Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver re-test bid rejected

6:02pm Monday 27th September 2010

Craven taxi drivers with six penalty points on their licence will still have to retake a driving standards test.

A trade member of Craven District Council’s taxi liaison group had asked for the maximum number of points to be raised to nine.

Drivers had argued that it was relatively easy to build up six points - such as two speeding offences or being caught twice for talking on a mobile phone while driving.

But the council’s licensing committee decided to leave things as they were.

The council currently requires taxi drivers to retake a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) test after getting six penalty points on their licence.

The additional test was brought in following a recommendation by North Yorkshire coroner Geoff Fell at the inquest of a taxi driver and passenger who died in a road crash at Gargrave in 2004.

The purpose of the test is to measure the driving competency and skills of all licensed drivers and is a requirement for all taxi drivers in Craven.

After the meeting, council leader, Coun Chris Knowles-Fitton, said the council had a duty to the public to make sure all taxi drivers were safe.

“In keeping the current level of six penalty points as a requirement for taxi drivers to take a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) test, I believe we are ensuring the safety of taxi passengers and pedestrians,” he said.

Source; http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/8417 ... _rejected/

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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.

Reasonable condition or policy???

_________________
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 suppose we all speed but lets be honest do we do it in areas we are unfamiliar with? Most locals know where the speed cameras are and only an idiot would speed through them. As for talking on a mobile phone whilst driving without being hands free is silly, but, one would like to think that once caught one wouldn't do it again and at least get a hands free set fitted

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I suppose the council felt obliged to act after a cab driver and a passenger died and the Crown Coroner inquest told the council they really should check the standard of drivers in the area.

Another group who threatened to join the NTA......without giving the NTA all of the reasons why the council dreamed up the DSA test.

CC

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

I don't see a problem with a DSA test myself, driving is the major part of being a taxi/ph driver

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

quite right, and a driver CPC and digital tacho should be introduced as well

Well I'm intrigued - what is a "driver CPC"?
Are you a fan of limiting hours for Taxi drivers?

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

1. You dont know? EU Directive 2003/59

http://www.drivercpc-periodictraining.o ... river-cpc/

(NOT a CPC for an (ops) O-Licence by the way)


2. Yes, arent all professional drivers in favour?

1. I didn't know, I know now, NO!

2. No they are not.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

That's why this trade will never be a profession.

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

I'm sure you're probably right Gusmac, but, which bit

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Both.
We are far to inclined to think training is ok for new drivers but not for us.
Don't get me wrong, if it's irrelevant or poor quality training, I'd be the first one to object.
There is always room for improvement and none of us knows it all.

Far too many think it's acceptable to drive a cab for as many hours as we can keep our eyes open for.
It's dangerous and it's stupid and few outside the taxi trade share this view.

Is it any wonder we are run by numpties when we are clearly not fit to run our own trade in a professional manner?
Until we are, we will never be a profession.

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

I couldn't agree with you more, but, I've always been pro training. As you say it should be relevant training tho

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Why should taxi/ph drivers be any different to bus or truck drivers? both are now requiered to under take 35 hours training every 5 years to keep on driving commercialy, at a cost of approx £100 per 7 hrs, and with the majority of drivers, it has to be paid by them, some lucky ones will get it paid by the companies they work for.
On working time, is there nothing planned for drivers to be governed by the working time directive? which has a max working week of 45 hours.

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now a licensed hackney driver

AFAIK it doesn't apply to the self employed.
Another good reason to get rid of the self employed scam

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