Taxi Driver Online

Shame our politicians dont.

Vaughan Johnson criticises overseas-born taxi drivers


Queensland MP Vaughan Johnson has criticised overseas-born taxi drivers / File

AN Opposition MP has criticised overseas-born taxi drivers and questioned whether some illegally share the same licence because they "all look the same". Speaking in Queensland Parliament, LNP MP Vaughan Johnson lashed out at taxi drivers who did not know their way around Brisbane.

"I have got to also touch on some of our brothers from overseas that are driving these taxis, and haven't I had a hell of a drive with some of them lately," Mr Johnson said before detailing his bad experiences including paying $75 for a cab between the airport and city that went via Indooroopilly.

"Some of these drivers I wonder if they do have a licence, I wonder if they just flick it to the next bloke because they all look the same," he said.

Mr Johnson's comments came days after the nation's transport ministers agreed to new national standards for taxi drivers including ensuring they could find major landmarks and speak basic English.

Cab Drivers' Association of Queensland secretary Lee Sims said last night there had been reports of drivers sharing licences or using fake licences but the real problem was inadequate training for drivers.

"I don't doubt that happens," he said.

"The real issue is that legally obtained licences are in the hands of people who are incompetent because of the poor training.

"The standards of the taxi driver comes back to the people who train them, not the people who come here from overseas to drive taxis."

The MP for Gregory, who is known for his colourful language, also said he was not surprised that the road toll was increasing.

Speaking on a transport Bill in Parliament, he criticised tailgaters calling them "flaming idiots" before admitting breaking the law while following a speeding B-double truck in outback NSW.

"I said to my wife, she was driving, I said: 'How fast is that bloke going?'," he said.

"She said: 'I don't know, I can't catch him'.

"I said: 'Give me the wheel and I'll catch him'. I was driving 135km/h Mr Deputy Speaker.

"I know I was breaking the law . . . but these are the idiots that we've to contend with on our roads that are causing the problem."

A spokesman for the Transport Department said no complaints or cases of driver identity fraud had been received and no taxi drivers had been prosecuted for the offence.

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

That prooves that it doesn't happen then!

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Grandad,