Day 1 – Dedication, Determination and a CoP

Public Carriage Office

Introductory Talk February 20th 2010

Sitting in the Public Carriage Office in Penton Street this afternoon I realised the clock had actually starting ticking on “doing the knowledge”.

I had made my application to be a London Black Cab driver and taken my medical at the beginning of December and true to the word of the man at the cab office I had to wait 6 weeks for my CRB test and acceptance letter to come through. It arrived on my birthday so that was a nice letter to open.

There were twenty budding London Black Cabbies waiting to officially hear what was in store for us. I had heard from a number of friends who are cab drivers what they went through. I guess there are fewer runs these days but it is still a daunting task.

We had been given the Blue Book in the reception with details of the twenty lists with 16 runs that need to be learned in both directions. Then there are the points of interest or “points” as they are known. Taking each of the 640 end-points of the runs you have to take a circle of 400m and learn the points in that circle. Once all the runs with their circles at the end or “dumbells” are overlaid on a map of London you pretty much have it all covered. There are approximately 30 “points” on each run or around 18,000 in total!

We all have 6 months to complete the first 80 runs and points and then come in for a self-assessed course. This will let you know that you are on the right track before you go off and do the next 240 runs. You then have 18 months to complete them before doing a written examination on all the 320 runs and the points within a 400m radii of all the end points.

If you pass this then you start on your personal appearances every 56 days or stage 3 as it is known. Then you will be asked to identify 2 points and detail the route between them. Once you have ammassed the number of points required you then move on to the advanced stage and you can be tested on any point within the 6 mile radius of Charing Cross and have to know the shortest most direct route. These appearances can be then every 28 days and once you ammass the right number of point you pass on to stage 5.

Now you are expected to learn 26 suburban routes and take a taxi driving test. If you pass this then you are awarded your Green Badge!

Now I need to get myself kitted out with maps, runs and decide on my mode of transport.

So as Mr MacDowell said you need – Determination, Dedication and a Call Over Partner to be a London Black Cab Driver – The Best in the World.

More on that next time…