Taxi drivers split over new daily college course (From This is Hampshire)
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Taxi drivers split over new daily college course
5:11pm Monday 20th July 2009 in
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- By Matt Smith » Politics and business reporter
AROUND a quarter of cabbies in Southampton are now taking daily exams to show they can do their job.
Around 265 drivers have signed up to take the controversial BTEC qualification in transporting passengers by taxi or private hire vehicle.
The trade is split over a bid by Southampton City Council licensing chiefs to make the qualification compulsory.
Distinctive Training, which is running the courses for local colleges, claims all drivers have learnt something new.
But union bosses insist the tests are “insulting” to drivers and are being proposed to cover failures in council enforcement.
They complain an agreement that new drivers should sit the exam still hasn’t been implemented.
Councillors are considering whether to agree to the new licensing conditions such as the BTEC, digital cameras in cabs, and extra six-monthly MoT tests for cabs.
A heated consultation meeting with the trade behind closed doors failed to find agreement on a way forward.
Comments(6)
Condor Man
says...
8:14pm Mon 20 Jul 09
taxi driver in southampton
says...
10:41pm Mon 20 Jul 09
Distinctive Training, which is running the courses for local colleges, claims all drivers have learnt something new.
I have just sat this test and passed both exams and i did not learn one dam thing from this test..
The only people to benefit from these courses are the companies running them the get paid a lot of money for this.
Night Mare
says...
12:07am Tue 21 Jul 09
Dazzz wrote:I agree. Then perhaps the glut of taxis parked in undesignated areas outside both sides of Southampton Central railway station will cease when the drivers are able to read the signs.
Maybe a basic English exam when applying for a license maybe a good place to start !!!
hulla baloo
says...
6:41am Tue 21 Jul 09
taxi driver in southampton
says...
4:39pm Tue 21 Jul 09
hulla baloo wrote:Hi Hulla baloo
Does the course include anything about appropriate dress code, manners, helpfulness and a good knowledge of the English language?
No the course doesnt include anything like you have asked they just give you 60 questions in the first test and 80 questions in the second test all you do is answer as many questions as you can to pass thats it there is nothing on the course they tell you to teach us anything so its all us taxpayers that are footing the bill for this one. it is estimated that for every driver that does this course the companies running this course will be paid £1800.00 not bad for them hey...
I have been driving taxis around southampton for approx 15years there is nothing I do not know about this trade
If you have ever had a problem with taxi drivers or you feel you need to report them please call 02380 832792..
Also most of us drivers are polite and very helpful to our passengers its just a few bad apples that give us a bad name
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Dazzz says...
5:29pm Mon 20 Jul 09