This Article is From Dec 20, 2014

Taxi Drivers to Get Lessons on Dealing with Passengers, Handling Emergencies

Taxi Drivers to Get Lessons on Dealing with Passengers, Handling Emergencies

The course will sensitise drivers on how to behave with women passengers.

Bangalore: Bangalore will soon have India's first finishing school for taxi drivers.

Taxi for Sure, a technology marketing group which connects consumers with cab operators, will introduce crash courses for drivers in the city, for free.

The six-day course is meant to sensitise drivers on how to behave with women passengers, how to react to an emergency and even on how to dress and communicate.

On the last day of the course, the drivers will be given a certificate along with a medal.
"I can fit in GPS systems in cars; I can also fit a panic button in the cars. But then the behaviour of the individual is something we need to focus on. So I think this will be good investment," said co-founder of Taxi for Sure, Aprameya R.

Since the rape of a young woman in Delhi earlier this month, allegedly by an Uber cab driver, several taxi companies have been under the scanner of transport officials. Some, including Uber, have even been banned in various cities across India.

Pradeep, a 27-year-old who has been driving a taxi for seven years, says that in the last week, the incident has not just meant loss of business but a "loss of respect too".

"People may give me more respect if I am displaying a badge or a medal in the car. We are losing so many orders. We work very hard. But someone else's action is impacting us in a bad way," said Pradeep.

"I won't say it is a damage-control exercise. But yes, it is an image-building exercise and we do genuinely want to make our industry and system better and safer. If there is good demand for the course and if we get positive feedback from passengers, we will think seriously about taking it up at the national level." Aprameya added.

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