Taxi Driver Online

English Tests For Australian Taxi Drivers

May 23rd, 2011

Australian-born taxi drivers are not happy with required English language proficiency tests new drivers are required to pass in order to obtain a license to operate a taxi. The English test is being introduced throughout the country.

It is not so much having to take the test that is an issue with some native Australians, but the $90 fee. Native Australians assert that they should not have to pay to prove that they can speak their own language. The fee can amount to roughly a half day of pay for some drivers.

Queensland Transport and Main Roads introduced the test last November in a report listing 56 recommendations to reform the nation’s taxi industry. All applicants are required to pay the $90 fee [£58.35 in English money] to take the online test. The test is provided by the Central Queensland Institute of Technical and Further Education.

All taxi drivers would be required to take the test, regardless of the nationality of the driver. Since the test has been administered in Queensland, nearly 900 drivers have taken the assessment with 186 failing the test.

John Rahilly of Queensland Taxi Advisers Inc. believes that a “commonsense approach” is needed for the delivery of the tests, adding that it is “ridiculous” for English-speaking drivers to be required to take the test. The reason for the test was due to an industry wide problem of taxi drivers not being fluent in English.

Only new drivers would be required to take the proficiency exam, with those employed prior to November of 2010 exempt from taking the test.

Source; http://www.ignitionnews.com.au/2011/05/ ... i-drivers/

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
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Online test?

Must be open to fiddling, or as they say in absolution, 'Taqiyya'!!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

20.67% failure rate!!!

There's an obvious need for the test with such a high failure rate!!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

I suspect the tests are done at council offices, using council computers.

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IDFIMH

With a council interpreter?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

maybe should introduce this test in dundee

as there would definatley be a 90 % failure rate

Native? dont think so!

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Christ...and I thought I was messy with a paint brush!!!