Examiners at Hartlepool driving test centre have started testing would-be taxi drivers who want to start driving cabs in the area covered by Hartlepool Borough Council.Over 160 councils throughout Britain have already agreed to take taxi testing on board and Hartlepool joined them on 1 April.Central Operation Change Manager Phil Coop said: “We are delighted that Hartlepool has decided to introduce this assessment as driving a taxi carries a great deal of responsibility.” Specially trained driving examiners assess the ability of applicants to drive safely and professionally in a ‘real’ environment. The test includes manoeuvres designed specifically with the operational taxi driver in mind and is set at a higher standard than the practical test for learner drivers.The assessment ensures the competence of the applicant to drive passengers in safety and comfort. Those who are successful receive a certificate of competence. Taxi drivers are the only people to carry passengers for money who do not have to take statutory vocational tests. * For further information please contact DSA Press Office on 0115 936 6135, email [email protected] 7/11Notes to editors1. DSA promotes road safety through setting standards for drivers, riders and trainers, testing drivers and riders fairly and efficiently, maintaining the registers of Approved Driving Instructors; Large Goods Vehicle Instructors; Fleet Trainers; `Driving Instructor Trainers and Post Test Motorcycle Trainers; supervising Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) for learner motorcyclists; and driver education and the provision of learning resources. 2. DSA is a trading fund with planned turnover of £201.4 million in 2010/11, largely funded through fees and revenue from other road safety initiatives. It delivers tests from over 400 practical driving test centres and 158 theory test centres.3. DSA employs nearly 2,700 staff, of which almost 1,900 are driving examiners. In 2009/10 DSA conducted 1.5 million practical car tests, over 55,000 vocational tests. Over 8,500 motorcycle tests were delivered from 1 April 2009 to 26 April 2009. On 27 April 2009 the new, two part motorcycle test was introduced. 50,778 module one tests and 37,866 module two motorcycle tests were delivered between that date and 31 March 2010. A total of 1.5 million theory tests were carried out. At the end of 2009/2010 there were around 44,768 people on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors.