Introduce an "Advanced driving test" for the Taxi

[Gill Taxis]

I would appreciate your support on this matter.
I have started a Petition to petition the Prime Minister to Introduce an "Advanced driving test" for all taxi and Private hire drivers.
In my opinion it will Increase Public safety and raise the standards within the trade.
I strongly believe as an existing taxi driver that the driving standards throughout the trade is below average. The only requirement to enter the trade is a UK full license.( This simply is not good enough )
This is the only professional trade in the public transport industry that does not require anything apart from the DSA "L" test pass.
Like the Bus trade we need to be assessed to a higher level to enter the trade due to the amount of working / driving hours we are likely to do and the number of passengers we carry each day.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TaxiDrivingTest/

[MiniClubmanEstate]

Like the Bus trade we need to be assessed to a higher level
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TaxiDrivingTest/

I only wish we were regularly assessed, in the bus industry the only thing they seem to be interested in is your ability to stick rigidly to a time table, even VOSA and the traffic commissioners have no interest in anything else.

I like the idea of a mystery passenger who would not only monitor standards but give a report on where my driving is good and what I could improve on which would benefit me, my passengers and the company.

I will just add myself to your petition and wish you good luck!

[Stephen]

I thought there was a taxi test if you look at the DSA website you can see it there,also my brother who has been a taxi driver for the past 35 yrs is on a course at the moment via the T+ G union for introducing it in his area.

The problem that he has is getting the local council to take it on board and encourage the private hire and taxi drivers to take it on board.

The main reason for people not wanting to do it is like everything else cost, and that goe's for the Advanced test with IAm or ROSPA no one wants to pay for the privilege of becoming a better driver which hopefully reflects all round ie passengers insurance vehicle maintainence etc.

So,I say go for it if you think it will do any good but lets think about who is going to administer and police it surely not the DSA as they have no experience in Advanced driving they only deal with learners and they dont have any ADIs who could dual role in this to the standard that hopefully we would like to see introduced,just my thoughts.
Stephen

[daz6215]

So,I say go for it if you think it will do any good but lets think about who is going to administer and police it surely not the DSA as they have no experience in Advanced driving they only deal with learners and they dont have any ADIs who could dual role in this to the standard that hopefully we would like to see introduced,just my thoughts.
Stephen[/quote]

Dont have any ADIs who are to this standard who could dual role???? erm! think there is though! Dont know where you get your facts from?
ADI
Rospa Gold
LGV 1

[manilva15b]

There is also precedent for it (though not in the UK).

In Spain, to drive a taxi you must pass the special test (likewise if you want to drive an ambulance or other passenger carrying vehicle covered by the 'B' licence category, which excludes buses).

The test is (now) both theory and practical and requires a knowledge of traffic law as it specifically applies to taxis, etc. The practical test is new for 2008, so I can't comment on its contents. Not an advanced test I know, but better than nothing.

IIRC the EU are introducing mandatory further training and testing for all professional drivers (taxis, HGVs, PSVs etc), but I don't have an implementation date yet. If the rules are covered by a Directive, then national legislation is required to enact it. Perhaps you could ask DfT and DSA if they know about it?

[jmaccyd]

Talking as a London Taxi Driver, there is a driving test you have topass to obtain your Hackney Carriage taxi license. In my day, this was conducted by the PCO (public Carriage Office). The test included the tightest set of manoeuvres I have ever been asked to undertake! Now the test is conducted by the DSA through normal test centres using, I assume, especially trained examiners. I moved into the taxi trade from being a Driving Instructor and can report that the test I took was challenging and required good driving skills to pass

[manilva15b]

IIRC the EU are introducing mandatory further training and testing for all professional drivers (taxis, HGVs, PSVs etc), but I don't have an implementation date yet. If the rules are covered by a Directive, then national legislation is required to enact it. Perhaps you could ask DfT and DSA if they know about it?

Here's the link: http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Consultation.asp? ... 73&cat=418
A consultation document on EU legislation (Directive 2003/59/EC). Interestingly, DfT makes no mention of taxi drivers being subject to the CPC. Why? They are certainly covered in the original EU Directive (as professional drivers covered by licences other than C&D.

[AnalogueAndy]

Petition signed!

As a careful competent driver I'm appalled at the standard of taxi driving locally and nationally both on the road and as a passenger in them!

You would think that any professional driver should be driving at the highest possible standard not the lowest (and I include courier van man - don't get me started on them!).

A couple of weeks back I was unfortunate enough to get in a Hackney at the local railway station, I sat in the back, we set off. He shot through a yellow and then reached 46mph in the first 400yds!

I politely said "No rush, I'd rather you drove within the Law" and he got in a strop saying "I've got a living to make". He did slow down a bit but his driving was frankly dangerous.

All the more interesting since my dad is a private hire taxi driver in my home town. He's ex police and is an excellent driver (if prone to rising to challenges!).

True, he does get compliments on the standard of his driving. And lots of his customers are regulars who always ask for him, he also does a lot of chauffering (including numerous 'stars').

Just as often though he get's passengers telling him to "get a move on"!
In fact he told me recently that he ejected one guy who booked a cab too late to get to an appointment and was insisting he should speed to get there.

[Hedd]

Petition signed!

As a careful competent driver I'm appalled at the standard of taxi driving locally and nationally both on the road and as a passenger in them!

You would think that any professional driver should be driving at the highest possible standard not the lowest (and I include courier van man - don't get me started on them!).

A couple of weeks back I was unfortunate enough to get in a Hackney at the local railway station, I sat in the back, we set off. He shot through a yellow and then reached 46mph in the first 400yds!

