The Taxi Industry performs a vital role in passenger transport. Our entire community depends on taxi travel at some point of time, from tourists to big business, the elderly, the young, people with disabilities, including people with an assistance animals (guide dogs and hearing dogs) and the greater population, all are reliant on the services the taxi industry provides.
The taxi industry in Adelaide has a shortage of full and part time taxi drivers and as a result job prospects are excellent. There are very real opportunities available for people who want to succeed in the taxi industry be it part time or full time work.
People who drive taxis come from a wide range of backgrounds and include;
- People with full time jobs seeking to earn extra money,
- People wanting to run their own business,
- Students,
- The unemployed trying to gain employment and work experience,
- Retiree’s looking for casual work,
- Those who join the taxi industry as a starting point for other jobs in the taxi, passenger and road transport industries.
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Cabbies both male and female come from all walks of life. An Adelaide taxi driver will enjoy the freedom of the job, meeting lots of interesting people and providing an important service to our passengers. Taxi drivers are ambassadors to our State. To meet passenger expectations taxi drivers require excellent communication skills, a sound knowledge of Adelaide including main roads, places of interest, tourist attractions, and suburb locations and of course the Passenger Transport Act and Regulations.
Taxi drivers work in the customer service industry and therefore require the skills to apply good customer service techniques to passengers. Drivers’ duty of care includes assisting the elderly and frail and people with a disability including the acceptance of assistance animals in your taxi. Drivers are also required to work under a Code of Practice (schedule 9 of the Passenger Transport Regulations). The regulations are covered during the training course.
To be able to drive and operate a fare paying taxi service in Adelaide you must become an accredited taxi driver.
In order to be eligible to become a taxi driver you must hold a current South Australian unconditional drivers licence and successfully complete a training course and accreditation program.
Accredited drivers are engaged to drive a taxi usually on a full or part time basis. The industry offers many flexibilities and choices of work shifts, which will vary between taxi operators in Adelaide.
The Information session will take you through all the steps and costs in obtaining your taxi driver accreditation. Sessions are held on a regular basis at the CBS’s i.e. Adelaide Independent Taxis, Suburban Taxis, Yellow Cabs and Adelaide Access Taxis. At the Information Session you will be given a Medical Form and Police Clearance application. These two clearances are required prior to the commencement of training. Candidates are then referred to the Taxi Council SA where your photo ID will be taken, your trainee passport issued and you begin the driver training process.
A) ENGLISH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW
As communication is a critical part of being a professional taxi driver each trainee is required to successfully complete an English Assessment interview. This assessment takes around 30 minutes and is conducted at the Taxi Council by an RTO approved, qualified assessor.
B) ROAD LAW THEORY TEST.
The driver of a public passenger vehicle (taxi cab) is considered a professional driver. Excellent driving skills are of paramount importance for passenger safety and comfort. Each new driver candidate will undertake a Road Law Theory Test which requires the candidate to successfully answer 10 Road Law Questions.
Once the trainee has successfully completed the English Assessment and Road Law Theory Test the trainee passport will be signed off be the training manager. The passport will be a “Record of Attainment” during the training process which will last for a minimum of six months. Each step of your training is recorded in the trainee driver passport.
The trainee can now book the practical driving assessment with the approved training provider that conducted the English and Road Law Theory tests.
The trainee driver must not change training provider during the accreditation process.
This assessment which is conducted by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) approved by the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (D.T.E.I.) involves driving a late model family sized vehicle. You will be assessed by a qualified assessor on your ability to provide a safe comfortable drive, your driving skills, road craft and traffic management skills.
You are required to hold an unrestricted South Australian drivers photo licence.
On successfully completing the driving assessment the RTO will issue a certificate of competence and book you into the training course.
Taxi driver accreditation course is conducted by approved Registered Training Organisation.
The training course covers the following modules and is of five days duration. (Training course outline attached)
- The Role of the (Public Transport Division).
- The Passenger Transport Act and Regulations.
- Passengers with special needs and assistance animals.
- Driver safety, security and conflict.
- Customer service/relations.
- Tourism.
- Navigation and use of the street directory including mobile classroom Bus.
- Driver health, stress and fatigue management.
