The Tourism Ministry ought to be congratulated for introducing
training programmes for taxi drivers. Up to 4,000 cabbies in the Klang Valley are
to be trained as Taxi Ambassadors. Taxi drivers in other areas are to be given
training to offer sightseeing services in their districts.
However, the training programmes for drivers by the Tourism
Ministry have missed out the tour van drivers.
Every day, thousands of these drivers meet up with large
numbers of tourists to provide a wide range of services that include airport
transfers, city sightseeing, overland transfers to mountain and beach resorts
or to other attractions and cities.
Yet others drive tour cars owned by tour and car rental companies,
and these vehicles are licensed under Limousine Taxi or Hire and Drive. Luxury
limousines based at 5-star hotels are operated by appointed concessionaires.
Most tour van/car drivers have not undergone proper job
training. Those who learnt on the job and have gained some experience also need
to be formally trained.
Training is effective when drivers participate actively in workshops.
It will be like water off a duck’s back if they are made to listen passively to
lectures in seminars.
Unlike cabbies that have to cruise or wait for passengers,
tour van/car drivers are given assignments by tour companies.
As such, they take instructions and are given a list of dos
and don’ts. They are also provided with other information and may be kept
abreast of developments.
Most people are not aware that drivers are among the most difficult
groups of people to manage. Many do not follow instructions or provide good
service consistently and tend to slack.
Through proper guidance, they can be made to realise that driving is
not necessarily a dead-end job. Some of them have progressed to operate their
own companies or manage for others.
They should be given opportunities to undergo personal and professional
developments to discover their true potential. They would be more courteous and
knowledgeable after training.
Their performance can be affected by other factors such as procedures
set by tour companies, expectations of customers, instructions by superiors,
enforcement by authorities and facilities at airports, hotels and places of
interests.
Training workshops for these drivers should also be
participated by their superiors or trainers and officials from the Tourism
Ministry, Land Public Transport Commission, Road Transport Department and other
authorities.
This will enable the participants to better recognise the
important roles everyone has to play and appreciate the challenges faced by the
various quarters.
Most tour van/car drivers have interesting stories to share.
Those that did not engage with their passengers have allowed opportunities to
slip by without even knowing.
In 2000, I drove a Saudi Air Force colonel and his family for
several days and was overwhelmed by his courtesy and exemplary behavior of his
family. He would get my nomination should aliens from outer space need a person
to represent the human race.
I persuaded him to visit a world class pewter factory so that
I could buy an ashtray as present. Luckily, a craftswoman was able to do the
engraving on the spot.
As my budget was limited, I had to settle for a small ashtray
and shortened my message to “Colonel Abdul Hameed, an Officer and a Gentleman”.
Just as he was ready to leave the pewter factory after
shopping, I passed a gift wrapped box to him and said with a smile, “From
Malaysia”. To my embarrassment, the next day, he presented me a gold watch and
perfume for my wife.
A tour van driver who participated in a training workshop on
courtesy shared that he had provided great service to some Europeans who only
disclosed their background on the last day.
They are among the world’s richest families. The brand name
they own is worth billions. The driver is now treated as a family friend and
they communicate regularly.
Unlike tourist guides who have to give attention to everyone
in a tour group travelling in a tour bus, tour van/car drivers provide
personalised services to small groups, families or individuals.
They have the advantage to engage closely with their captive
audience. If they deliver high quality services consistently, their lives can
be changed forever with just one lucky break.
Forty years ago, I worked as a tourist guide handling tour groups in
tour buses and driving Free Independent Travellers (FITs) in tour cars licensed
as limousine taxis.
Tourist guide training courses have been conducted for the
past 50 years in Kuala Lumpur. The total number of participants throughout the
country is many times higher than the 9,600 licensed tourist guides currently
registered with Tourism Ministry.
Tourist driver training courses should also be conducted for
existing tour van/car drivers to upgrade their skills and offer opportunities
to those who wish to join this exciting career.
Introducing training programmes for tourist drivers or driver
guides would most certainly raise the quality of our tourism services by
several notches.
YS Chan
Kuala Lumpur
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