Hundreds of London's minicabs could be 'working illegally' - BBC London

Minicab drivers must sit exams to get a licence. But a BBC undercover investigation has exposed colleges cheating the tests.
Centres around the capital are taking money in exchange for official BTEC certificates in minicab driving.
TfL said that they are now putting on hold all applications for minicab driving that haven't been taken in TfL test centres.
Guy Lynn reports.
Subscribe to BBC London here: bit.ly/2Gd18gB
Check out BBC London for more: bbc.in/2JssOge
Like us on Facebook: bit.ly/2fz7mZ3
Follow us on Instagram: bit.ly/316TfR2
Follow us on Twitter: bit.ly/2DOhFWq

[@bbclondon]

Subscribe to BBC London here: bit.ly/2Gd18gB

[@zobairmiah1826]

bbc London must investigate overzealous / bullying and intimidating TfL bus inspectors who penalise people over the most smallest issues thereafter demonise them and get the whole passengers to turn against the supposed fare dodger they need investigating I believe that TfL inspectors are far too rude and aggressive and will involve the police in the smallest of issues over supposed fare dodging their behaviour needs to be investigated undercover via special actors and a long video / conclusion made on the sort of mannerisms displayed by these over authoritarian inspectors who feel that they have such authority to act like bullies when in actual fact they have very little authority as they are not the police plus the police have more serious incidents they need to attend to like knife crime etc etc not poxy little supposed allegations of not paying TfL improves needs to improve the customer service experience by introducing more competent services and educated staff as most of them are useless and the underground has too much aggression on it where is the police then huh ?

[@technoog1807]

Please do the same for SIA badges

[@Paradyski]

BBC license next ?

[@technoog1807]

@@zobairmiah1826 👏🏿👏🏿 FACTS but all in vain. The BBC are in the same bed as TFL, the police and the government. The inspectors have to be aggressive because the money goes back to TFL, the government and possibly the police. I bet some of money goes into the Christmas party pot! 😂

[@technoog1807]

@aljanat5 no! I have no problems with BAME being one my self but if u can't read or write English how tf did you pass?

[@darnitproductions5945]

how bout we do a report about your tv license scam

[@enz2439]

I agree or road tax

[@khizerliam9776]

@@enz2439 road tax is a stream of tax gov use to fund other things,it's like property tax or any other stream of tax to fund public services

[@enz2439]

@@khizerliam9776 yeah what is the point of it I know exactly what is the road tax is a rip-off

[@khizerliam9776]

@@enz2439 so income tax or property tax is a rip off too?

[@user-rn3bb3dj4p]

Who watches TV nowadays lol

[@davidhemmings8563]

How about we get rid of the unfair tv licence and their threatening letters.

[@jimmybaldwin737]

Yeah. And parking fine scams. And threatening bailiffs if you don’t pay the ransom

[@stevenwalsh2375]

They trying to destroy the gig economy now taxis workers

[@PeaceAndLove303]

End the BBC tax and bailifs scum bags. Cancel your direct debits and ignore the vermin

[@Ramblingpete]

What’s that got to do with lmmigrants cheating pretending to be taxi drivers 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾

[@kampango789]

No one talks about toxic passengers

[@shaftalo]

BBC SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS INVISTATION A BIT FURTHER, 50% of the training and exam fee is going to land into TFL’s pocket.

[@Abraham_Tsfaye]

What's the point of a topography test when everyone uses satnav. Jobs for bureaucratic jobsworths.

[@tobiasrud]

Well, if you want to be a black cab driver you have to know every street in London by heart, no satnav allowed on the job I'm pretty sure.

[@juliea3447]

@@tobiasrud these people aren't qualifying to drive black taxis. Both mini cab and black taxis drivers have to have this tfl license, but black cab drivers also do something called The Knowledge, which is what you're referring to with the whole learning the streets thing. Mini cab drivers however almost exclusively use satnav apps, so them learning topography is indeed a bit pointless (although I reckon it might be useful to do some, as satnavs can take you the long way round, and can't always take you to newer developments that aren't on the system yet).

