THE ENTRY TEST for taxis, hackneys and limousines will soon be updated to reflect the fact that passengers now “widely accept” the use of online maps.

The Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) Driver Entry Test is designed to verify that new entrants to the industry are familiar with good practice and have a “good working knowledge of the county in which you wish to operate”.

This test must be passed by applicants before they apply for an SPSV driver licence.

It consists of two modules: an Industry Knowledge Module, which assesses understanding of legislation and operational standards, and the Area Knowledge Module, which evaluates the applicant’s familiarity with the county in which they intend to operate.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) said it had undertaken a review with key stakeholders regarding this test.

Its findings showed that while passengers still expect drivers to have a higher-than-average understanding of local geography, the use of online maps is now widely accepted.

As a result, changes will be made to the Area Knowledge module in an attempt to “balance realistic and modern driver practices with the continued need for strong customer service”.

The revised Area Knowledge module will place more emphasis on knowledge of motorways and transport hubs.

It will also place greater focus on tourist attractions, hospitals, sports, theatre and music venues and, for urban centres, knowledge on major street names, one-way systems and city routes.

To give applicants time to prepare ahead of the update to the test on 1 October, the 8th edition of the SPSV Industry Manual is now available on NTA’s website.

The current version will remain available and valid for test preparation until that date.

Kevin O’Brien, Head of Transport Regulation of NTA, said the changes “align with ongoing efforts to modernise entry into the sector”.

“By recognising the role navigation technology plays and focusing on the driver knowledge that genuinely supports passenger needs, we are making the entry process into the SPSV sector more relevant, fair and future-ready.”