Are Cabbies Teachable? (originally printed Sept. 2005)
By: Dan Van Hecke, Master Chauffeur
“Why should I have to learn anything? I've been driving three, five (or 20) years and I know the business.”
That is the first barrier to overcome for a driver who is usually teachable - i.e. capable of learning from a good instructor. There is always something new and profitable to learn, no matter how long one has been driving. Drivers can and will learn any of the required subjects - safety/defensive driving, continuing education, TAP/accessible cab driving, courtesy, etc., if it can be made to show that it is an asset to them making money and reducing stress.
The usual complaint is it costs too much time and money (lost revenue) to take a class, even if it is required. Thus, they go into it with a negative attitude to look at faults or excuses for it not to work.
Most classes that are taught (with a few exceptions) are in a dreary, non-interactive, “let's just get through it” manner. It does not help if cab driving is approached as “a job,” and not as a career or profession to take pride in; then the results are mediocre, no matter how long the driver plans to stay driving.
It would help if the instructor is (or recently was) a driver or has spoken with enough drivers to get a feel of the business.
Finally, it is a myth and a fallacy that if a driver is foreign born or primarily speaks another language, (s)he is not teachable. Do not confuse language with educational ability, as many drivers have college degrees and other professional accomplishments. It simply takes more patience to be sure the subject is communicated and understood.
What an effective instructor should be: what drivers should look for
1. Know your subject well - not just rote, but inside and out. If necessary, ask other instructors or experienced drivers for ideas or clarifications.
2. Be enthusiastic - the first few minutes set the tone and attitude of the class. Use the “moaners and the whiners” as examples of “How bad things could get” and “Do you all want it better?”
3. Do not talk down to or be afraid of any student.
4. Make the class interactive, no matter what the size or subject. Use name tags and names wherever possible. Everyone should be called on at least once, not just the brightest or loudest ones.
5. Have a written outline of the subject and what is expected.
6. Try to show how this class will pay for itself within 30 days by:
a. Safer driving - clearer mind to focus on finding business
b. Better dealing with customers for better tips
c. Different driving strategies for less stress
d. The goal is to increase income $5 to $10 per day
e. It doesn't make any difference which class this is done with
7. Throughout the class, remind the driver that they each have it in them to be successful - it is just buried deeper in some.
8. Somehow, throughout the class, encourage a desire for the student to learn more.
9. Establish the class as a “team” to learn.
10. Ask for the student's frank evaluation at the end of the class.
The bottom line is: 90 to 95 percent of the time the drivers are teachable. It is the instructor who should adjust and lead.
