Taxi Driver Online

Basic English test for County Durham cabbies ruled out by council bosses



Despite overwhelming support for the introduction of an English test for hackney drivers, councillors dropped the idea

Cabbies have accused council bosses of “bottling it” after they failed to introduce a basic English test for new drivers.

The proposal to introduce a basic literacy test for Durham cabbies received overwhelming support from those working in the trade and members of the public who responded to a council consultation last year.

More than three quarters of people who responded to the consultation agreed that new taxi licensing applicants should undergo basic literacy testing.

However in a revised taxi licensing policy, which was rubber stamped by councillors on April 13, the idea had been dropped.

Drivers will have to take a basic numeracy test along with a council locality and knowledge test but there was no suggestion drivers would be examined on their English.

A statement at the opening of the new policy reads: “In assessing the consultation responses and formulating a draft revision efforts have been made to balance the needs and wants of the trade against the requirements of the legislation, available good practice and the necessity to safeguard the public, especially those who use taxis, including users who may be vulnerable.”

Alan Shield, chairman of the North West Durham branch of the National Taxi Drivers Association, said: “I am disappointed that they have not introduced this.

“I believe that if you can’t speak the language you shouldn’t be driving a taxi.

“It’s bad for passengers and for drivers, a passenger will get frustrated and drivers will have to spend extra time trying to understand where to go.”

He added: “Overall I don’t think it is a bad policy, there are some good things in there that I agree with it is just a shame they have not included this.”

The move is part of a raft of measures to shake up the taxi industry. Improved safeguarding measures for child passengers have been put in place, as well as restrictions limiting the age of vehicles used as cabs and their emissions.

Joanne Waller, Durham County Council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “We decided to introduce a basic numeracy test to the knowledge test for new drivers which will include arithmetic questions relevant to the transactions they regularly undertake.

“We decided that a literacy element was not required as by completing the knowledge test, drivers are proving they are sufficiently literate.”

source: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor ... m-11240469

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

Heaven forbid you get into a taxi where the driver is able to understand you and speak the same language!

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

HOW MANY CABBIES RESPONDED, AND WHATS THIS NTA SHOWER GOING TO DO ABOUT THE COUNCILS DECISION ................EH?

MY GUESS SFA AS USUAL

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Sounds to me the spivs had a part to play here.

God forbid the endless supply of folks that can't speak the native language drys up.

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IDFIMH

There you are they will do nothing as usual

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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

what do you expect them to do then? im sorry mate , you bang on about unions all the time, taxi drivers are a different breed tbh, they never stick together over anything in my experience, its not like you work in a factory or anything like a closed shop, the only reason (as far as i can see anyway ) is joining a union for your own protection ie: union solicitors, but you don't need them anyway in this day & age, anything else just wont happen in the taxi trade or rarely,(might in the big city) , sad but true, i was a "shoppie" in a factory for 5 years & often attended there gmb collage in Manchester ( lot of years ago mind ) if a ph firm around here gets a rent increase, 100% of them will moan there tits off but wont do a single thing about it , you were a driver yourself, so i cant understand why you do it tbh , you & i know the unions will never be strong in the taxi trade, too many" ah, its just old fred, just works 3 days a week for beer money , (he has no interest, hes 69) honestly mate , you are wasting your time

Ven wasting my time very likely but ive plenty of that available stick together solidarity thats my belief obviously cabbys are the thickest of the thick but theres a quote from malcom x i like "if your coming for my brother i'm coming for you" You'd be amazed at the requests for advice i get the tide might be turning and stricter licensing conditions and compulsory courses will be immensely beneficial to the Trade

"the great are only great because you are on your knees ARISE " jAMES CONNOLLY

_________________
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

Ven wasting my time very likely but ive plenty of that available stick together solidarity thats my belief obviously cabbys are the thickest of the thick but theres a quote from malcom x i like "if your coming for my brother i'm coming for you" You'd be amazed at the requests for advice i get the tide might be turning and stricter licensing conditions and compulsory courses will be immensely beneficial to the Trade

"the great are only great because you are on your knees ARISE " jAMES CONNOLLY

mine also, never gonna happen outright with taxi drivers though, every firm around here, well if you complained or started something to "get at the owner or rock the boat trying to change something" it would just be hand in your datahead the last ph firm i worked for brought in rules , new rule , if you don't want to take a dog ( just a normal pet, not against the law, some drivers take pride in there cars afterall) recover the job, if you don't want to take certain punters ( ie: people you have had run ins with previously,) recover the job, if you recover 2 jobs within 24 hours you will de disabled on the datahead for 24 hours, one lad was disabled because he recovered his second job ( the knacker he refused to pick up give his car a boot the previous weekend because of 70p!, a druggie scum whos dealer was late ) he then couldn't work for 24 hours through no fault of his own, where is the justice in that then? he lost 2 days work because of a fooking junkie!!, honestly if that happened to me, i would have went to his house & crippled the tw£t tbh imagine a similar scenario like that happening in a factory for example? someone getting laid off for a few days when it wasn't his fault? it just wouldn't happen tbh , the lads would walk out , i have said it before & i will say it again, all taxi drivers are only out for cash, they don't seem to have any principles whatsoever, i honestly don't understand it al all, i would love someone on here who owns a taxi firm to tell me why you think nothing of your drivers?? ( tbh , the last owner i worked for was a coke fiend anyway , he doesn't count , only ever seen him on a monday, rent day,) like i say , wont happen in this trade

eh??

Ven now and again someone picks up the solidarity theory and goes with it, spread enough seeds ??? who knows

If occasionally my posts prompt some consideration thats fine by me. i cannot tolerate the current situation where decent hard working drivers are being EXPLOITED when with some courage they could achieve much..............................but as you point out their generally THICK ...............but that wont stop me provoking all and sundry

_________________
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