Taxi Driver Online

Foreign taxi drivers face language test after passengers complain they can't talk to them

Casey and Farage in same article shocker



YOU'LL never guess who I had in the back of my cab...

The patter of taxi drivers is often seen as a one-sided affair as they regale passengers with tales of life behind the wheel.

But one group of them are now facing an L-test – that’s a language test – to ensure their English is up to scratch after customers complained they could not talk to them.

Bradford council bosses found that many of the city’s foreign drivers do not even speak enough English to have a moan – and customers miss it.

Attempts at conversations about the weather or questions like “Busy tonight?” are being greeted with a puzzled silence.

Taxi and minicab operators admit it has now become standard for people to ask for “English speaking” drivers.

Until now, drivers had little difficulty convincing licensing officers in the West Yorkshire city that they had mastered English as a second tongue.

The rules say they must show “a basic understanding of written and spoken English”. Reading a paragraph out of a paperback book and filling in a receipt was enough to get a licence.

But under plans set to be approved by councillors this week, would-be cabbies will sit a “conversation test” demanding far greater language skills.

They will have to understand a series of questions fired at them by a council worker.

Licensing manager Carol Stos said: “The current new driver process is that an applicant needs to read a paragraph from a book and complete a receipt for a perceived journey.

“A new procedure is proposed which requires an applicant to answer normal conversational questions.

They can include things such as, ‘What do you think of the weather recently?’, ‘Where did you take your last customer?’ and ‘How do you get from A to B?’”

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he hoped Bradford’s lead would be followed by other towns and ­cities, including London.

He said: “Travelling by taxi is expensive and one of the ­compensations is a good chat and a good laugh.

“I have travelled in many cabs in London, with reputable ­companies employing ­ Romanian drivers who use ­sat-nav and are barely able to ­converse a word with me.

“Speaking the language is a high requirement for an ­integrated society.”

Senior figures within the taxi trade agreed with Mr Farage.

Wayne Casey, admin officer for the National Taxi Association insisted: “Being able to communicate with a passenger is important. It is common sense.”

And Khurram Shehzad, chairman of the Bradford Private Hire Liaison Service, added: “It is in the interests of the public.

“Some drivers may know how to drive – but when they have a customer in the car with them, they can’t have a conversation.”

source: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/550406 ... UK+Feed%29

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

not as senior as some you cheeky c*nts

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Wonder if I'll get in the poop for the quote in the mail?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... paign=1490

Wayne Casey, admin officer for the industry's National Taxi Association, said licensing officers should be able to tell when someone has the required standard of English.

He said: 'Being able to communicate with a passenger is important. It is common sense.

'Reading one paragraph out of a book does not sound that clever. But a lot of it is down to the licensing officers themselves.

'They should be able to tell when someone can't speak good English and tell them to come back when they can. But council's do not work like that - it is far too simple.'

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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Grandad,

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

We have problems and they still make it easy;

Answer to (a) Sh!t.

Answer to (b) Home.

Answer to (c) Drive.

Jus know joyned up finking is their

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

Rather than rely on the subjective opinion of a Licensing Officer, which can be challenged as being biased and/or discriminatory, our authority (and many others) now use the "Versant" spoken English test. (Google Versant and try it out)
"The Versant™ English Test automatically evaluates the spoken English skills of non-native English speakers, using speech processing technology and the advanced science of linguistics. The Versant™ English Test has been used by corporations, call centres/BPOs, government agencies, and academic institutions throughout the world to evaluate the spoken English skills of staff, officers, or students."
Every applicant for a licence has to take the test. It is completely objective and the authority can set whatever level of spoken English they deem appropriate for prospective drivers. It is done over the telephone and the candidates marks are scored and retained by the company so there can never be any argument as to whether a candidate passed or failed; and it gives a detailed breakdown of the candidates spoken English in four major areas of speech.

I assume that the test would be done with someone else present otherwise how can the authority be sure that the right person has taken the test?

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Grandad,

was thinking that

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

What sort of pi** pot council licenses a driver that can't muster basic English?

How low do these people view our trade?

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IDFIMH

Your assumption is correct. The applicants have to take the test at the council offices under the watchful eye of a member of staff.

Bradford taxi drivers to face new English language test



New taxi drivers in Bradford are to face different English language tests as part of changes to licensing laws in the city.

Applicants will now be tested on their conversational skills, rather than the existing system of reading a passage from a book and writing a receipt.

Drivers will be expected to talk about the local area, the council said.

The authority is also planning to tighten rules on operators who use taxis licensed by other councils.

In a report, Bradford City Council said the focus of the new test would be to "ensure the applicant understands English and has contributed to communication of English at a basic level".

The council said questions would include: "What do you think of the weather recently?", "Where did you take your last customer"? and "How do you get from A to B"?

Shabir Munir, from the local Hackney Carriage Owners' and Drivers' Association, said he welcomed the changes as it was essential that drivers could speak English.

"Every time a customer comes in you are going to ask them where they're going and you need to know where you are going," he said.

"As part of being in that industry, hospitality and public service, it is very important."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-30711749

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Way I see it, The Trade is the easiest entry into, scamming, money laundering, DWP cheating, Crimes against women/children....When is this Trade going to grow a pair ?

Mine must have, judging by some of the drivers, we now have a language test as well as a multiple choice knowledge test (what a joke) , but is basic English enough? Do we want to be a trade that greets customers with "postcode!" "£20 now!" "no dog! "

If they can't speak the language they shouldn't be doing the job, pretty feckin simple really.