- Occupational Health, Safety, Welfare, Discrimination and Equal Opportunity.
Once the training course has been successfully completed your trainee passport will be signed off by the training manager. Should a re-sit be required to reach competency with any training course module your assessor will advise you of the procedure.
You can now book the CBS induction session with your nominated taxi company.
Your nominated taxi company conducts driver induction sessions. You will be shown how to operate the taxi including the computer dispatch system, meter, EFTPOS machine, the camera and G.P.S. alarm. This session also includes your taxi company’s policies and procedures. Once the CBS induction session is completed you will be referred to a taxi operator.
The Taxi Operator will be your on road training supervisor and mentor and will introduce you to all the hands-on functions of driving a cab, e g operating the meter, driver changeover procedure, refuelling, paperwork and general maintenance of the taxi.
Once you have successfully completed the Operator Orientation Session you can apply for Trainee Accreditation.
Your next step is to apply for trainee driver accreditation at Accreditation and Licensing, 71 Transport Avenue, Netley. You will need the following:
- Driving Assessment Certificate
- Police Clearance
- Medical Certificate
- Driver Accreditation Application Form (signed by a Justice of the Peace)
- Trainee Driver Passport
Once you have obtained your trainee driver accreditation you can now apply for your PIN from your nominated taxi company.
You will require a driver’s PIN from your taxi company before you start taxi driving. Once you have acquired your Trainee Accreditation return to your taxi company to arrange for a PIN. You can now commence driving and earn some money.
The professional development program is designed to provide ongoing training and driver development during your six month trainee period. There are two sessions which will be conducted at the taxi company you are assigned to and at the Taxi Council. Experienced drivers and industry stakeholders will be available to answer your questions, develop new driver skills and explain how you can maximise income. On completion of the professional development modules you can now book your final competency assessment test at the RTO where your training was provided.
The final competency assessment is conducted at the RTO where the training course was held and you should allow 2 hours to complete You will need to pre book this session and bring with you your completed trainee driver passport, your drivers licence and temporary trainee accreditation. You will be assessed on your knowledge of the Regulations, customer service, tourism, navigation skills and the Professional Development Modules.
Once you have successfully completed the final assessment you will be issued with a Certificate of Attainment and your drivers passport will be completed and signed by the RTO assessor. You can now apply for full taxi driver accreditation at Accreditation and Licensing, 71 Transport Avenue, Netley.
We understand you will have many questions about the taxi industry. Some of these are answered below.
Q. How old do I have to be to drive a taxi?
A. You need to have a full unconditional South Australian drivers’ licence and be at least 20 years of age.
Q. How long does it take until I can start driving and earn an income?
A. Depending on course availability and police and medical clearances it could be as soon as a few weeks from your initial enquiry (subject to qualifying).
Q. How much will I earn?
A. In the taxi industry you work as a sub-contractor and your earnings are usually based on 50% commission. You are running your own small business therefore your earning capacity is dependent on the number of shifts you do per week and the number of fares per shift. Good drivers learn to work the computer dispatch system to maximise their earnings.
Q. How will I know where to work?
A. The industry has highly experienced personnel that will assist you to maximise your earning capacity.
Q. How much will my training cost?
A. At the Information session all costs relating to training will be discussed.
Q. Do I have to wear a uniform?
A. Yes. A uniform is required under the Passenger Transport Act. Costs relating to the purchasing of a uniform are the drivers’ responsibility.
Q. What about driver safety?
A. Adelaide is a safe city compared with many other larger places, however driver and passenger safety is paramount at all times and therefore security cameras are fitted to all Adelaide Taxis. The surveillance cameras are also linked with global positioning system (GPS).
Q. Am I guaranteed shifts?
A. Yes. Job prospects are excellent for full/part time drivers. Taxi operators are located from Gawler in the North to Noarlunga in the South. As with any job though, you have an obligation to the owner to be reliable and trustworthy.
Taxi Council SA
08 8293 6000
0418 102 950
admin@taxicouncilsa.com.au
Yellow Cabs
08 8354 7222
Suburban Taxis
08 8400 6266
Adelaide Independent Taxis
08 8202 1200
Taxi Cab Training Centre
08 8269 3392
Transport Training Centre
08 8243 4400
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