GoSkills assists taxi drivers to gain leading edge skills.

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Monday, 08, Oct 2007 12:00

Fifty Chelmsford taxi drivers this week celebrated becoming the first graduates of a development programme that has resulted in the achievement of a certificate to agreed national standards and allowed them to go into bat for Essex as taxi ambassadors for the county.

Thanks to support from GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Passenger Transport,1 and funding from the Learning and Skills Council’s Train to Gain service the drivers each received their NVQ Level 2 certificate in Road Passenger Transport which also makes them fully fledged members of the Essex Quality Taxi Partnership.2

The NVQs have been introduced as part of the support to help taxi drivers become ambassadors for the area they serve, with training in customer service, awareness of medical conditions and disabilities. They also trained in health and safety, safer driving skills and legal matters. The objective is to give their customers an even better service and a lasting impression of professionalism.

The Essex Quality Taxi Partnership is dedicated to improving the taxi industry helping to provide much needed passenger shelters and better signage together with safer and more reliable vehicles. It forms part of a countywide strategy, strengthening the role of public transport and reducing congestion.

David Cowey, GoSkills’ Business Adviser in the East of England, said: “GoSkills has played its part in developing this partnership and our recent work nationally with Train to Gain has resulted in self employed drivers now being able to access funding for training towards a national taxi qualification. These 50 self-employed taxi/private hire drivers are the first in the UK to be recognised in achieving the award through the support of Train to Gain and we are confident that there will be many more.”

Councillor John Spencer, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “Taxi drivers work very hard in Essex at giving their customers the service they want, but this qualification will help them to achieve that something extra special. The driver will essentially become an ambassador for the area they serve, the passenger will be more satisfied with the service and our aim at Essex of providing better public transport will be a stage further to being met.”

Speaking as the relevant licensing authority for Chelmsford drivers, Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Janette Potter, said: “I am delighted that our drivers have had the opportunity to participate in this qualification and improve the service that they provide. We are encouraging all other eligible drivers in Chelmsford to sign up for this course. The Council takes its responsibility as a licensing authority extremely seriously and works hard to ensure that the public are satisfied with the service they receive.”

Ends

Press enquiries please contact:

Richard Tibenham – Communications Manager - 0121 635 5530, email: richard.tibenham@goskills.org

or Fraser Tennant – Communications Executive – 0121 635 5531, email: fraser.tennant@goskills.org

For further information visit www.goskills.org

Notes to Editors:

1. GoSkills received its licence to operate as the Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport from the Sector Skills Development Agency in October 2004. Its mission is to be the leading authority on skills issues for the passenger transport sector. For its two years of licensed operation it received a high grading from the SSDA in its annual assessment.

2. The Chelmsford QTP is a partnership between ECC, Chelmsford Borough Council, Chelmsford Taxi Association, Essex Police, and Private Hire Operators

3. GoSkills sector coverage encompasses the following industries and professions: