Taxi Driver/Chauffeur - Transport

Gondola Driver
Uber Driver

A taxi driver drives cars licensed as taxis to transport passengers for a fare that is calculated on a taxi meter. Taxi drivers usually work shifts involving day, evening and weekend work. Taxi drivers have Future Growth Very Strong constant contact with the public. They must provide a service that meets the standards of government regulatory authorities and the taxi network for which they drive.

Taxi drivers transport passengers to their required destinations. Taxi drivers
are either called to a business or home, or hailed on the street.

Taxi drivers need to know the city they drive in very well, as their passenger may have never been where they are travelling before. Taxi Drivers drive special cars which have been licensed as a taxi to transport passengers for a fare that is calculated on a special meter. Taxi drivers often work shifts involving either day, evening, night or weekend work.

Taxi drivers transport passengers to and from various destinations. They receive information via radio, collect passengers from their destination and help them with their baggage. They may also confirm with the passenger about a preferred route, as well as checking maps for the most appropriate route. They transport passengers, help them to disembark from the vehicle, assist them again with their luggage, and collect fares. They may also process payments from credit cards or EFTPOS payments. Some taxi drivers may also collect and deliver parcels.

ANZSCO description: Drives a taxi to transport passengers to destinations on a fee-for-service basis, usually on a short-term, metered fare hiring arrangement. Registration or licensing is required.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A taxi driver needs:

high level of driving skill
logic and problem-solving skills
to be able to deal with people from all walks of life
basic numeracy skills
good communication skills
to be a safe, reliable and responsible driver

Duties and Tasks

Taxi drivers may perform the following tasks:

pick up passengers at designated locations
pick up passengers when hailed
determine the most appropriate route for their passengers
transport passengers to their desired destinations
receive money for fares and give change
assist passengers with the handling of luggage
attend to repairs, maintenance and cleaning of vehicles

Working conditions

Taxi drivers drive everywhere, ferrying passengers to and from entertainment venues, airports, railway stations or shopping areas as well as businesses and private residential addresses. They usually work in shifts, which often includes late nights, early mornings, and working on weekends and public holidays. They may occasionally need to deal with aggressive or inebriated passengers.

As taxi drivers have close contact with the public they must provide a service that meets the standards of the taxi network for which they drive.

Adapted taxi

Tools and technologies

Taxi drivers need to be able to drive a car. Many taxi drivers drive automatic vehicles, but others use those with manual transmissions. They may also be required to read maps or road directories, or to operate GPS navigation equipment. They usually need to operate EFTPOS machines to process bank and credit card transactions.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a taxi driver without formal qualifications. However, you will need to qualify for and obtain a 'T' extension on your driver’s licence from the Department of Transport.

To work as a taxi driver in the metropolitan areas, you must complete a taxi driver training course with an approved training provider and pass a registration test. Country taxi licenses are issued based on the demand for taxi services in regional towns.

Did You Know?

The world's first taxi was built in 1897 by Gottlieb Daimler . It was called the "Daimler Victoria" and even had a taxi meter!

On 16 June the same year the taxi was delivered to Stuttgart transportation entrepreneur Friedrich Greiner who used it to start the world's first motorised taxi company!

Uber Drivers use their own cars to transport riders who place orders through the Uber app. Future Growth Very Strong

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Demonstrated ability to deal peacefully with unforeseen circumstances or delays and use advanced driving techniques to better improve time management and safety

Assured that the vehicle is maintained in excellent condition and is cleaned regularly and In-depth knowledge of vehicle maintenance is applied

Drive V. I. P. to various destinations upon request, with knowledge of various cities and efficient routes

Neat and smart appearance, customer friendly and intellectual individual with desire to exceed expectations

Michael Clark Uber Driver
Michael Clark - An Uber Driver
(Source: News)

Duties and Tasks

Common duties listed on an Uber Driver resume are picking up passengers, transporting clients between places, and keeping their vehicle in good condition. Most eligible resume samples for the job mention skills such as safe driving, communication, time management, and customer service.

Uber Drivers come from various educational backgrounds and hold a valid driver’s license. Vehicle insurance is also required.

Ensured that customer arrived safely and timely to their destination while creating customer satisfaction.

Created Excel spreadsheet and maintained files to track mileage, maintenance, and miscellaneous expenses.

Managed routes through use of iPhone app technology.

Maintain a clean and inviting vehicle for passengers

Communicate with passengers, offering a safe and welcoming ride to their destination

"Have you ever been to Venice, Italy? Or maybe you’ve seen a movie set there. If so, you were probably amazed by the beautiful scenery. You might also have been curious about why many “streets” in Venice are made of water. Decline

Those “streets” are called canals. Are you wondering how the people who live in Venice get around? After all, they can’t just hop in a car and drive through the water! That’s why people in Venice move through the city in small boats.

Visitors to Venice love to ride around in flat-bottomed boats called gondolas. People have used gondolas to move through the city’s canals for hundreds of years. Gondola drivers — called gondoliers — power the boats by hand. They row the boats along the canals using long oars.

Venice Italy
(Source: Evening Standard UK)

Gondolas were once the main mode of transportation in Venice. Today, they are mainly used by tourists. However, they still play an important role as traghetti — ferries — over the Grand Canal.

The earliest gondolas featured a felze, which was a small cabin. It protected riders from the weather. The windows of the cabin could be closed with louvered shutters. These gave rise to the “Venetian blinds” that cover the windows of many homes today.

At the height of their popularity, there were about 10,000 gondolas in Venice. That number has fallen to fewer than 500 today.

Today’s gondolas are open to the air. This allows tourists to have a better view of the city. By law, gondolas must also be painted black. The boats also often have a special ornament on their front. Called the fèrro — meaning “iron” — it can be made of brass, stainless steel or aluminum. In addition to being decorative, it helps to balance the boat. It acts as a counterweight to the gondolier who stands in the back of the boat.

Speaking of gondoliers, not just anyone can be one! A limited number of licenses are given out. Only those with extensive training can be gondoliers. They also have to pass a test on the city’s history. Gondoliers must have foreign language skills and be able to share the history of Venice with tourists." (Source: Wonderopolis)

Did You Know?

Gondolas aren’t just boats, though. Have you ever been to a ski resort? If so, you may have ridden in a gondola to the top of a mountain. These aerial lifts are also called cable cars. They look nothing like Venetian gondola boats. They’ve just borrowed the name. That may be because of their use to ferry tourists to new heights. (Source: Wonderopolis)

Alex Hai is the first female, and only private, gondolier in Venice. Dressed in the 18th-century, white-and-blue braided livery of the aristocratic Marcello family, she can be glimpsed ferrying royalty, celebrities and hotel guests through the city’s silent canals, avoiding the tour routes, on her immaculate gondola, Pegaso.

In 2010, Giorgia Boscolo became the first woman to be granted a Venetian gondolier’s licence. [There are less than 500 gondoliers at present].
(Source: FT)