The Casey Column
By Wayne Casey
(Leading Light & Star Columnist)
The views expressed in this column may not be those of the National Taxi Association
A question of Training gem? Why does a driver need to learn about assistance and not charge a disabled passenger
Many of you will have read this column last company policies and procedures, isnʼt this as any more than you would charge an able bodied
month and may be questioning my apparent stated previously, the job of the operator? passenger? Is that really worthy of page upon
conversion to the new god of training. I page of politically correct bullshit?
reached this monumental reversal of views Already I see this course needing to be
when it suddenly dawned on me that, to be separated into at least three different sections, Indeed, with reference to the above, I wager
honest, going around the country, there are HC, PH and PH Operator, all three are distinct every single byelaw in England and Wales has
people doing jobs who are not very good at it in terms of their licences, so why the one stupid a section, which states the driver must offer
whatsoever, indeed, true to form, I would regard size fi ts all mentality? Why does a ʻone man ʻreasonable assistanceʼ; if this doesnʼt include
these people as unemployable in virtually every bandʼ hackney carriage proprietor need to know helping people with disabilities then I donʼt
other vocation, except, sadly, ours. This is a sad the good will and potential high profi le benefi ts know what will. Moreover, the quite beautiful
state of affairs. of sponsoring the local darts league? Perhaps wording of reasonable assistance also covers
we should take this a stage further, why the hell such mundane things as assisting with luggage,
I am however totally mystifi ed by the training donʼt the taxi trade sponsor Manchester United and that byelaw comes from a time before the
courses we are expected to do, for the most next year? AIG are rumoured not to be renewing DDA! Why on earth does a driver need to know
part the current courses appear to be full of very their deal, so why not Man United as sponsored the benefi ts of website building and the internet
interesting things that are of no use whatsoever by AAA Piles Taxis? (unless itʼs for my best mates at TDO?).
to the daily life of a cab driver. To be honest, if
they actually taught us how to change a plug on A HC driver is bound by and hopefully supplied More worryingly still is the fact that in some
the toaster it would probably have a little more with byelaws, in my opinion, provided the areas you must pass this piss poor course as
relevance. The BTEC course seems to be full of driver has these explained to him in a concise a prerequisite of licence. Can someone please
stuff that is completely irrelevant. professional manner he wonʼt go far wrong. Any explain to me why someone cannot be a cab
BTEC should be based around the principle of driver if he forgets in an exam about websites?
I do realise that Edexcel (the people who agree the job done, not the brainchild of someone who Somebody needs to contact Edexcel and get
the course is a course worthy of qualifi cation) thinks how the job should be done in a certain these courses looked at, because for the most
have no experience of the taxi trade, I therefore way. Yes, Iʼd elaborate on the course a little, Iʼd part they appear just like what some drivers
wonder how on earth they can actually state include such things like a degree of sensible have described, a complete waste of downtime
this is the course that should be approved. They things like daily maintenance of the vehicle (loss of earnings) and effort.
appear to have some deranged middle class view
and vehicular checks. Indeed, the advice given
of what a taxi driver should do as part of his job.
around confl ict situations is useful, but why does Regional Meetings
Unfortunately for us, this seems to be everything,
a driver need to know the irrelevant? Region 2 of the NTA (the North East & Cumbria)
I havenʼt quite got to the nuclear physics section
is to meet on 2
nd
June 09 at the British Legion,
yet, but I suppose itʼs in there somewhere.
What is of more relevance to a driver and Middles Road, Craghead, Stanley, County Durham.
perhaps of more use to a licensing committee,
For a start, the BTEC book appears to need
knowing the driver knows how to check and Regions 5 & 6 of the NTA are to meet on 3
rd
June
a degree in English literature for anyone to
adjust his vehicleʼs oil levels on a daily basis, 09 at the Sale Excelsior Club, Symons Road, Sale.
understand; it includes words and expressions
or knowing which particular chapter of the 1995
such as ʻdiversifi cationʼ, ʻcomplacencyʼ,
DDA refers to taxis? Surely all a driver needs Further details of the meetings are available
ʻcultivating relationshipsʼ, ʻbespoke serviceʼ and
to know in terms of the DDA is that each fare from yours truly on 01228 598740.
many other hidden gems. I realise many of you
should be treated the same, you must treat
know what these words and expressions mean,
each passenger with respect, offer reasonable Wayne Casey
but Iʼm quite sure an equal number havenʼt
the foggiest.
I am old school, I openly admit I have
dinosaur like tendencies, and the biggest
gripe I have is people giving the illusion
that the HC trade is the same as the
PH trade; the BTEC course does this
in abundance. The one course suits all
mentality is probably the worst thing about
the course. Why on earth would a private
hire driver need to know how to speak to
someone on the phone? Thatʼs the job of
a private hire operator isnʼt it? Why would
a HC driver need to know about company
policies, and more importantly isnʼt that the
job of a company he may wish to attach to
and not the job of this insane qualifi cation?
Good customer service apparently
includes a well maintained, safe and
comfortable vehicle, however, what if I
rent my vehicle from a hackney carriage
proprietor and itʼs his job to maintain it?
Why has this course, which seems to
quote all of the various DDA and race
relation acts not actually thought of that
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