Taxi Driver Online

Pretty well rehearsed arguments on this topic by now, but of course to a greater extent these days it's all tied up with the cross-border stuff, but which isn't mentioned here.

But, as per usual, not difficult to spot the PH operators' rep who wants to abolish the test

The one I can never understand, though, is ostensible grass roots drivers who also want it abolished

And on a slightly indirect point, been reading about the ins and outs of a 'rape gang' inquiry for Bradford, which some are saying would make the likes of Rotherham look like tea in the park


Has sat-nav made taxi drivers' 'knowledge' test redundant?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrnxdxy8yjo

A West Yorkshire council is considering scrapping its knowledge test for taxi and private hire drivers as the vast majority use sat-nav technology to get around.

A review of the test - which includes answering questions about key landmarks, routes and areas within the district - is being considered by Bradford Council as part of possible broader changes to licensing rules.

Some drivers say a clear understanding of Bradford's road network helped them to better serve the public, but others welcome a possible removal of an "irrelevant" layer of red tape.

At the taxi rank on Sunbridge Road, Talib Hussain says the knowledge test still serves a purpose for drivers.

"You can't rely on GPS all the time," he says.

"When you become a taxi driver, you should know the roads and streets - it helps you do your job better and serve your customers better."

Mr Hussain has been driving cabs in Bradford for over 40 years, having moved into the trade after a career in textiles ended due to redundancy.

He adds: "GPS can waste time or take you the wrong way, I do think I am a better driver because I have the knowledge."

Another driver, Muhammad Akmal Khan, who learnt to drive in the Netherlands, admits he found the test "difficult" because English is not his first language.

"I speak Dutch, German, Urdu and Punjabi, but I still passed my test on the first attempt," he says.

He feels the knowledge test should remain, along with requirements around drivers being able to speak a good level of English.

"When the customer gets in the car, you need to have a rough idea at least of where Fagley or West Bowling is for example," he says.

"What will you do if the [GPS] connection fails, who do you follow?"

Local knowledge also helps build "important" rapport with customers, he adds.

Taj Mohammed, however, has a different view.

"I think it's just an extra hurdle now," he says.

"I have been a taxi driver for a very long time, almost 50 years, but even for the newer drivers I don't think they will lose out.

"The more they use [sat-nav technology], the more they remember - it's experience."

Nadeem Ahmed, chair of the Bradford Private Hire Operators' Association, says the test is now "a bit of an irrelevance".

"GPS doesn't fail much, I've never had an issue," he says.

Mr Ahmed recalls he had to answer at least 25 out of 30 questions correctly when he first gained his taxi licence in Bradford.

"They ask you how you get to locations like Shipley, the centre of Bradford, Bolton Woods or Great Horton," he says.

"There was a day or two of training, but times have moved on now."

Bradford Council's review of its current regulations, external also includes potential changes to how liveries and branding are displayed and whether rules on statutory declarations of previous criminal convictions should be amended and streamlined.

Just opens the door for all the ride hailing apps. Bradford next to strike in a years time due to low paid drivers.

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So busy night tonight??

Was thinking earlier - but forgot to say - that if the article is correct then Bradford has a similar system to Aberdeen, with the same hurdles applying to HC and PH badges, Mr GraniteTaxi.

On the other hand, it's not comparable to Aberdeen because cross-border working throughout the whole of England means that it's very probable that Bradford is swarming with Ubers already, maybe licensed by our friends in Wolverhampton

But this above perhaps demonstrates how the cross-border thing works, not just regarding Wolverhampton-badged drivers per se, but how it undermines higher standards in other council areas.

So PHDs are getting badged by Wolverhampton instead of Bradford because of the low fees and lack of knowledge test, so eventually Bradford Council thinks it's maybe better to do the same and hope drivers will badge locally. So then it's a double whammy as regards the race to the bottom - both cross-border badges and the local equivalent are handed out like sweeties.

And it's not just the apps, because the local circuits (the operators' assocation quoted in the piece) will also think it good to dumb it all down, to stop drivers going to Uber.

So there are several different impetuses towards the bottom of the barrel, with the existing grassroots drivers being the main group losing out.

And the Bradford offices may think it's a good short-term thing to get more drivers, but in the wider view it will also benefit Uber, thus they could end up cutting their own throats

It's absolute madness to get rid of the knowledge tests.

Which is why the Bradford operators want it. They aren't worried about customer service, they are only concerned about getting money from more and more drivers.

As for the supposed drivers supporting it, I suspect they are either multi-plate holders or stark-raving bonkers.

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IDFIMH

Well at least one operator here supporting retention of the knowledge.


"Cabbies should rely on local knowledge, not Sat Navs"

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... -sat-navs/

PROPOSALS that would allow local cabbies to rely on Sat Navs rather than local knowledge have been criticised by a private hire boss and local councillors.

Bradford Council had planned a series of changes to the conditions it places on private hire and Hackney Carriage drivers in the district.

One of these changes was to scrap the requirement for a local knowledge test, which quizzes drivers on Bradford’s roads, routes and landmarks and which they must pass before they get a licence.

The Council said scrapping the test would bring Bradford in line with wider changes proposed by Government, and was due to the prevalence of satellite navigation systems in modern cars.

The change would only apply to private hire drivers, not Hackney Carriage drivers.

The changes were due to be decided by the Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee on Thursday, but members questioned the move that would allow people with little local knowledge to become private hire drivers.

A report to members said: “Modern vehicles now have ‘Sat Nav’ systems installed, and many private hire booking systems provide navigation instructions for picking up and dropping off passengers.

“Use of a ‘Sat Nav’ system is part of the DVLA driving test, showing how widespread and useful these systems are.

“Given the availability, reliability, and ease of use of these systems, the Licensing Service suggests new drivers shouldn’t need to pass a topographical knowledge test before they are granted a licence.”

At the meeting Kaz Shehzad, manger of Wibsey-based taxi firm Local Cars, said: “We feel our drivers should know about Bradford, know the streets of Bradford, know the places of interest in Bradford, especially with City of Culture.

“You shouldn’t remove the knowledge test.”

He told members he knew of at least seven incidents where reliance on a sat nav had led to issues such as taxis driving into a ditch or getting involved in accidents.

Mr Shehzad said there was a feeling that the decision had already been rubber stamped, as he knew of people applying for private hire licenses that had been told the local knowledge tests had already been scrapped.

Carol Stos, Licensing Service Manager, told members that the test had been temporarily scrapped, but this was due to an administrative issue involving the organisation that carries out the tests, rather than the planned change in policy.

Other members of the committee raised concerns about the removal of the knowledge test.

There was some confusion as to whether the Government call for knowledge tests to be dropped was guidance or mandatory.

Members decided to defer any decision until a future meeting, when a legal officer would be present to offer advice.

Neither the licensing manager nor anyone else in the committee room knows if it's guidance or mandatory, and they need a legal officer to offer advice?

relying on the sat nav system is a big risk should either another carrington event occur or a major power start disrupting the satellites .

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

So basically the tail is wagging the dog and would have continued to wag but for the councillors expressing their concerns.

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IDFIMH