KNOWLEDGE OF LONDON: How hard is the London taxi test?
Updated: Nov 10, 2021
Popular Black Taxi vlogger Tom Hutley has released his latest video asking viewers; How HARD is the London taxi test?
Tom Hutley, a London taxi driver and successful YouTuber with more than 40,000 subscribers, posted his latest video running through what’s required to complete the Knowledge of London (KOL) and in turn to qualify as a London cabbie.
The KOL taxi driver test has recently come under scrutiny as industry representatives look for ways to increase the number of students undertaking the training.
As it stands, the number of candidates studying the KOL at the testing stages, otherwise known as ‘Appearances’, is currently just 573. In addition, as of August 2021, there were 363 candidates that had not yet reached the testing stages, but were signed on to the KOL and learning the capital’s road network.
Despite the low number of students and decreasing levels of taxi drivers, some cabbies are however staunchly against making any changes to the KOL process.
Hutley, who has a book about his time on the Knowledge and recently progressed to Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers, ran through the ‘Appearance’ testing process and what was required of students no the KOL.
The cabbie’s YouTube channel has been a massive hit with viewers ever since it first launched in March 2020. The London black cab driver and qualified taxi guide completed the ‘Knowledge of London’ in 2017 after 3 years of studying. Four years into the job he now has a fast-growing channel on YouTube and has recently launched his own blog.
