Cabbies on course for all-round deal.

Byline: By Steve Johnson 

SANDWELL "taxi drivers" have been fine tuning their customer skills, disability awareness and safety knowledge on a specialist training course.

They have been given the chance to gain the BTEC/NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Transport after Sandwell became the first authority in the West Midlands to give Private Hire and Hackney Carriage drivers the opportunity to go on the course.

The course supports two of the council's main priorities for local people - by increasing people's skills and contributing to a safer environment.

The drivers who complete the course obtain two nationally recognised qualifications and three certificates.

Other authorities around the country were offering either one or other of the qualifications, but Sandwell was the first council to offer such a comprehensive package.

Other local authorities, following on from the success and positive feedback from the trade in Sandwell, have enlisted their private hire and hackney carriage drivers on the course, and places are rapidly being booked up.

The training scheme was developed after cabinet members, as part of a five year plan to improve standards in the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage trade, recommended that licensed drivers should receive training in customer care and disability awareness.

Staff in the licensing office secured funding for the training, working in partnership with Bernadette Smith from GoSkills and Gary Hawkins of Targeted Training Services in Kingswinford, to put together an outstanding course for the drivers in Sandwell.

The training is fully funded through the Learning Skills Council (LSC) and includes the following topics: customer service for passenger transport, including maintaining good customer service and dealing with difficult customers; passenger transport & equal opportunities, including legislation and disability awareness, such as technology and equipment.

It also looks at taxi and private hire safety including incidents and emergencies; carriage of luggage and parcels, such as obligations to passengers; and taxi and private hire regulation such as requirements of the regulatory bodies.

A pilot course got off the ground in the summer last year, with 10 drivers successfully completing the course and receiving their certificates. To date, 67 Sandwell drivers have successfully completed the training.

Coun Derek Rowley, cabinet member for safer communities said: "The council is delighted by this encouraging uptake of the course, which is currently offered on a voluntary basis and at no charge to the drivers.

"I would like to express my very warm congratulations to the successful drivers for all their efforts.

"The course is delivered over approximately 12weeks at the training centre in Kingswinford, and is a great opportunity for the whole of Sandwell's trade.

"I would urge as many of Sandwell's licensed drivers as possible to take advantage of this excellent opportunity."