A boarded up harbour bar is stumping would-be Aberdeen taxi drivers, it’s been claimed.
The Neptune Bar is still in the city’s street knowledge test, about a decade after it closed for the final time.
It’s a pub that traded for another 70 years after it was hit in the deadly Black Friday attack in 1940.
Aberdeen street knowledge test needs ‘modernised’
And while it’s still a landmark on York Street, fresh-faced drivers are tripping up in their Aberdeen street knowledge test over its location, one senior industry source claims.
Luke Hulse is an independent driver on the council’s Taxi and Private Hire Car Consultation Group (TPHCG).
It’s a body of councillors and taxi trade bosses like Rainbow City Taxis’ chief Russell McLeod.
And Mr Hulse put the council-sanctioned group at the heart of a blacklisting row earlier this week.
The P&J exposed messages from him to other drivers, threatening them with “NEVER” working for Aberdeen’s traditional taxi firms again if they opt to work with Uber.
The ride-hailing app is keen to launch in Aberdeen with a decision to be taken on their licence next week.
Uber fears drive reform of Aberdeen street knowledge test
And the San Franciscan firm is central to the debate on the street knowledge test too – as the city trade fights to keep it in place while Uber is understood to be pressing for major reform.
The TPHCG wants some, limited, change to modernise the exam, which drivers must pass in order to get a taxi or private hire car licence in Aberdeen.
But crucially, they insist it must be retained – as they see Uber approaching in the rearview mirror.
Far-flung Neptune Bar sinks taxi hopefuls’ exams
Mr Hulse tells us would-be drivers are being flummoxed.
“There are things in the Aberdeen taxi street knowledge test that are out of date, and haven’t existed for years,” he said.
“If you were new to the city, you haven’t lived here long but think you might to do taxiing.
“You study hard, and think you have the streets nailed. Then you go for your test and you get asked about the Neptune Bar.
“You might be like: ‘What the F is this?! I have no idea.’ Stuff like that needs to come out.”
What are your memories of the Neptune Bar in Aberdeen? And is the street knowledge test still as key in the age of sat nav? Tell us in the comment section below.
If Uber’s licence is approved, the global giant would be bound to have only licensed drivers, who have passed the street knowledge test.
But changes to the rules to allow unlicensed drivers to work for Uber are fear by the taxi trade. They told the council that approval would be a “stab in the back”.
Their objections were outnumbered eight-to-one by the 485 letters urging councillors allow Uber into Aberdeen.
Post-exam taxi drivers ‘like junior doctors’
Nervy of Uber advocating for the Aberdeen street knowledge test to be scrapped, Mr Hulse is sure some form of the exam is still important.
And work is already under way to revise the test and entire process, through a working group of councillors, taxi trade bosses, business leaders and disability reps.
Modernised proposals could be brought forward for review by the TPHCG by the end of August.
Likening freshly licensed taxi drivers to “junior doctors, just graduated and not a specialist in their field yet”, Mr Hulse said learning all of Aberdeen takes time for those “passionate like me”.
He added: “Every street in the city, a 72 sq mile area, is important but if we’re honest the likes of Friendship Terrace aren’t as used as Union Street,” he says.
“So maybe you should be asked more about the Union Street area.
“Friendship Terrace – nothing against anyone living there – and questions like that seem to be set up to fail. That’s really, really difficult.
“Niche little streets do come with the job though, and I think every taxi driver should know all the streets.”
Could you pass the Aberdeen taxi street knowledge test?
Time travel back to how Aberdeen roads were laid out in 2022 and have a go!
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