Taxi Driver Online

Councillors urged to ditch proposed new taxi tests in Aberdeen

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... -aberdeen/


Image: DC Thomson

Councillors have been urged to throw out a potential scheme for training Aberdeen taxi drivers on helping disabled people, customer service and using sat nav systems.

It had been suggested that a mandatory course for all city cabbies could improve the service and lead to higher safety and satisfaction levels among passengers.

But a new report has recommended that the licensing board do not proceed with implementing any “formal” training programme as there are no local providers that could cover the training and that further expenses would “not be viewed favourably by the trade”.

While other councils carry out similar schemes at local colleges, it has been suggested that elements may be incorporated into current Aberdeen taxi tests.

The beleaguered city trade could face further competition from Uber, who were granted a licence to operate in the city a year ago but are still to put cars on the streets.

Aberdeen’s taxi drivers are also in limbo over a long-standing legal battle over whether the city’s entire fleet should be made wheelchair accessible.

The council in 1994 signed an agreement stating its aim of a fully accessible fleet – but last summer it was agreed to delay implementation again for at least five years.

There have also been concerns raised about customer service provided by drivers with six complaints of poor service currently being investigated by the authority.

But in recent years the trade has also suffered significant struggles following the downturn in the oil and gas industry, with drivers working longer hours to make ends meet.

The report to councillors reads: “Though drivers are not employees of the local authority, they are often a visitor’s first point of contact with the city and therefore can influence the opinion of visitors, or indeed residents, if a poor service is provided.

“There are currently in excess of 1,200 licensed drivers, however, which would suggest that the vast majority are providing acceptable service.

“While a training programme would be desirable, evidence would suggest that the issue is not causing any particular concerns at present and the imposition of a further expense on potential drivers may prove counterproductive if standards can be maintained by other methods.”

Derek Davidson, a driver in the city of 20 years, said: “I have mixed feelings about this really.

“I think there are a lot of good drivers in the city but there are definitely drivers who could benefit from a bit of customer service training.

“I think it would be a good idea if some of it was incorporated into the other tests we do.”

Ron Holding of the city’s Disability Equity Partnership raised concerns that if the training was just incorporated into existing programmes it could prove “toothless”.

He added: “We know that now every penny is a prisoner but I would feel putting a bespoke programme would be a good investment.

“I would make undertaking the training a condition of getting a licence.”

Hazlehead, Queens Cross and Countesswells councillor Martin Greig, however, welcomed the “sensible solution”.

He said: “I don’t think we should be adding to the burdens of the taxi trade.

“We would all benefit from increasing our awareness of disability issues but this requirement would unnecessarily add to the pressures of the industry!”

This is interesting, not only because of the training aspect, but also because of the way it's portrayed in the Aberdeen press.

So the morning paper (the Press & Journal) makes it sound like the committee agreed with the official recommendation to dump the training. Meanwhile, according to the evening paper (the Evening Express) councillors weren't too happy about this, particularly because of *six* (OMG!) complaints that have been made against drivers, and have asked officials to find training providers.

(There was also some micro-local stuff about taxi ranks which I haven't bothered including below.)

Licensing board decides against disability training for north-east taxi drivers

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... i-drivers/


Image: DC Thomson

Plans to provide drivers with more training in Aberdeen have been put on hold by councillors.

In a meeting of the council’s licensing committee held yesterday, a decision to introduce a mandatory course for city cab drivers – which would have focused on helping disabled people, improving on customer service and using sat nav systems – was rejected.

Despite concerns being raised that this might result in poorer customer service in the city, the licensing committee decided that standards could “be maintained by other methods.”

As reported by the Press and Journal last week, it was recommended that the licensing board did not proceed with implementing any “formal” training programme as there are no local providers that could cover the training and that further expenses would “not be viewed favourably by the trade”.


Aberdeen taxi complaints spark search for customer service trainers

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/new ... -trainers/

Extra efforts are being made to find customer service trainers for Aberdeen’s cabbies amid a number of complaints.

Last September, Aberdeen City Council’s licensing committee asked officers to look into the potential for training drivers in customer service, disability awareness and using sat-navs.

A report to yesterday’s meeting said there “do not appear to be any local training providers” to deliver suitable courses that would cover all those subjects.

The report recommended the committee agree not to proceed with training.

However, councillors disagreed – especially as the council is dealing with six complaints alleging poor service from taxi drivers dating back to last October.

The committee’s convener, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “The tricky issue here is that training can be a real benefit for drivers but the cost must be met from the cost of taxi licences.

“The taxi trade have made it abundantly clear that the fees are already high and they wouldn’t want them increasing.”

The committee instructed the council’s licensing solicitor Sandy Munro to look for outside funding bodies, such as Scottish Enterprise, that would be able to give the council money to deliver a course.

It also asked Mr Munro to keep looking for training providers.

At the meeting, Mr Munro said: “We need to contact the likes of local colleges and see if they have any kind of training potential.

“I do know there are the likes of South Ayrshire Council that does a course via one of their colleges, so I can speak to them and see how they went about it.

“There are a couple (of local authorities) in Edinburgh who have a private company that do it for them. I can speak to those people.”

Typical council not wanting to make a decision.

May I suggest they just ditch the policy and stop f***ing around.

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IDFIMH

Are they that thick in Aberdeen that they need to be trained to use a Sat Nav

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