UK/CZECH REPUBLIC: Czechs, Slovaks and Poles are being trained as taxi drivers in Prague before moving to the UK to work

Record ID: 775708

  • Title: UK/CZECH REPUBLIC: Czechs, Slovaks and Poles are being trained as taxi drivers in Prague before moving to the UK to work
  • Date: 20th August 2006
  • Summary: (CEEF) PLYMOUTH, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT) (REUTERS) BUS DRIVING AND FLAGS BLOWING IN THE WIND FERRIS WHEEL ON TOP OF HILL BOAT ON WATER TAXI DRIVING EXTERIOR OF TAXIFAST OFFICE TAXIFAST STAFF ANSWERING PHONES WOMAN ANSWERING PHONE COMPUTER WITH INFORMATION BEING TYPED IN WOMAN ON PHONE WOMAN ENTERING TAXI (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TAXIFAST, JOHN PREECE, SAYING: "We've have people that come over here that are, one's a veterinary surgeon, one's a chemist and one we have a piano instructor that has a degree. That, they are just overqualified for what we want. But at the end of the day they are here to earn money." TAXIFAST STAFF TALKING ON THE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TAXIFAST, JOHN PREECE, SAYING: "I think there is an infinity there with the, particularly with the Czechs and the Poles, and obviously the Slovaks I mean from the last war. I mean they fought together, and we have Czechs and we have Poles, Polish communities here in Plymouth that were remnant of the war." TWO TAXI DRIVERS WALKING OUT OF OFFICE AND ENTERING TAXI VARIOUS INSIDE CAB OF TAXI WHILE TAXI DRIVER, TOMAS STONIS IS DRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) TAXI DRIVER, TOMAS STONIS, SAYING: "I came to England because I read about opportunities for work in the newspapers. I've always been interested in England and how everything looks." STONIS TURNING STEERING WHEEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) TAXI DRIVER, TOMAS STONIS, SAYING: "People here is friendly, good style of life, better life than I have in my country." THREE TAXI DRIVERS WALKING ALONG PIER TAXI DRIVERS STANDING ON EDGE OF PIER MAN FISHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TAXI DRIVER, MATEJ LEHOCKY, SAYING: "For the reason I am here which is just to make some money and go back, I mean I don't want to stay here for all my life. Because I don't think England is going to be my home. But, it's a great opportunity to get some decent life." BAY WITH QUIET WATER AND HILLS IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) TAXI DRIVER, MATEJ LEHOCKY, SAYING: "Generally taxi drivers in Prague are treated like, like the lowest situated people, just ripping people off and being unhonest and abusive. And if you are here as a taxi driver people used to let you go in front of them in the queue in the shop and greeting you and asking you how are you and stuff like that." LEHOCKY ENTERING TAXI LEHOCKY DRIVING AWAY VARIOUS OF TRAINING CLASS IN ENGLAND MAP BOOK FOR PLYMOUTH
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Employment
  • Reuters ID: LVA77H1PE0C0VPJX9PCO6NLXJAI5
  • Story Text: UK taxi company, Taxifast recruit and train eastern European drivers in Prague to prepare them for work in England. The drivers go through a four week training course in Prague, learning street names and places before moving to England to continue the practical training there.
    High demands for taxi drivers in the UK led Plymouth based Taxifast to start recruiting drivers from Prague two years ago. Since then increasing demands and the Czech Republic's booming economy has resulted in a further expansion of recruitment into Poland and Slovakia.
    In co-operation with Dunross recruitment agency Taxifast set up a training school in Prague, following the opening of European borders allowing a free flow of workers.
    Because of the popularity of the eastern europeans and the high demands for taxi drivers a new school has been set up in Wroclaw, Poland.
    In England it has proven difficult to recruit drivers within the country. Unsociable working conditions and age regulations have put many off a career as taxi drivers.
    Taxifast employ about 100 Czech taxi drivers, a quarter of their workforce.
    "We've have people that come over here that are, one's a veterinary surgeon, one's a chemist and one we have a piano instructor that has a degree. That, they are just overqualified for what we want. But at the end of the day they are here to earn money," said managing director of Taxifast, John Preece.
    Preece believes the drivers have settled in nicely and enjoy the eastern european heritage Plymouth has to offer.
    "I think there is an infinity there with the, particularly with the Czechs and the Poles, and obviously the Slovaks I mean from the last war. I mean they fought together, and we have Czechs and we have Poles, Polish communities here in Plymouth that were remnant of the war," said Preece.
    Taxifast drivers are self-employed and have to supply their own car, either bought themselves or rented. They also have to cover their own fuel and insurance. In addition Taxifast charge a 158 pound sterling (approx 235 euros) office rent per week, which gives them a company to drive for and which provide customers.
    The average working time is 12 hours a day and Taxifast recommend they work a maximum of 6 days a week.
    It is the high wages and better living standards that attract many Czech, Pole and Slovak drivers to England. A hard working driver can earn more than 1,000 pounds sterling (approx 1485 euros) a week, and it has been said that driving a taxi on a Saturday night in Plymouth can bring in more money than a month's wages in their home country.
    But for most of the drivers living in the UK, it is just a temporary solution, to save some money and return home to family and friends within a few years.
    "The reason I am here which is just to make some money and go back, I mean I don't want to stay here for all my life. Because I don't think England is going to be my home. But, it's a great opportunity to get some decent life," said Czech driver, Matej Lehocky.
    Taxifast has already supplied drivers to other taxi companies in England and is currently expanding into other British cities.
    Other UK based taxi companies have taken an interest in Dunross's and Taxifast's operations in Prague. Firms from Portsmouth, Nottingham, Barrow, Cambridge and Oxford are due to visit the Prague training school to see if recruiting eastern European drivers can be an option for them.
    "Driving standards are very different in central and eastern Europe than they are to the UK. It's a lot more relaxed in the UK and for such a passive nation as the Czech Republic it surprises me how aggressive drivers are on the road, so this is something we have to change," said the head of European recruitment in Prague, Derek Merry.
    The company enforces strict dress codes, hygiene and haircut regulations already at the training school.
    The drivers attending the course have different reasons for wanting to move to England.
    "I lost my job and I was thinking what new job can I do abroad. My son has been living in England, in Nottingham, for a year. I found this offer on the internet and it sounded interesting to me," said Slovak Peter Turanovic.
    "I have work in Poland, but I would like find new people, and look (at) a new country and (do) something interesting," said Pole, Janusz Pielak.

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