Taxi Driver Online

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/london-minicab-drivers-asked-bizarre-questions-on-mars-and-northern-lights-in-new-english-test-a3476396.html

London minicab drivers are fuming after being asked bizarre questions about life on Mars and the Northern Lights in tests to prove their English skills.

New Transport for London rules, set to start in September, will see all taxi and private hire drivers have to demonstrate their ability to write and speak English in order to gain a licence to work in the capital.

Drivers must pay £180 for a written essay and speaking test when they renew their licence if they are unable to produce evidence of GCSE-level qualifications.

But sample English papers for private hire drivers in the capital include demands for candidate to write an essay on river pollution and keeping fit.

Uber is fighting the proposals and is set to have its case heard in the High Court from Tuesday.

Hasan Yasar, 52, who hails from Turkey but has been driving minicabs in the capital for 17 years, told the Sunday Times: 'I can write, I can read, but the writing test asked me about Mars.

“I'm not a scientist. How would I know about Mars when I am doing a private hire job?”

And Uber driver Alan Skelly, 55, claimed he had been left frustrated after being asked to read a series of passages and answer questions about the aurora borealis.

He told the paper: “A lot of people are really going to struggle with this.

“Just the words aurora borealis are going to catch out a lot of people.”

Helen Chapman, TfL’s General Manager for Taxi and Private Hire said: “It is essential for public safety that all licensed drivers can communicate in English at an appropriate level.

“The ability of drivers to receive, understand and respond to written communications contributes to public safety and customer care.

“We are clear that this is crucial to a driver’s role in transporting the public.”

The exam board said candidates would be judged on their ability to communicate rather than knowledge of the subjects in the test.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Interesting one to follow.

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IDFIMH

Tuesday's action.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/u ... 78216.html

Bet the 70,000 others wont be too upset if 30,000 go.

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IDFIMH

Uber says English test will put 33,000 minicab drivers out of business

The minicab booking app is locked in a high court battle with Transport for London over a new package of requirements for private-hire vehicle drivers

Plans to force London’s minicab drivers to pass written English tests would put up to 33,000 of them out of business, the booking app Uber has said. 

On the first day of a high court battle with Transport for London, lawyers for the ride-hailing app said the test would threaten the livelihoods of tens of thousands of drivers. 

TfL has proposed a package of requirements for private-hire vehicle drivers in the capital including tests in reading and writing basic English. 

It also wants drivers to have private hire insurance when vehicles are not being used to carry passengers and for firms like Uber to set up call centres open 24 hours a day. 

Uber London Ltd, which has a private-hire vehicle (PHV) operator's licence, has launched a legal challenge with three individually licensed drivers - Hungarian national Sandor Balogh, Bulgarian national Nikolay Dimitrov and Imran Khan from Parkistan.

Tom de le Mare QC, Uber’s lawyer, told the High Court in London that the transport body’s estimates suggest 33,000 minicab drivers (28 per cent) would either fail the test or be put off from attempting to renew their licence over a period of three years.

There are over 110,000 private hire drivers in the capital.

The new rules, including having to provide new call centre facilities and meet unjustified insurance demands, were also likely to lead to additional costs for PHV operators running into millions of pounds, said Mr de la Mare.

TfL has argued that the requirements, including the test which involves writing a short essay, are necessary for customer safety and public protection.

Uber claims the standard of reading and writing needed to pass the test is too high.

Mr de la Mare also said that there was no evidence that restricted abilities to read and write English had led to problems and that a drivers’ ability to understand road signs and basic directional instructions was already sufficiently tested by a topographical test.

He said Mr Balogh and Mr Dimitrov had completed more than 2,000 trips as registered drivers "and never once in that time been requested to communicate (by reading and writing)". 

The High Court is due to hear the case until Thursday although it might be some weeks before a ruling.

A Transport for London spokeswoman said: “The changes to regulation of the private hire industry being challenged in this case are vital, to ensure passenger safety and to raise standards.
 
"We continue to robustly defend this claim.”

source: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/u ... 78216.html

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

Uber says English test will put 33,000 minicab drivers out of business

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Please make it compulsory

Would someone explain how 33,000 minicab drivers will be put out of business when they will be classed as employees soon,Uber is the business not the drivers.

this is uber pr dept bleating

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector