Mayor of London reveals ‘points of interest’ change to taxi driver Knowledge test
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has confirmed that Transport for London (TfL) will be implementing changes to the Knowledge of London test, which all prospective black cab drivers must pass. The revisions aim to modernise the process while maintaining its renowned standards.
Hina Bokhari, a member of the London Assembly, had questioned whether City Hall plans to promote the profession to candidates who might be discouraged by the lengthy qualification process. Khan responded by clarifying that many full-time candidates can qualify in less than four years.
TfL has conducted a review of the Knowledge, involving discussions with taxi trade representatives. Among the forthcoming changes is a new set list of points of interest that candidates will be expected to know. The list will form the basis for assessment questions, with examiners instructed to test candidates only on this predefined content.
In addition, TfL is updating the “Blue Book”, the official guide to learning the Knowledge, to reflect these changes. Ongoing reviews will ensure the test remains relevant, with potential further improvements under consideration to streamline the qualification process.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “Many of those who study the Knowledge, particularly those who study full time, are able to qualify as a London taxi driver in under four years.
“Transport for London (TfL) carried out a review of the Knowledge of London, which included discussions with taxi trade representatives about how to maintain the gold standard of London’s taxi drivers while ensuring the Knowledge remains relevant in the modern world.
“A number of actions are being actively progressed, including the creation of a set list of ‘points of interest’ that Knowledge candidates will be expected to know. TfL will publish the list of points that candidates can be asked in their assessments and examiners will only ever ask points that are on this list. TfL is also in the process of updating the Guide to Learning the Knowledge of London for candidates (also known as the “Blue Book”) to reflect these changes and will continue to work with Knowledge schools to provide support to prospective taxi drivers.
“The list of points and Blue Book content will be kept under review to ensure they remain relevant and appropriate. TfL will also continue to review the Knowledge of London process and consider whether further improvements are required to modernise it and make the process more efficient, where possible.
“TfL will also work with stakeholders, as appropriate, to continue to raise awareness of taxi driving as a career choice, particularly amongst under-represented groups.”