[@tobiasrud]

@@juliea3447ah okay, got that wrong. Still, you should definitely have some topographical knowledge.

[@nicolasmason8799]

It's still quicker than satnav, as on a satnav info must be typed in, wheras if maps are remembered, drivers can just leave pronto

[@Abraham_Tsfaye]

Tobias Rud Hardly anyone I know uses a black cab unless their company is paying for it and they use sat nav as well.

[@rarora3229]

Why you need a certifiable to drive cab? We don’t required in Canada. It’s all about govt wants to earn money and for sure lots of govt officials are involved in this scam. Taxi drivers are working and paying taxes not claiming any Benefits.

[@Kaiyats]

Having to learn every single street name is stupidly unnecessary

[@havalhaval3444]

As a cab driver why do I have to be very professional and do all that test.. most of the time I make less then minimum wage.... Rubbish

[@fastflops5327]

All these tests to become a taxi driver, pay 5k year insurance then repair bills as well as trouble from few bad customers also working non stop 80 plus hours a week and then end of the week drivers got no money left to pay there own bills, not worth at all.

[@jayo3074]

Am I supposed to be outraged by this??? I'd rather reserve my anger for the big business that are literally avoiding billions in taxes.

[@cz8738]

There are so many scammers pretending not to know where the tourists are having taken money first.

[@shafishafique6412]

For heaven sake! It's not only London other part of the UK are worse... BBC needs to check outside the London as well. Horrible to see that curroption...

[@bbclondon]

It is a huge problem outside the capital too... but this is BBC London.

[@ryadhasanahmed5443]

LOL

[@real10g]

hahahah you got slienced by BBC your gonna switch to itv after this

[@luvlimiss2007]

😂😂😂😂

[@hzli5049]

It BBC LONDON not BBC UK

[@muhammadomarmiah1673]

All TFL are worried about is how to get more money out of the drivers and not bothered about customers safely. This is a classical example of TFL, all they are doing is taking advantage out the power they have. This also includes the Mayor of London because his the chair person of TFL and it was his idea that this English test would help the safely of Londoners. Now it's more clearly its to help them improve their pockets or career.

[@mgabrielle2343]

Exactly, same applies to their policy on non-existent pollution, recently we had orange colour dust from Sahara, TFL would convince public that it was caused by Motorist emmissions, and start charging us for even more stealth charges, like already we are not paying through the nose for our parking, taxing cars, and now even higher energy bills, so where does that take you if you had an electric cars, its a load of tosh.

[@Mgameing123]

@@mgabrielle2343 TFL's exta charges on cars are fine. At the end of the day London's public transport is so good that it can replace most car journey's now. Now before you said "people who drive a car do it because its their only option" but that is wrong. Most people do it even if public transport is a better option.

[@cemops8660]

@@Mgameing123 honestly you're right. people need to learn that driving isn't a right you have

[@All.in.one2023]

What about safety of drivers? What they did to protect drivers? Get abused get asulted? They are not humans? They font need protection?

[@luthfurrahman7890]

🤣😂 finally you clocked which has been going on for years ! If the TFL is strict with many fees to pay what options do people have

[@A4ANT]

Back in the day they did this with driving licences 🤣

[@omarjeylani9144]

Tfl is making millions out of this as well putting alot of restrictions, doing alot of test,.

[@mrblackalchemist]

Omar Jeylani it is a tough world

With criminal activity, reporters should not be confronting the alleged perpetrators and should hand over the matter to the appropriate authority.

[@Maya78919]

True, but they need these views!

[@Jaygee488]

TFL is useless, I think it time to strip them of their London pco responsibilities

[@SpeechlessRoid]

When I went for a SIA test in Whitechapel, the manager guy done the test for me for a rip off price. I never ended up applying for license lol.

