Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers could be sent back to school before they are granted new licences. South Ribble, Preston and Chorley councils are considering making new applicants sit a BTEC in passenger transport before they are allowed to carry passengers.

Cabbies in Preston and Chorley currently sit a knowledge test and Preston Council also makes new recruits sit written and spoken tests in English. But South Ribble Council's licensing department currently does not impose any restrictions, meaning unsuccessful candidates from other areas are able to apply for plates in the borough.

However, the council is eager to ensure all its drivers are up to scratch.
So South Ribble, Preston and Chorley Councils are looking at proposals to send all new recruits on a £100, 12-hour course at Runshaw College in Leyland. All Hackney carriage drivers in the UK will require training in the Disability Discrimination Act from next year and the councils hope to extend this training to all new recruits.

However, the training may not be extended to drivers who already hold a taxi licence and will only go ahead if at least two councils sign up for the scheme. Coun John Brown, chairman of the taxi and miscellaneous sub-committee at the city council, said: "We're always looking to improve taxi services in Preston and the idea to run a new training course is an important part of our plans.

"We have been considering the idea of working with South Ribble and Chorley Councils to establish a joint course where new drivers would learn about issues like customer care, requirements of disabled passengers and, as with the current tests, gain knowledge of local streets."

The move has been welcomed by firms and one of the main industry bodies. A spokeswoman for Leyland-based Avacab said: "I don't see how this will be a bad thing. The more checks the council has to make sure drivers are reputable, the better."

Stuart Pessok, spokesman for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said: "Anything which prepares recruits for life as a cab driver can only be a good thing. "The public will also hopefully benefit from better service. You can't knock something which will only improve their quality."

Coun Matthew Tomlinson of South Ribble Council said: "Customers like to know they can trust their taxis, and this is one way we can help firms build trust. "At the moment this idea is in its very early stages, but with support from Preston and Chorley, I hope to see it up and running."

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IDFIMH

Bournemouth are doing the BTECH and i'm sure its aimed at existing drivers and new drivers alike.
its been a huge success and i think the first course was completed in july / August 2005 and they are ongoing at present as theres a huge number to get through.
the obvious problem i see is the written english part when mant cant even speak english and thats just the locals ha ha never mind the immigrants thats down there

And well done to them.

The problem part of the taxi/PH trade has is that it's led by people who only want more and more drivers for their motors, standards don't come into the equation.

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IDFIMH

Scottish borders have been doing it for 2 years for new drivers, it started at £80.00 but you can get a grant so it only costs £10.00

So a BTEC only takes 12 hours of training? One wonders how much knowledge can be imparted in that time.

I'm not against it, they have proposed a similar thing here. I suppose any training is better than no training. But what are they going to teach us?

How to get sick off the back of a car seat?
How to rugby tackle a runner?
How to get paid for a no pick-up?
How to avoid getting robbed on a Saturday night?
How to get through solid traffic?
How to report bookers nicking off the rank?
How to get fuel duty rebate by avoiding licensing as a taxi and being a psv?
How to avoid CRB checks by getting a job as a teacher?
How to pay our spiralling fuel costs and increasing Licensing fees while still being treated as public enemy number one by the Council and Police and Parking Attendants?

Anyone done one of these courses? Are they not just a day of learning to be politically correct?

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Exactly

What about training courses for councillors

Why stop there, lets introduce age restrictions & dress codes for councillors ? (no jokes about colour restrictions for them please )

How many of these local authorities insist on training courses for the drivers of the buses used for transporting school children about ?

You usually find that these councils are the very ones who turn a blind eye to limos, etc & use 30 year old buses that have been round the world more times than a satellite

the harder is it for drivers to get a license the better.
bring on quotas for drivers.

I think Mr Taylor from Edinburgh has a few views on a course in his town.

Didn't they teach you how to rub behind your ears in an 'anger management' module

But I think the problem with a lot of these courses for the trade is that it's just a question of turning up and collecting the certificate at the end. Not like the DSA test or the KOL, for example.

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