‘EARN AS YOU LEARN’ SCHEME INTRODUCTION
ROCHFORD COUNCIL LEADS THE WAY IN SUPPORTING ITS HACKNEY TRADE The ‘Earn as You Learn’ drivers:
In November 2021 members of Rochford District Council
Licensing Team identified that their district (like other areas of the UK) had seen a worrying reduction in licensed drivers over the two years during the Covid pandemic.
As business and the general public returned to normal, it was clear, based on the number of drivers available, that the taxi trade was not going to be able to meet local demand.
Therefore, in November 2021 the Licensing Team met with the four main taxi operators who made various suggestions including, a pilot training scheme to encourage new drivers to join the industry.
‘EARN AS YOU LEARN’ SCHEME
The aim was to increase the number of licensed drivers whilst maintaining the high standards required to obtain a licence.
And so, on 18 January 2022 the Licensing Team presented a report to the members of the Licensing and Appeals Committee proposing the introduction of an ‘Earn as you Learn’ scheme.
The key aspects of the report highlighted:
• There is a national shortage of drivers since the pandemic
• The existing drivers had changed their work patterns; this had impacted on availability on a Friday and Saturday night
• The trade felt that the current requirements in place to obtain a hackney carriage driver’s badge, which could be up to six months was too long
The ‘Earn as You Learn’ scheme sought to address these concerns by requirements:
28 introducing the following
•Will be issued with a badge once they had completed all appropriate aspects, except the Knowledge Test
•Will be issued with a private hire driver’s badge for nine months
• Must pass the Knowledge Test within nine months; failure to pass the test would result in the driver’s badge lapsing
•Would not be allowed to re-apply within 12 months from the conclusion of the expiry of the badge
The Operators:
•Would work a mentor system and the drivers could only work for one of the four main operators.
• Must ensure they are assigned to work solely within the Rochford District and not sub- contracted to operate outside the district.
• The ‘Earn as you Learn’ badge will place a requirement on the operators to work with the licence holders to encourage them to obtain their full badge. Any concerns relating to the driver must be reported to the Licensing Team immediately
•Will ensure that ‘Earn as You Learn’ drivers will only drive PHVs and only work on pre-arranged bookings.
•Will help the driver by means of financial support and assistance from their Knowledge Test schools
STATISTICS SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ‘EARN AS YOU LEARN’ SCHEME
The following table outlines the number of applicants, ‘Earn as you Learn’ drivers and those issued with hackney carriage driver badges that were part of the scheme between 18 January 2022 and 18 January 2023.
FEBRUARY 2024 PHTM
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