[@AC-zb1dy]

What about safety of the driver ? I guess they don’t matter

[@revelation333]

You have better things to do, BBC then exposing innocent people who's trying to make a living.

[@saadn5049]

Hard working people just trying to make a living

[@saleahafghan9390]

@Bang Bang Exactly

[@hannahabdi3904]

@Bang Bang no they are bot on benefits you fool i know many chavs who live in council checks

[@ilwa324fg6]

Saleah Afghan93 are you the Afghan asylum seeker living in Europe with full residency and a council flat. Please I want to come Europe too I miss it so much.

[@zdvatdvv224]

No good money but too much responsibility on mini cab

[@davidhemmings8563]

How about investigating the General Dental Council and how they register unqualified foreign dentists from abroad on fake certificates. The GDC need to check the qualifacations and work exoerience of every fireign dentist.

[@DubSalvation]

There should be a course on personal hygiene as well. Most of the minicabs in London smell like warm sweaty arm pits.

[@mohamedm9391]

😂😂😂😂😏😂😏😂😏😏😂😂😂

[@mohamedm9391]

Aaahatshuuuuu...what's that smelling, reeeking 🙊

[@Blederin]

Whoever the awarding body of the certificate is, should be investigated. They should have an external verifier to sample the certificates and chase up students, there's no way they would get away with that number of fraudulent certificates.

[@Blacktolite]

The DWP department for work and pensions send these people from job centres to these courses these courses are funded financed by the European Union and the government contracts are given to the Independent trainees organisations the more we train the high of the pay it's a scam and it's been going on since introduced by labour in 1997 it was called new deal at once then they started using universal credit it's just got worse since then. It happens with the SIA security industry courses, with the forklift licence, it with CSCS card where you become a electrician where you become a plumber the whole sink

[@SURGE101]

YEAH AND MILLIONS ARE HERE ILLEGALLY AS WELL...TELL US SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW...😂😂

[@ahasan1906]

1.2 millions not millions

[@SURGE101]

A Hasan if they are here illegally, how can you have an exact number and trust me it’s way more than 1.2 million. It’s Millions!

[@wellington3435]

People just want to make a living....The process may be illegal, but no one has been hurt in accidents.

[@slamak9897]

Black Cab drivers should be rated by riders..

[@bushmaster4481]

But then the tube noise levels and pollution - legal?

[@MazharIqbal-vq3zm]

When council hire private people for this kinds of job, quality will be missing.

[@AsH-fm7ko]

This is the most important issue in the present UK, Isn't it?

[@andybray9791]

Now with ulez etc more minicab drivers might find more ways to avoid “licences” or do something with their plates

[@grahamstyles2758]

I'm not sure this matters too much. These courses are a bit silly and unnecessary. Every driver is rubbish when they first start but soon pick it up after a few months. The most important thing is that criminal records/background are checked....but this is not easy with some applicants who have just arrived in the country.

[@Fear_Not_I_Is_Here]

this is not NYC

[@mohamedm9391]

You are absolutely spot on my dear chap!

[@alfredchipembele8591]

Not only in London, investigate the smaller towns as well. Some can barely speak a word of English!

[@alfredchipembele8591]

PROJECT I don’t care you know I am right

[@alfredchipembele8591]

salma ahmed I knew only Muhammad s would reply

[@alfredchipembele8591]

PROJECT Owl I can actually report you no wonder you didn’t put your actual name on here because you are a coward

[@alfredchipembele8591]

salma ahmed you won’t bully me. If you black, Christian and British why are you calling me chimpanzee? You think I care? We all came from chimpanzees: do your research. What sort of Christian are you? DONT PUSH IT! I am easily ciber bullied!

[@LitpalLitpal]

The feature story is great, but why didn't you go to the police and report a crime?

[@franciscosilva-ts2vt]

few years ago a gentleman offered me a minicab license for £ 500 UK is the best laundry dirty money in the world The money rules the world

[@mahammad]

Gerti, damn, what a name.

