I WAS TAUGHT THAT BY MY MOTHER. I don’t think I need to be retrained in social graces, so I find this a bit of an insult. Agreed…not all drivers have social awareness so wouldn’t it be better training those that get complaints raised against them and assume most of us are not altogether ignorant of peoples needs?. I open the door for people, help older people with their shopping (I even carry it into their house), I don’t call them ‘mate’ or ‘buddy’, I assist people in wheelchairs and I don’t arrive and just toot my horn. I knock at their door and give help if required. No, I’m not perfect (as my wife will testify) but these things are just common sense and manners. Maybe it’s an AGE THING. I do notice some of the younger drivers seem to be very ‘casual’. Shouldn’t this course be part of ‘The Knowledge’ ….something you need to be checked on BEFORE you get a license. It’s this sort of thing that makes me glad I studied to be an Internet Marketer . At least I can leave it all behind and still earn good money without having to pass even more exams!. Please have a look at the preceding video and then decide if an NVQ can help. It is this sort of person who wants a taxi home and is not bothered about your good manners and qualifications…..unless they are in karate. And while I’m at it….have you ever got into a taxi to be greeted, in an accented voice, with “Post code please”.(required for his sat nav) Now I’m not against anyone earning a living here BUT can’t they at least learn the area they work in?. If the satellite goes down…what then? Do they just park up and wait (with the meter running of course) until they get a signal again?. YES YOU GOT IT…..I’m now officially a Grumpy Old Man….bring back the days when cabbies were cabbies and not just anyone grabbing the money and running!. (Oh.. the blood pressure…where’s my medication) Now that I’ve worked myself into a fluster I’ll go and get on with making a living from home and see if I can lower the pressure and make some money. Visit my blog at briluki.com and read my other views on the taxiing life.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I will just say that as a taxi driver what you have typed is more or less what i would have said.
Having just completed the two btech units i just find it worthless having sat through almost 20 hours (unpaid) and two point and click exams and then told congratulations you have passed.
I see my standards as already being high in this trade and having found out i got 12 questions wrong out of 140 a bit demoralising.
ho hum now the NVQ (is that not very qualified).
BTW it is EU funded not local or national goverment so i dont belive yours or mine or anyone elses taxes are being used on this pointless waste of time
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ibyte, I have said this twice before on this site, NVQ’s in this game are worthless!, an NVQ 2 as well????, NVQ 2 levels are normally aimed at 16 year olds that are doing useless work Training schemes, Or in the health care field an NVQ 2 trained person is classed as a “Junior”, or new!!!, Plumbing NVQ 2 is classed as half way their????, so NVQ’s to Taxi/PH drivers are a insult, especially at level 2, I am glad I did’nt qualify for the free training because I already have qualifications, inc a NVQ Assessor qualification, remember NVQ Level 2 is apparently equiv to GCSE’s or a O’Level wow!!!
These silly mindless Courses will only cause another division in this already divided Trade!!!, you will have silly billy’s starting “Qualified Taxi Drivers Associations”, or something like that, you will be parked up and some one with these Dum Dum qualifications will be moving you on!!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
In reply to Stephen,re NVQ`s…I`m starting this course via NODA,so at present can`t argue the rights or wrongs of it,however,I would say that any qualification must have some value to it.
Incidentally,don`t knock O levels,I got 6 of them when I left school,albeit some time ago now.
I also have qualifications in motor engineering,both craft and City and Guilds,so I`m not going to poobar NVQ`s till I know what they are about.
One other qualification that we may all have to undertake sooner or later is the DSA advanced driving test for taxi drivers that has been undergoing evaluation down south. Or are we all such expert drivers that that should be scrapped as well? I know Im not..and I still have my RAC amateur rally licence some where just to prove how bad i am.
If the NVQ`s free…why not do it…cost is nowt so loosing nothing are we, it would also show the powers that be how good we all think we are……..
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@john dodds, I am not knocking O’Levels!, I am just highlighting what a NVQ is equiv to!, I just missed O’Levels when I left School, had to do the hard GCSE’s the first or second round of them!, I am surprised you get it free, the Guy that came to Central to get us to sign up stated that you only get it free if you have no qualifications!, so that was me out, I am not having any sleepless nights about it!
John, NVQ’s are about what YOU do, remember my comment about BLT having a Car with two Guys in the front, well that was a Assessor!, so you write what you do and someone has to witness it and sign that you can do it!, it could even be a Customer!, ideal scenarios would be helping disabled customers if you have a Doblo/Scudo!
Anyway I think you will find they are a waste of time!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade