Taxi Driver Online

English language tests for minicab drivers hit disabled pupils' transport service

The boss of a transport firm which takes about 230 disabled children to school each day says his company will be forced out of London by TfL’s new language test. 

All taxi and private hire drivers now 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.

Martin Cullip, co-owner of family business Supreme Freedom to Travel, said he is considering moving its operations to Surrey to avoid the “crippling” fees for his 77 drivers. 

Mr Cullip, 49, has run the business in Chessington for 21 years and provides transport for three special needs schools every day. 

He said: “Because TfL doesn’t have separate regulation for our industry we are lumped in with minicabs.

"We already have to take topography tests. Now we are told they have to find their original GCSE — I’m 49 and I don’t know where mine is.” 

He added: “At least nine people are refusing in principle. When their licences are renewed they will say no.

"If we don’t have enough staff the contract doesn’t get done and the kids don’t go to school.”

Mr Cullip said moving his business out of London would cost about £40,000 to switch licensing authority but he had to make a decision soon. 

After a legal battle with Uber over the tests, TfL decided to bring them in across the board rather than giving drivers from English-speaking countries an exemption.

The GMB is planning a protest against the new policy outside City Hall on Thursday.

Simon Rush, a branch secretary with the union, said Mr Cullip’s case was probably the “tip of the iceberg”.

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. Drivers must be able to communicate with passengers to discuss a route, or fare, as well as reading, understanding and responding to important regulatory, safety and travel information.

"We are clear that this is a crucial element of the service provided by drivers and is part of our wide-ranging plans to improve safety and increase standards across the private hire industry.”

source: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transpor ... 12586.html

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

Another operator crying like a baby.

The London minicab trade is in crisis not because of the English test, but because the world has signed up to be a London minicab driver and none of them can earn a living.

_________________
IDFIMH

Or read and write or even talk /English their merely cannon fodder for the Proprietors who have created the current situation by CORRUPTING the TOP TEST on a wholesale basis

now the sh!t hits the fan GOOD

_________________
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

Well the sums don't add up. The cost of the tests for the 77 drivers will cost £11,550 but it will cost £40,000 to move. What a plonker!

_________________
Grandad,

I think it is more a case of threatening TFL with loss of licensing income unless they get exempted from the requirement

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

Business expense, what's the problem

_________________
Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Feck me..is it really to much to ask that Taxi drivers in Britain can Speak English....If they Can't then they should neither work here or be here, and if all that fails use British drivers who can speak the lingo, no Disabled pupil need go without transport unless the Minibus owners who are whining would like to set up some kind of Segregated non English speaking Ghetto.

And if it's just the £180 fee they gripe about then they have obviously under tendered for the Job if they can't take that one off fee into account before going to the wall...Geeze..what whiners.

Aye...an Idiot and a half.

tbh. problem is a bit wider... you can speak language on very communicative level but at the same time your writing might be crap either grammar or writing itself. there's many of my noble local work mates who think they're speaking english but that's something like their native dialects understandable only to locals and they're speaking funny english. and when you see their posts on fb i.e. even their other mates have no clue what they're writing about, there's not one or two the majority of them. gcse level is sometimes above of abilities of some people and I know that 90% of non english drivers will have problem pass that test same as let's say 50% of locals. and it's not about £180 it's about why there's only one college and test centre.

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

YEP English as a second language courses widely available and now of course NECESSARY for londons cannon fodder WELL DONE SADIQ

_________________
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