[@mahammad]

8 88 I love how born here has quotation marks 😂😂👍

[@3spiritceo]

Outside of London £3 for journeys over 50miles in London £300 for 10 miles

[@PaddyK1999]

£3 for 50 miles? Yeah right

[@3spiritceo]

Patrick excuse me? Have you ever got off the train then took a cab straight to Thorpe Park and happily gave the smelly cab man £4 in pennie change ??? Then walk out not. A care in the world ? Please .. we had that 50 miles for free We need to make this country safe again.

[@PaddyK1999]

@@3spiritceo mate I want to find one of your taxis 😂 I think they're a rip off

[@moH-dr7qs]

I think you oversaturating 🤣

[@HarryPotter-gq8bd]

@@3spiritceo pikey

[@frankiefire3968]

Absolutely no surprise

[@nebaneb5470]

TFL it self need to be regulated.

[@kr36820]

Too much of a fraud. It will never happen

[@Fear_Not_I_Is_Here]

@@kr36820 agree, money they make is insane

[@3spiritceo]

Thank the government for finally realising this now !!! Just yesterday I was getting bumped for my cab fares

[@bandosnoob15]

1920 Gangsta you’re cab fares would be double if this wasn’t going on

[@bashirbayati4810]

This is nothing there is worse than this trust me

[@bboy7324]

The saga continues meanwhile the FBI are looking for Andrew

[@RobertRG11]

And ? 🤔

[@MohamedAhmed-xy5mk]

Looool don't get everything right get some wrong uno lmao

[@smsk5358]

Great job sir

[@CAR_SOLUTIONS]

TFL couldn’t give a damn the only way they can maintain the problem is sending out trained Invigilators to each centre when a exam is due rather then having the “TRUSTED TRAINING CENTRE” tutors be part of the exam how ever if the course is over 3 days that’s not possible but if the exam is so advanced and on a computer shouldn’t exams be monitored over a webcam and recorded checked over by TFL?

[@shahzadamin9055]

There are still plenty of institutes offering these services, if one stop doing it but others might not !!!!!

[@Radu-qd4ii]

I had enough about them complaining about the fact that we have to many PHV....and they are the reason of that. TFL issued all off them and it's nothing dodgy about it.

[@MumtazAh678]

But I went to school and college so this doesn’t effect me does it lol?

[@bilalblah2865]

Just use google maps simple all you need to know how to read and write English and be fluent thats all

[@investdoubleyourmoney8930]

It's the same in the sia test course there few places up & down the country there charge £350 for cash cause people cant write or do the test

[@akdnasliufkasbvdkuad]

Hundreds? More like thousands mate

[@johnramm104]

How do they know where to go to or is it so easy to know all the streets of big cities in the UK? No need to even mention London. Can't get it.

[@stz24oct]

There's where fake taxi comes in

[@ajay-naz6996]

The whole world is gone crazy.

[@johnsmith-rs2vk]

Trafalgar Square ? I'll just turn on my GPS .

[@trader398]

Yup, I took this minicab when going to Heathrow. Nothing wrong isn’t it. Early morning. Is just business evolution.

[@father1043]

Thanks to let me know how I can get a taxi licence

[@doug5101]

All approved by Sadiq Khan

[@adamkhan1296]

Doug Rutter way before khan was born it's been happening since time

[@Blacktolite]

Approved by the government this is government policy to use unemployed citizens as a commodity the mayor doesn't have that much power realistically

[@imranzazai7404]

London is very beautiful and my favourite.

[@freshwater3158]

Excellent

[@kampango789]

How about checking customers for criminal backgrounds there are some horrible customers out there

[@96donov]

some snakes

[@jimmybaldwin737]

I done a gas course like this 😂😂😂😂. Didn’t have to pay though. We used to check the sheets on the desk when the teacher left. And WhatsApp the answers to everyone. And made sure we got a few wrong ha ha

[@AcesizOfficial]

Doesn’t surprise me

[@adelharrachi7771]

why BBC they don't investigate on topographical test results timing as the test been done on pc it suppose to be the results on same day like theaory driving licence test and life in UK test why tfl they keep you waiting more then 6 weeks🤔🤔as it suppose to be the same day !

