OLYMPICS-RIO/TAXI DRIVERS-ENGLISH Rio taxi drivers learning English before Olympic Games

Record ID: 144307

  • Title: OLYMPICS-RIO/TAXI DRIVERS-ENGLISH Rio taxi drivers learning English before Olympic Games
  • Date: 12th August 2015
  • Summary: STICKER ON BACK OF FRONT SEAT A TAXI DRIVER SIGNING PAPERS AND RECEIVING STICKER FOR HIS CAR
  • Embargoed: 27th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5UH9ESKTGBW07IYDWMSKSR169
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ten thousand taxi drivers in Rio de Janeiro will take part in online English courses to prepare them for the influx of tourists arriving in the city for next year's Summer Games.
    Taxi drivers, according to Rio 2016 Head of Engagement Mariana Behr, are often tourists' first point of contact with a city, so it is important for the Games organisers to help make this a productive exchange.
    The initiative is run by the Rio 2016 organising committee along with Education First and Radio Globo, and will provide four-month courses to be taken at the drivers' convenience and at the level that best suits them.
    For taxi drivers picking up their licenses this week, the opportunity is seen as one to step up the service they can offer.
    "We go through all sorts of situations with tourists, and I want to be able to speak at least the basics. They tell us the address and sometimes we don't understand, so it is good to learn," taxi driver, Romilson Oliveira said to Reuters as he signed up on Tuesday (August 11).
    "We are going to be required to work as part of an event in which we will need to know at least a little bit of English to not be totally left out," added Almir Martins.
    The licenses were distributed in Gloria in the city centre, and in the north zone in Madureira Park which has been redeveloped as part of the mayor's Integrated City plan for the Games. A big screen will be installed in the park to broadcast the Games.
    According to Behr, the language courses form part of redevelopment projects towards the Olympic legacy beyond the Games.
    "What we are trying to do here is really helping them have a better level of service. We have talked to a lot of them and a lot of them don't have any English at all, so this will help them offer a better service to their passengers. And this is also a legacy, this is not just for the Games but is something that will be continued after the Games as well," Behr said on Tuesday.
    The Olympics are set to kick off in Brazil in August of 2016.
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