Free NVQs for taxi drivers
From Cabinet member for Quality of Life and Neighbourhoods, Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen on 08 September 2008
From 1st October this year, all new taxi drivers in Solihull will be required to complete an NVQ level 2 as part of a new Council initiative.
The Road Passenger Vehicle Driving NVQ will be delivered to all new taxi and other private hire drivers in the borough for free.
The scheme aims to improve the quality of taxi services in the borough and will give new drivers a qualification specific to the work they do.
New drivers will still be required to complete existing requirements including a driving assessment and theory test. They must attend an initial two-day classroom tutorial within the first two months of receiving their private hire driver’s license and will then be assessed in their workplace over twelve-months.
Those who do not attend the initial tutorials and fail to complete the NVQ within the twelve months may have their license suspended.
Solihull College is one of the training providers that run the course- some of the areas covered include:
0 Health and Safety in the work environment
0 Driving vehicles safely and efficiently
0 Providing professional customer service
0 Dealing effectively with difficult passengers
0 Dealing with emergencies and incidents during a journey
0 Transport children and young persons
From 2010 the initiative will be rolled out to all private hire drivers in the borough- new and existing, and the course will become mandatory.
Cabinet Member for Quality for Life and Neighbourhoods, Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen said:
‘Taxis play a vital role in our borough’s transport system and we want to ensure that services on offer to the public are of high quality. Not only will this initiative work to improve taxi services, it will also give our drivers recognition for the skills that they have.’
For media enquiries only, Gemma Shryane 0121 704 6136
Email: gshryane@solihull.gov.uk