Why is the Knowledge of London struggling for applicants?
The Knowledge of London test is renowned around the world for being one of, if not the, hardest taxi knowledge test in existence. Often referred to as simply, ‘The Knowledge’ aspiring London cabbies can expect to spend around 3-4 years of study before being able to pass the test.
The Knowledge was first introduced in 1865 but what needs to be learned largely remains the same. Drivers must memorise all the roads and landmarks within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. This amounts to around 25,000 streets.
It’s perhaps no surprise then that cabbies have larger memory centres in the brain than other people. Research has shown that taxi and bus drivers in London have an enlarged posterior hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for spatial memory.
But aside from the effect it has on the brain, The Knowledge has been facing growing concerns over the past few months thanks to reduced numbers of people studying for it.
Lower numbers than ever
According to the MailOnline, the number of people starting The Knowledge has dropped 95% since 2010. Figures show that in 2010/11 3,484 people started to process but last year saw the lowest ever numbers with just 221 starting The Knowledge. In total, as of August 2021, there are around 900 aspiring drivers in various stages of their testing journey.
A number of reasons have been suggested as the cause of this huge reduction in numbers. The pandemic is obviously a big one, as well as a lot of negative sentiment from existing drivers on social media.
The image here is a mock-up of a fake job currently doing the rounds on social media. And while the people sharing it do make some valid points, it’s easy to see why aspiring drivers would be put off from starting The Knowledge.
In an interview with TaxiPoint magazine, one driver said:
“Drivers claiming it's 'dead' and 'not worth doing anymore' are also 100% part of the problem. We all know it's worth doing and isn't dead.”
“If it was that bad, they wouldn't be sat in their cab on a rank having a moan up on Twitter! The doom and gloom this trade brings on itself is shambolic.”
Others in the industry have blamed elements of The Knowledge itself. The key sticking points for most critics of The Knowledge are:
‘Red Lining’ on appearance testing.
The need for the final ‘Suburban’ runs test.
Registration costs.
Lack of support from the industry for those studying.
Testing is unnecessarily difficult.
Is it too hard?
This is a very divisive point in the industry. Some believe it just isn’t necessary in the age of readily available GPS apps. But anyone who’s been sent the wrong way by their sat-nav should know this isn’t really a valid argument.
Many in the trade are very vocal about how The Knowledge is a fundamental part of being a cabbie in London. The standards created by the test mean that London continues to have the best and most professional taxi trade in the world.
On Twitter, Knowledge Point School, who have over 35 years of experience training people for The Knowledge, said:
“We have said it before and will say it again: The Knowledge does NOT need to be changed in any way.”
This sentiment was echoed in the comments with many agreeing. But several drivers were quick to point out that the time taken to complete the test has nearly doubled in the past decade.
While it used to be common for aspiring drivers to pass in 18months to 2 years, the usual time taken now tends to be between 3 and 4 years.
With the numbers taking the test dropping steadily over the past ten years, it’s clearly an issue that needs addressing.
Is it down to the difficulty of The Knowledge, or something else entirely? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter, you can tweet us @mytaxiplus