Induction

Induction (most Mondays evenings) takes half an hour to an hour depending on how many questions you have. All students coming to the course must do the induction to understand how the course works. Upon arrival, I will show you an example of an exam paper, advise you of the pass mark expected and how you should apply for your exam.The starter pack contains -

• A book map
• A large single sheet map
• Streets file
• A copy of the miscellaneous files
• A note pad, for homework
• Highlighter pens
• Biros
• A full version of Taxi Academy CD ROM
• An application form
• My contact details
• Two examples of routes and how we study them
• Edinburgh council notes for taxi drivers

You are shown the unique system of studying streets and routes at the same time, so you do not need separate routing sessions and to finish off you can ask me any questions you may have.

If you elect not to begin studying with us, you can walk away but if you elect to join the course, you can start right away.

There are 7 course zone sessions / lectures. The areas covered are as follows -

• City Centre North
• City Centre South
• South East,
• The Grange to the bypass
• The Grange to Newcraighall 
• South West,
• Holy Corner to the bypass
• Holy Corner to Currie & Balerno 
• West, Roseburn to Wester Hailes, Airport and Barnton
• Includes South Queensferry and Kirkliston which we now must cover
• North, Silverknowes to Newhaven
• Learmonth to Granton
• East, Newhaven to Joppa
• Includes Willowbrae and Brunstane. 

Each of these sessions covers more or less an equal amount of ground. There may be a little difference in size of area, but each area takes approximately 2 to 2½ hours to deliver. Once all zones are completed and you have the paper work in your possession, you will have the whole city covered.I'll go through with you, in each zone, all housing areas which will be on your paperwork. You'll put a corresponding number from your worksheets for each housing area on your big map.

This is how you'll locate housing areas on the map.During those same sessions, you will also be shown all the main arterial routes in the zone, and you'll draw them on your map with my help. You'll be given a list of all the secondary routes in that zone to draw on your map. All streets leading off these primary and secondary routes will be listed on the paperwork you receive, so that by the end of the session you'll have every street in that zone located as being off another street. They're set out in route form.

The Taxi Academy App is on iOS platform only. We can install it on iphone/ipad/ipod touch. The App is a flash card system asking questions and keeping results of answers. Its very handy to have study time at work or on the bus, but this does not substitute the files and the map for studying. Its important to follow the structure of the whole course.