[@tommylee8064]

Na don’t say half of England shouldn’t be working

[@lj6717]

So to pay all this money and to go through all that trouble to be a Mini cab driver is crazy. Because the amount of money you pay out once your on the road is a lot. Mini cabs dont make money like they did before.

[@XMan-qu5kl]

A lot of east Europeans are doing these type of frauds nowadays

[@redtale6527]

An ex teacher friend of mine calls our working with children check the pedo pass because the worse offenders are already employed by the department . It rakes in a fortune to spend on office workers but it does very little to reduce child abuse.

[@johnsmith-rs2vk]

Just the tip of the iceberg as to what is going on illegally in the UK .

[@chrisc1881]

Hope they looked him up

[@mustafemkhamed2948]

BBC need to investigate themselves

[@yassinadam418]

BBC well done . You work as police men or women . Thank u so much. I rode uber so many times and most of the drivers cant speak good English.

[@merlinthemagician3388]

And are they going to recall all those who attended that college as they knew that their certificate was fake and they should lose the right to hold a licence??(unfit to hold a licence)

[@deanlahaye6559]

Tfl are deeply concerned 😂😂😂

[@wahidnawabi5711]

What about your TV licence is illegal . It's illegal

[@maryanmaye1369]

This is a liars Vista has helped alot of disadvantage young people in computing IT GCSE and even looking for jobs ask around how many are now working and doing alot. I wish people could say the truth.

[@venkatbabu186]

Everyone should know driving in London if you don't you can stay on cold street junkyards and no food.

[@user-fb2ci1wm3m]

Can’t you tell how they drive? Some they can’t speak at all

[@Mike_5]

Allowing the tests to be outsourced to these external organisations created this with no proper scrutiny or auditing

[@Blacktolite]

Most if these training organisations are paid by EU charities government contracts the more people they train the higher the pay, they use unemployed jobseekers dwp, EU are all in on it massive scam the unemployed have become a commodity same as prison system ten years of tories

[@servertoaster]

8:29 They launched an internal investigation. Gugahg.

[@Ramblingpete]

I’d never use a mini cab whey would when there or real taxis out there with English speaking drivers who don’t need a sat nav

[@ozdermusic]

And this how TFL how ruined and bastardised the taxi and cab trade

[@jossytm6814]

Corruption is getting worse in this country !!

[@christiangarau7647]

Is that a news?

[@bigbird9416]

Wolverhampton council should be investigated they issue over 10000 licences a year. More then Birmingham and sandwell put together.

[@Ramblingpete]

It’s called Wonga for councils just Wonga blow the public Wonga Wonga

[@nivea123]

Not me, not me, not me... lol :)

[@shakshakir6941]

I can’t believe there are crooks in every business where is the World going to next

[@LOvEMe-uq9he]

BBc do video on theroy test

[@mohammedaliimam]

What the ? How could they do that? TFL must suspend all the certificate from that college in co-operations with BTEC exam body. A through criminal investigation is a must. I suspect without college management's knowledge it did not happen. So college to be ban immediately. Some people study so hard to pass to get the license and those criminal abusing system.

[@Ajkhan-kt8vm]

What about knife crime. You only police is after drivers only

[@chaitulion2672]

london look like south asian city and it goes furthur down

[@dholaholics]

It wasn’t me

[@Dehkada]

I’ve been doing taxi job for two years 10 hours a day, never worked over £5 an hour. Done so many tests including £12000 bought a car, which worth 3000 now. Too many disrespect too much abuse, rubbish job

[@yasgym]

Good work by the BBC ! All Vista certificates, invalid now! shame on you Vista team, and the people that paid for it. Disgraceful.