DRIVER PROFILE ‘MY STORY IS ABOUT INSPIRING EDUCATION’
In the midst of all the doom, gloom and despondency surrounding the current national lockdown and general concerns over Covid-19, it is a pleasure to bring PHTM readers a positive slant in this item featuring Cannock Chase taxi driver Majid Hussain. In his own words, Majid has taken some unusual steps to broaden his educa- tion – and hopefully extend his op- portunities for the future.
But first a bit of background: Majid was born in Walsall in the West Midlands 40 years ago, and has lived and worked in the Wal- sall/Cannock area all his life. He left school without any formal qualifications; he worked in various temporary jobs – includ- ing answering the phones in taxi offices – until he was around 20.
As soon as he was eligible for a taxi licence, Majid obtained a private hire licence with South Staffs Council in 2000. After a few years he applied to the neighbouring coun- cil of Cannock Chase for a dual hackney/ private hire licence. In total he has been a licensed driver for about 20 years and has worked in the same area of Cannock Chase for this period.
FAMILIAR TURF
We’ll let Majid take over the narrative: “My current licensing authority is Cannock Chase District Council. I have had a good relation- ship with the council over the years. In this area the licensed vehicles are predominantly hackney carriage; we don’t get the issue of vehicles illegally plying for hire from within the district.
“I drive for Aero Taxis; they are one of the largest operators in the area and they deliv- er a good service to the public. As I am only a driver, I do not advertise for work. Howev- er, Aero Taxis is on Facebook and they do use social media for advertising.
“As I’ve been in the trade for so long, I have come across a lot of unusual fares including carrying bikes, large screen TVs and furni- ture. I have been the victim of abuse on long night shifts. I’ve had people run away with- out paying and recently I had someone pay me with a fake £20.
“I once dropped a passenger off at the train station. On the way back I noticed on the back seat, the passenger had left a bundle of cash wrapped in a carrier bag. I immedi- ately turned around and rushed back to the station. Fortunately I found the passenger standing there but in a very distressed state.
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When he saw me he was so glad of my honesty. He ex- plained that the money was to buy a car and he offered me a tip, but I refused and said it was rightly his property and he should hurry before he missed his
train. He thanked me so much and was very grateful.
BREAKING THE MOULD
“I have become so accustomed to driving a taxi that it is a part of me. I feel no matter what I do in the future I will always be a part of the taxi trade.
“A few years ago, however, I felt that I must do more with life so I enrolled onto a part time degree course at the University of Wolverhampton in 2013. Returning back to education as a mature student was very dif- ficult. I had to juggle family life with work life and also study. It was a very difficult journey and I nearly gave up.
“However after a lot of hard work and sac- rifices, I successfully completed the degree in 2017 and even achieved a classification of 2:1 in Law (LLB with Hons). Studying at this point in life, I realised that it is never too late to study and become an inspiration for others. I endured obstacles in studying at this age but the thought that I can become a role model for the next genera- tion gave me the drive and passion to succeed.
“After graduating in 2017, I felt that I must not stop now and should carry on. There- fore, I enrolled onto postgraduate study. I studied the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and an LLM (Masters in Law) at The University of Law (Birmingham). I have now successfully completed this and achieved a Masters degree in Law with a classification at the commendation level. The graduation cere- mony took place on 5th November 2019 in London.
“I feel this has been an extraordinary achievement because of the responsibilities faced at this stage in life, and also my back-
ground. I left school without any real qualifi- cations and had no prospect of finding professional employment, hence I have been a taxi driver for nearly 20 years. I now realise that I should have studied when I was younger as it is so much easier to focus. Still, they say ‘better late than never’. I'm glad that I have studied and learned the true value of a good education.
REFLECTIONS ON THE FUTURE
“The taxi industry has grown and changed with the times. Gone are the days of CB radios as now it is mostly PDA systems which help to give a better service to the public. The current industry transition means more and more bookings are via apps. I see the future as cashless as more taxis accept cards now. In the near future taxis will be booked only via apps and pay- ment via card/app. This will eliminate cash in hand and reduce office call handler jobs. In the longer term there may even be a transi- tion into self-driving taxis which will reduce the driver jobs.
“There’s no doubt that the current Covid-19 crisis has had a detrimental impact on the taxi trade. The self-employment help from the government is not enough; it should extend with the furlough scheme, which is currently until October. Some taxi drivers are having to resort to doing takeaway deliv- ery jobs but only where their insurance allows them.
“Taxis are one of the best forms of public transport; however they can easily become a breeding ground for the virus to spread. The government should do more to help protect the drivers with screens, and help combat the spread with sanitising lotion supplied to taxis.
“I am now on the route to becoming a solic- itor when I can find a training opportunity but this crisis has made that a lot more diffi- cult. I want to be in a position to help unprivileged people to have a say and be heard.
“I feel that PHTM has been a backbone for the industry and given it a voice. Whatever ups and downs we’ve had, PHTM has always been there to give us an insight into the issues.
“No matter where the industry goes, I’m sure PHTM will always be by its side.”
Thank you to Majid Hussain for his accolade! – and best wishes for the future.
JUNE 2020
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