There was a very similar case reported not that long ago, but no sign of this chap's name via the search, so must be a different case altogether.
Anyway, I can't quite believe that the knowledge test is hard enough such that he could have driven for 13 years prior to lockdown, and yet can't pass it now
I suspect there's a bit more to all this
On the other hand, the councillor's comment about the his knowledge being inadequate because of changes to the city in recent years just doesn't seem grounded in reality. More realistic, surely, to say that he simply didn't pass the required test, rather than trying to make excuses for him
And, like the last driver, if he's so knowledgeable already can't he just do a wee bit of revision and resit the test rather than all this rigmarole?
If all he needs is to brush his knowledge up a bit then it shouldn't be that difficult, surely
‘Naive’ Aberdeen taxi driver who didn’t study before test appeals to return to tradehttps://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... n-refused/The returning cabbie, who had been driving for 13 years before stopping during the Covid pandemic, went before councillors to argue his case...A “naive” cabbie has been prevented from returning to the trade as his pleas to skip Aberdeen’s contentious Street Knowledge Test were refused.
William Duguid argued that he had been working for 13 years with Rainbow City Taxis before stopping in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.
He first passed the Street Knowledge Test in 2007 when he joined the trade, and explained that he passed another exam about a decade later.
With this in mind, the would-be returning taxi driver went before Aberdeen City Council’s licensing committee to ask to be exempt from resitting the Street Knowledge Test.
Why does taxi driver have to resit Aberdeen Street Knowledge Test?Mr Duguid told councillors that he is “after a licence” because he feels he “knows the streets pretty well” and was “hoping to be exempt through that knowledge”.
Committee members were told that Mr Duguid had recently sat the Street Knowledge Test, but was unsuccessful.
Councillor Gill Al-Samarai acknowledged that when Mr Duguid recently took the test again he “failed all three sections”.
https://wpcluster.dctdigital.com/wp-con ... 40x478.jpgMr Duguid admitted that he didn’t do his revision prior to taking it this time round.
He added: “But any taxi driver will tell you… When they’re driving you know the streets.
“Once you pass your test and you’ve been driving about the streets you know where the street is.
“I actually thought I would have passed it. I was probably being a bit naive and I didn’t really study for it.”
What did councillors decide?Councillor Al-Samarai had her reservations about giving the former cabbie free rein to return to the roads.
She continued: “I feel that enough has changed in the streetscape of Aberdeen that it would be quite important to resit the test.”
However, councillor Neil MacGregor backed the taxi driver at the licensing meeting.
He said: “Yes a lot has changed since 2007 but Mr Duguid has been driving and only stopped during Covid, so I would think he retains the knowledge of most of the city.
“So it’s, as he says, a surprise that he failed but I just feel it’s not really right. I think he could probably take us to where we want to go as a driver.”
Ultimately, the committee denied Mr Duguid’s request to be exempt from the Street Knowledge Test – which means he will need to pass it prior to submitting an application.
It comes as the public will be given a say on taxi policy in the coming weeks, including specific questions about whether pre-booked private hire drivers should have to sit the disputed test.
You can view the full meeting
here.
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