“As from today, you may not call us taxi drivers but feel free to call us taxi operators.”
This was the message from the Ivory Park Taxi Association (IPTA) drivers, speaking at the association’s awards ceremony held in Midrand on Wednesday last week.
The chairman of IPTA, Mr Johannes Mkhonza, made an announcement at the event by giving the recipients of awards an early Christmas bonus.
He awarded R500 to each taxi driver at the awards ceremony as a form of encouragement and appreciation.
It was a way to say thank you for always looking good with their ties and suits.
Over 150 taxi operators (including queue marshals) from the Ivory Park Taxi Association received their certificates after they successfully completed their Customer Care Training.
The training was offered by Delight Your Passenger (DYP), which is a social responsibility initiative established in 2013 by the Ratile Research Company.
The DYP’s objective is to raise awareness of the transport industry by teaching the passengers and the drivers about the importance of customer satisfaction.
In July, the DYP offered leadership training to the executive team at Ivory Park and the Reiger Park Taxi Association.
“IPTA is praised for the dress code in every part of the country. The taxi industry is changing, we need to be part of this change. The vehicle is your tool to generate income, for you and your family,” said Mr Mkhonza.
“The taxi industry contributes over R90-billion annually,” he said.
He congratulated Ratile Research for the good work they are doing.
One of the recipients, Mr Justice Hlongwane who spoke on behalf of other drivers said, “I have learnt one or two things at the training. I am not just a taxi driver but a taxi operator. I also learnt what is customer care.”
Representative from Ratile Research, Ms Nonhlanhla Sebola, congratulated the IPTA team for the good work that its association is doing in the community.
“We have done some work with the airlines but after landing at the airport, you will need to connect with a taxi. Then, you feel customer service at its best,” she said.