounts, a new offering that allows eligible members to extend their Wheely membership privileges to the people closest to them and share one single payment method to book journeys. Members can invite up to six people to join their account, giving them access to membership benefits while journeys are paid for centrally. Account owners can view journey history and spend, manage access and keep track of activity directly through their Wheely app. Designed for delegated use, Family Accounts can be used across families and partners, as well as household staff and family offices. For family offices in particular, a nominated admin or account holder, such as a Chief of Staff or Head of Family Office, can manage the account centrally, with visibility over journeys and spend, including receipts and expenses, while enabling those across the family office to book Wheely journeys independently. Family Accounts easily pairs with Wheely's dedicated Kids class, which includes Mercedes-Benz V-Class and EQV vehicles with certified child seats and space for wheelchairs, making it easy for parents, carers or nannies to book safe, seamless journeys for children through the same account. The 5-minute daily briefing for UK business travellers. Free. Unsubscribe any time. Those invited to Family Accounts can access global membership privileges including Wheely Luxe, Wheely SUV, Wheely Concierge and Chauffeur For A Day - extending the same level of service members rely on themselves to family, partners, friends and staff. While Wheely members have previously been able to arrange and pay for journeys for others through Book for Another, shared payment cards or Wheely for Business, Family Accounts brings access, payments and journey visibility together in one dedicated experience. The account owner retains oversight without the need to share payment details or coordinate individual bookings. Family Accounts is now available to Wheely members using the latest version of the Wheely app on iOS and Android, in cities including London, New York, Paris, and Dubai. Members are invited by phone number. Andrea Thompson Andrea can be found either in the Travelling For Business office or around the globe enjoying a city break, visiting new locations or sampling some of the best restaurants all work related of course!

Wheely opens London Chauffeur Academy where only one in six pass. The new Wheely Chauffeur Academy in Hammersmith puts every driver through a three-day programme and strict assessments, promising UK executives consistent, discreet transport on every journey. Wheely, the Swiss-founded, British-based premium ride-hailing company, has opened a new Chauffeur Academy in Hammersmith, west London, as it bets that hospitality rather than technology will decide who wins the growing market for executive black car services. For UK business travellers, the practical significance is in the numbers. Every chauffeur wishing to drive on the Wheely platform must first complete the academy's three-day programme and pass written and practical assessments, and the company says only around one in six applicants make it through. That vetting is the basis of Wheely's pitch to executives who need a car they can hold a confidential call in, arrive on time from and, above all, rely on to be the same standard every time. What the Wheely Chauffeur Academy teaches. The programme is designed to give chauffeurs the tools to anticipate a client's needs before they arise, rather than simply respond to requests. The syllabus covers etiquette, situational awareness, privacy protocols, vehicle standards, driving style and communication. To graduate, candidates must pass a vehicle inspection and a grooming test alongside the written and practical exams. Wheely's stated benchmark is the consistency of the world's best five-star hotels, and the leadership of the academy reflects that emphasis on discipline. The programme is overseen globally by Laura Allen, the company's Director of Customer Experience, and led day to day by Ricky Miller, a former Royal Marines Warrant Officer and former private close protection officer, working alongside Wheely's specialists in each city. The 5-minute daily briefing for UK business travellers. Free. Unsubscribe any time. Those standards sit on top of the statutory baseline. All private hire drivers in the capital must hold a Transport for London licence, and the TfL private hire driver licence process already includes criminal record and medical checks. Wheely's academy is a further filter on top of that, and one the company says most applicants do not clear. Why the location matters. The Hammersmith site is closer to central London than Wheely's previous training base, which the company says cuts travel time for chauffeurs attending courses. It also houses the company's headquarters, putting the training and operations teams under one roof. The London academy is part of a network that already includes Dubai, New York and Paris, with more expected to open as Wheely continues its North American expansion, a push Travelling For Business reported on when the service launched in New York. The timing is deliberate. Major technology companies are investing heavily in premium transport and autonomous vehicles, and Wheely is positioning itself on the opposite side of that argument. Its view, held since the business launched more than 15 years ago, is that technology should enhance exceptional service rather than replace it. What it means for UK business travellers. The most relevant offer for corporate users is Wheely's Business service, a black car product aimed at executives who need discretion and consistency. Above that sit First, SUV and XL options for passengers who want more space or a higher level of luxury for event arrivals and airport transfers. For those flying privately, the company has also extended its flight tracking to private aviation, so a chauffeur can time a planeside pick-up at a private terminal. Privacy is a recurring theme. Chauffeurs operate under strict non-disclosure agreements, which Wheely says allows passengers to take calls or hold meetings in the car in complete confidence. Preferred vehicle settings, in-car amenities and concierge requests are stored so that regular users do not have to repeat themselves. For SME travel bookers, the trade-off is familiar. A vetted, trained chauffeur costs more than a standard app-based ride, and the case for paying it rests on whether the journey is working time that needs to be protected, or an arrival where first impressions carry weight. Wheely's argument is that a one-in-six pass rate is what buys that certainty. The test, as with any premium ground transport supplier, is whether the experience holds up across every booking, not just the first one. Andrea Thompson Andrea can be found either in the Travelling For Business office or around the globe enjoying a city break, visiting new locations or sampling some of the best restaurants all work related of course!