Taxi Driver Online

Lincoln taxi drivers told to pay for college courses or risk losing licence (and they aren't happy)



Taxi drivers in Lincoln fear they will be thousands of pounds out of pocket after being told they need to take a college course or risk losing their licence.

The City of Lincoln Council wants drivers to take a BTEC qualification covering customer care, public protection, health and safety and routes and fares.

But some drivers say they will lose money because they will have to take a week off work to complete the course.

Taxi driver Helen Glover told the Echo: "My partner and I who are both taxi drivers in Lincoln have just been informed that the council are making us do a BTEC course that will cost £240 each.

"This is for all taxi drivers. Also it is a total of 35 hours so that will be a week off work to do this course - that's in excess of £400 each.

"My partner has been doing this job for nearly 40 years and I can safely say he knows the job and don't think he needs a bit of paper to say he can.

"I have worked with the public for 30 years and been driving a private hire vehicle for over eight.

"We already have a CRB check and driving licences checked and cars mot'ed twice a year.

"Insurance is expensive and now if we don't do this course we won't be able to renew our badges.

"If this course was done online or free it would still rile us bit if you worked in a supermarket and they wanted you to do extra training they would pay for it so why not the council?"

Another taxi driver said that he did an NVQ a few years ago which has made absolutely no difference to how he drives or deals with the public.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, leader of the City of Lincoln Council, said: "I fully understand the reaction of experienced taxi drivers.

"The council has an important role in public protection. Everybody who gets in a taxi needs to know they're getting a good and consistent service.

"This is really about training arising from new risks that councils across the country are being more aware of.

"One of the modules is about safeguarding children. Taxi drivers have a year in which to complete the course, and it should be possible to complete it without loss of earnings."

From March 7, it will become council policy that all drivers must have the BTEC Introduction to the Role of the Taxi and Private Hire Driver.

Kevin Barron, licensing manager, said: "The City of Lincoln Council is committed to ensuring the city's residents and visitors are able to use a service that conforms to a high standard of service, safety and comfort.

"The new policy takes into account the licensing requirements and experiences of other councils, and introduces extra measures required in terms of training and the qualifications required for drivers.

"The requirement for training will enhance the service provided to the travelling public and also the professional status of drivers.

"The BTEC certificate is nationally recognised, used by many other authorities and is locally available.

"We invited more than 500 interested parties including drivers and operators to give their views on the draft policy but just over four per cent chose to respond.

"These views were taken into account when a decision on the policy was made."

source: http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Linco ... story.html

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

Oh boy whats the betting every other council in Lincolnshire will follow suit

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

4% bothered to reply, yet 90% whinge about taking the course. As a psv driver I didn't have the choice whether I wanted to do the driver cpc or not.

More than 4% of taxi drivers responded to the draft document. I know this as a fact. I delivered my response supported by more than 50% of the taxi drivers in Lincoln. Somewhere between the reception desk and the licensing department it dissapeared without a trace. I wonder why that was. Of course, I have no idea how many PH drivers replied.

Yesterday I attended a registration seminar. One of the English test questions was, and I kid you not, "what is your favourite colour" in the same box, was a further question, "was this question easy, or hard"

It might just help ph drivers cause, the couple above for instance, if they could acknowledge the difference between Hackney Carriage (TAXI) and Private Hire.

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Former taxi driver

According to the stats in the restricted numbers section there are only 31 hackney drivers in Lincoln so if only 50% replied thats only 15 drivers out of several hundred including PH which is probably where the 4% comes from but councils always twist statistics to suit their needs

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

So jimbo you deliverd x number of responses and never insisted upon a RECEIPT for x number of responses FFS are you thick stupid or just a normal Cab Driver sometimes i just despair at the cretins who Drive cabs ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,any Union official would have copped a receipt ffs

PERRAPS ITS ALL THAT POTATO MOLD BETWEEN YER EARS

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

I would've thought potatoes were still a sensitive subject for you, Murphy.

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Former taxi driver

4.2%... The fact that the web link to the proposals was misspelled and unreachable by most.

I think the bbc website copied it word for word thats lazy journalism for you !

Long-serving cab drivers in Lincoln say it is "ridiculous" they are being made to take a college course to learn about the role of a taxi driver.
The City of Lincoln Council is making it compulsory for all drivers to take a qualification covering safety, routes and fares and safeguarding children.
The BTEC qualification also involves learning about transporting luggage, parcels and other items.
Some drivers claim it will cost them up to £1,000 in fees and lost earnings.
Cabbie Jim Kelsley said: "I have been driving 38 years, so what difference is it going to make to my driving and how I treat customers?"
He said the whole idea was "ridiculous".
'Consistent service'
Mr Kelsey suggested the council could apply the rules to new licence holders, but not penalise experienced drivers.
Fellow driver Helen Glover said: "It won't improve what we do - It's a £1,000 down the drain."

eople also took to Facebook to comment.
Lenny Brassneck wrote: "We have it up here on Merseyside, it's a stupid multiple choice questionnaire on a computer... It's of no use to anyone."
Councillor Ric Metcalfe, leader of the City of Lincoln Council, said he "fully understood" the reaction from the drivers.
He added: "The council has an important role in public protection. Everybody who gets in a taxi needs to know they're getting a good and consistent service."
He said: "This is really about training, arising from new risks that councils across the country are more aware of - one of the modules is about safeguarding children."
Answering concerns about the costs involved, he added: "Taxi drivers have a year in which to complete the course, and it should be possible to complete it without loss of earnings."
The policy will come into force on 7 March.

Modules in the new course
Health and safety
Road safety when driving passengers in a taxi or private hire vehicle
Professional customer service
Taxi and private hire vehicle maintenance and safety inspections
The regulatory framework of the taxi and private hire industry
Taxi and private hire services for passengers who require assistance
Routes and fares in the taxi and private hire vehicle industries
Transporting of parcels, luggage and other items in the taxi and private hire industries
Transporting of children and young persons by taxi or private hire vehicle

This takes 35 to 40 hours study

I bet 95% of cabbies could just sit the exam and pass without all that pulava

PH would obviously be a lower percentage

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

Sounds about right for a Council. It takes three days here for a letter to get from the Councils post room to the desk of the person you sent it to.

Tonight, I am very, very, very happy. Oh, yes.

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Former taxi driver

And this coming from a council that is prepared to accept the word of a person who cannot provide a DBS or Cert of Good conduct.

I love Lincoln me, I am going to write about the place so much next month

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

On February 7th I asked for a FOI on driver licenses issued since October 1st last year.

Still have not received an answer, after 20 working days.

City council riding roughshod over the law again.

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Former taxi driver

Oh FFS


Five foreign Lincoln taxi drivers get licences 'without proper checks'

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

Make a formal complaint.

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IDFIMH