Taxi Driver Online

One in three would-be taxi drivers fail language skills test

A third of applicants for Birmingham taxi and private hire licences failed a basic communications test. The 20-minute written exam was introduced by the city council following complaints from passengers about language barriers. More than 500 drivers were refused licences last year after failing at least one of the sections of the test.

A statistical breakdown issued by the council showed 40 per cent of Pakistani, 43 per cent of Indian and 49 per cent of Bangladeshi applicants did not pass the test. More than 1,100 drivers passed the test.

Under a section headed best answers, applicants were read a sentence and asked to choose a suitable reply.

Examples included:

1) Your passenger asks if you allow guide dogs in your car? You reply: a) In the boot. b) Next month. c) Thank you. d) Yes, of course.

2) Your passenger asks you if you would help carry their luggage. You reply: a) In the morning. b) On Friday. c) Sometimes. d) Yes, of course.

Numerical questions asked applicants to work out typical cab fares, to calculate change and deduct tips.

Testing for prospective taxi and private hire drivers began in April 2002 after the council said it had evidence that Asian drivers experienced a disproportionately high number of physical attacks because passengers were frustrated by communication problems.

Jacqui Kennedy, council assistant director for regulatory services, said: " Consultation was carried out with drivers before the scheme was piloted with all drivers feeling that the test was relevant to the job that they would be undertaking. "There were no objections to the test being introduced."

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IDFIMH

It Seems a simple language test and I'm surprised at the failure rate. I suppose it could hardly be called stringent but at least its a step in the right direction.

Regards

JD

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IDFIMH

Only in kebabs.

Ollie

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Happy to be legit.

But I suspect some of the natives would have problems with the questions as well.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

God help if the London Minicab trade had were submitted to the above test.

Yes indeed it is very easy (like a walk in the park) but I am indeed not suprised by the failure rate.

Having just got my Birmingham badge for PH 4 weeks ago I was very suprised at how easy this test was, I was a wreck the day before as I thought it would be quite difficult but It was actually very easy.

I've just posted on another thread in the "Licensing" forum and mentioned about the dreggs of the new PH drivers, I wasn't telling pokies either, forgive the pun.

A lot of PH drivers around here are as mentioned, either Pakistani, Indian or even Somali, I myself am white and as a PH driver in these parts I am unfortunately in the small minority. I have already picked up a number of white passengers who were suprised to be greated by a white taxi driver.

The company I have just finished working for has just employed some of the dreggs of the new PH, Somalies that can't talk very good English and some Pakistanis who would prefer to speak Urdu 90% of the time whilst in the company of a white person. It has been mentioned by many white passengers that they are not happy about the language been spoken or indeed the fact that the English is very bad.

Judging by what I have seen over the last week I would say that the council were very lax when they issued the badges of the drivers that I have been working along side, one of which drove his minbus down the wrong way of a one way street in Birmingham City Centre of all places, I sometimes wonder if money exchanged hands somewhere...

I'm quite sure your not calling ethnic drivers 'dreggs' just because they can't speak good English.

Alex

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

No Alex I wasn't. What I was simply reffering to was that the company I was working for were left with the "dreggs" of the PH trade. They had just obtained their badges, GOD only knows how. Their English is not too good and they don't know their way around Birmingham too good either.

Put it this way, if a company were to hire a van driver to do multi-drop deliveries you would expect the driver to be able to get from A - B without too much hassle, these new drivers were unable to do just that.

In the short, what is the point in becoming a PH or even Hackney driver if 1: You're understanding of the English Language is cr@p to say the least and 2: You ain't got a clue about where you're mean't to be going.

Like I said "dreggs".

So tell me what is the native language for taxi drivers down their in the Khyber Pass, it seems from up here the ethnic minorities are become the ethnic majority. Maybe it would be easier if everyone learned to speak Urdu.


Majority rule and all that, a bit like derestriction

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Hello Skull, you should try to get to know some of your brown skinned colleagues, after all I bet you like nothing more than a good old curry and then fisticuffs on Saturday night.

I hate to disappoint you 187ums but I have Pakistani relatives I might also add I love Pakistani and Bangladeshi food.


Ignorance isn't a colour it's a state of mind and if anyone should know this you should.

I wouldn’t swap them for you any day of the week.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

not disappointed at all, nice to know you are still around!!

i think they are doing something about talking skills in b&h.
there is even a chance some of the locally born chaps might pass.

Maybe they should also consider a spelling test as well.

Just a thought.

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IDFIMH