South Africa’s National Taxi Association is happy with the progress the taxi industry has made with its call centre and training academy.
The call centre, which was launched last year by Santaco and is open from 8am to 4pm, handles calls from road users and taxi passengers complaining about bad taxi drivers.
Anyone can phone in to complain about any transgression, from overloading to bad driving, rude behaviour by taxi drivers and drunk driving.
“Over the past year we have received complaints varying from accidents between taxis and private cars, to the unethical conduct of drivers, as well as the condition of vehicles,” said Thabisho Molelekwa, spokesman for Santaco.
Although Molelekwa could not disclose how many complaints they had received over the past year, he said the most common had been the unethical conduct of drivers.
“In the past there was no training provided to drivers to address behavioural change, which is a problem at present in the taxi industry,” said Molelekwa.
“Hence, parallel to the measures we are taking, we also want to educate drivers on the importance of understanding customer care and the process of change the taxi industry is undergoing.”
Molelekwa said people could call to lodge complaints about any misconduct, which was then captured on their system.
Road users or taxi passengers who wish to report an offence should call 0860 726 822 with the taxi’s registration, as well as the date, time and place of the offence, so as to target the correct driver.
Reports will be taken to management, the council and the owner of the taxi, so that the driver can be investigated and penalised if necessary.
The penalty depends on the offence.
If it is a non-criminal offence, the driver will go for training or be dealt with in a manner the driver’s employer or taxi owner sees fit.
“Measures taken against transgressors vary depending on the gravity of the matter,” said Molelekwa.
“We have cases that have led to suspensions and dismissals as a result of habitual offences.”
Molelekwa said they also had cases where drivers were given penalties that included submitting a personal apology to the commuter.
He added that if the influence of alcohol had caused an accident or was suspected to have compromised the lives of commuters, it would normally lead to the dismissal of the taxi driver.
“In cases where commuters call Santaco about the state of the driver en route to their destination, a Santaco patrol car is dispatched to (assess) the situation and the driver will definitely be suspended,” he said.
“We have areas where action (is taken) without compromise and a drunk driver is immediately suspended.”
The call centre was launched as a result of the Hlokomela campaign started by Santaco in November 2010 in an effort to respond to concerns the taxi industry has about the increasing incidence of taxi-related accidents that were claiming innocent lives.
Molelekwa said Santaco was also very excited about the recent launch of the Santaco Training Academy, which aims to change the face of the taxi industry.
The industry launched the training academy in October to offer training programmes for owners, drivers and other employees of the taxi industry.
“We launched the academy mainly because problems in the taxi industry are deeply entrenched and premised from the perception by drivers that they are actually doing commuters a favour when the converse is the reality.
“So, as we embark on a total change, training becomes central in achieving this.”
He added that Santaco was already in the process of recruiting 1 000 women who would be trained to drive taxis and would be spread across the country as substitute drivers, while existing drivers went for training.
“Importantly, these women drivers will project a practical demonstration of the envisaged change of the taxi service,” said Molelekwa.
Asked how taxi drivers had felt about the change that the industry was undergoing, Molelekwa said drivers had “mixed feelings”.
“This was expected and that is why training is critical to underline change, not as a threat to livelihood, but rather to improve service and give better value,” he said. - Saturday Star