I politely said "No rush, I'd rather you drove within the Law" and he got in a strop saying "I've got a living to make". He did slow down a bit but his driving was frankly dangerous.

All the more interesting since my dad is a private hire taxi driver in my home town. He's ex police and is an excellent driver (if prone to rising to challenges!).

True, he does get compliments on the standard of his driving. And lots of his customers are regulars who always ask for him, he also does a lot of chauffering (including numerous 'stars').

Just as often though he get's passengers telling him to "get a move on"!
In fact he told me recently that he ejected one guy who booked a cab too late to get to an appointment and was insisting he should speed to get there.

I get the same problems with passengers

Although no good/advanced driver would ever admit to being an excellent driver im certain im not of average capability as a driver. It seems average joe wouldnt know an advanced driver if they saw one.

Takes one to know one i guess.

people give me attitude if i ask their kidds to put their belts on

to which i reply. I dont care what the law of the land is the law of physics is much more important

I get people telling me to get a move on as if im driving along at 20 Although when its safe im usually at the speed limit or more in N/S areas just goes to show not meny people are used to driving at the speed limit.

Some even ask why ive got both hands on the wheel, why do i keep looking across at the mirror and comments like do you always wear your belt then drive?

Some cheeky b*st*rds even make reference to me being a volvo driver although unknowingly their sat in a remaped and uprated EX police T5

The DSA examiner gave me 4 driver faults for failure to make progress on my 'TAXI' test a year ago, now that pissed me off as he compleatly missed the fact that i was just using good acceleration sense and forward planning. The journey would have not have been quicker without breaking speed limits. When i answered to this he told me well if i were a passenger on an airport run i would tell you to hurry up!

I then told him i was an ADI

The good point to all this is no one ever leaves my car scared, im able to avoid several collisions a month with out 'luck' having anything to do with it, driving around all day causes me no stress what so ever and i dont need to frequently call my insurance company about any fault or non fault damage

All things my "colleagues" stand around ranting about for days on end

I belive if taxi drivers are able to accept payment for for driving people from place to place their driving should be of a high standard and should be tested yearly not just once. The same should also apply to PCV,HGV and limousine drivers as their being trusted with peoples lives, pilots have continuous training/assessment why not for our roads?

[MiniClubmanEstate]

Interestingly at my work they have decided to follow up a complaint about a bus driver being to slow, not me though. So an idiot of the street decides that they know better than a professional driver and the company listens to them and decides to apply pressure, but it's O.K. for a bus driver to crash into the back of another bus sitting at a bus stop due to red mist caused by pressure applied by the operator, 'It's just an accident'.

In my bus I'm sick of the amount of idiots who moan about why the bus is running late when we are quite obviously progressing through traffic rather than charging up to what ever is in front and braking sharply which will set of another brigade of passengers who want to feel safe, usually the same passengers who moan about being 5 minutes late to their destination.

At the depot there are conversations all the time about crashes and who was to blame because as you know anybody can just force you to drive to close to their tail and slow down resulting in you crashing in to them, right!.

Occasionally there are those passengers who will thank me for a safe and comfortable journey and these passengers are the only ones who have anything worth noting to say.

[Gill Taxis]

Petition signed!

As a careful competent driver I'm appalled at the standard of taxi driving locally and nationally both on the road and as a passenger in them!

You would think that any professional driver should be driving at the highest possible standard not the lowest (and I include courier van man - don't get me started on them!).

A couple of weeks back I was unfortunate enough to get in a Hackney at the local railway station, I sat in the back, we set off. He shot through a yellow and then reached 46mph in the first 400yds!

I politely said "No rush, I'd rather you drove within the Law" and he got in a strop saying "I've got a living to make". He did slow down a bit but his driving was frankly dangerous.

All the more interesting since my dad is a private hire taxi driver in my home town. He's ex police and is an excellent driver (if prone to rising to challenges!).

True, he does get compliments on the standard of his driving. And lots of his customers are regulars who always ask for him, he also does a lot of chauffering (including numerous 'stars').

Just as often though he get's passengers telling him to "get a move on"!
In fact he told me recently that he ejected one guy who booked a cab too late to get to an appointment and was insisting he should speed to get there.

Thanks mate.
This is what I mean...some seem to think a few quid id more important than the passengers life !
I am proud to say my passengers only comment on how good the trip was.

I have been under heavy criticism over the petition from certain unions.
They seem to think that the standards only need to be raised for new drivers.
I am honestly at the end of my tether trying to explain that overall it is in the interest of public safety.

I have not been on here for a while...
Sorry been busy
BYW passed the IAM and now aiming to be an observer.
Also doing course to become a Midas trainer for Mini Bus awareness and car & MPV...this involves observing drivers as part of the scheme...Maybe this will assist me in the crusade to make our roads safer ????

Steve

[nodigitsever]

from my observations most Taxi drivers have never even passed the normal Driving test, they are the worst Drivers on the road next to HGV'S!

no indication at all

BAN Taxis!, reduce road casualties!

[Gill Taxis]

Me thinks thats a case of tarring every taxi driver with the same brush.
I can assure you that that is not the case.
BUT yes the standards need to be raised and I am honestly trying my best to make changes in the trade.

[jmaccyd]

from my observations most Taxi drivers have never even passed the normal Driving test, they are the worst Drivers on the road next to HGV'S!

no indication at all

BAN Taxis!, reduce road casualties!

Oh dear, what worse drivers than young males with limited experience, or those who drive untaxed/uninsured/unlisensed, or drink drivers?

According to TFL London Taxis (Black cabs) account for 1% of road casualties in London. One per cent is still to much in my book but hardly the 'threat' you seem to conjure up. The biggest dangers on the road are the unisured, the drunk/drugged driver and the persistant speeder.