7 Aberdeen taxi driver licensing wrangles – including fake leg row, illegal fares and bid to cheat test.

We look back at seven significant talking points from meetings over issuing licences to Aberdeen drivers – and have compiled some of the most fascinating…

The licensing laws for Aberdeen cab drivers are currently being debated, with the public encouraged to provide feedback on the industry.

Most contentiously, the new survey allows citizens to voice their opinions on the Street Knowledge Test, which some allege is to blame for shortages during peak periods.

However, people are being surveyed on far more than just that, as part of the council’s Aberdeen taxi licensing rules.

Becoming a taxi driver is not an easy procedure, and would-be cabbies frequently face obstacles in their attempts to enter the industry.

We have looked back through our recent archives and highlighted seven cases. The Press and Journal said that cabbies had to struggle for jobs in front of local authority decision-makers.

‘I was asleep and missed warning email’

We begin with a rogue Aberdeen cabbie who claimed he “missed a warning email” and racked up 40 illicit weekend fares.

Majid Ali stated that he was asleep after a night shift and had no knowledge about the notice stating that his car needed an examination since its certificate had expired.

That meant he couldn’t get behind the wheel again until his vehicle was inspected and confirmed roadworthy.

Despite being cautioned, he continued to use the automobile to transport customers.

A feisty Mr Ali maintained that the council “should have phoned him” instead of sending an email.

The irritated cab driver also asked why the council “couldn’t leave a simple voicemail” when his father in war-torn Kashmir called.

Councillors eventually concluded that the violation was insufficient to justify revoking the cabbie’s license.

He was instead issued a formal warning, which would remain on his record for two years.

Sign language taxi driver in battle to bypass wheelchair rules

In September 2024, we featured the example of Garry McNulty, who grew up communicating with his deaf sister through British Sign Language.

Licensing officials learned how he helped people with hearing problems move around the city as a signing taxi driver.

This could imply that his consumers are generally elderly or fragile.

And it threw him into confrontation with the council since he claimed these passengers were having difficulty getting into his wheelchair-accessible automobile.

Aberdeen City Council mandated that all new cab drivers licensed after 1994 use wheelchair-accessible vehicles, albeit there is a waiting list to use saloons.

Usually, exceptions to this regulation can only be permitted for medical reasons.

However, Mr McNulty maintained that he should be exempt from the laws for the welfare of his core consumer base, the hearing impaired.

The Northfield driver of around 20 years told licensing officials that customers who use walking sticks and frames had difficulty making the foot-high step up in his current car.

Councillors quickly approved the change.

When asked if he was the only Aberdeen cab driver knowledgeable in British Sign Language, Mr McNulty replied, “I have no idea.” But as someone from a deaf family, I hope not.

Amputee got dressing down for dressing down…

The driver dress code is one facet of Aberdeen’s taxi laws that is now up for public feedback.

It establishes expectations that drivers must constantly present themselves in a professional manner.

Jeans, t-shirts, tracksuit bottoms or tops, and trainers are all prohibited.

However, there are exceptions to every regulation, and amputee Aberdeen taxi driver Billy McKenzie had to make his case for wearing pants.

Following four complaints against Mr McKenzie, the city licensing committee issued a formal warning on his record.

Tommy Campbell was pulled out of retirement by Unite the Union to represent Mr McKenzie at the licensing committee hearing, arguing that special circumstances existed in this case.

Mr Campbell explained: “The trousers are extremely baggy because Billy does not have a left leg. He has a hip-level amputation.

“The prosthetic limb he is wearing needs him to wear baggy trousers.”

Mr McKenzie indicated he believed they may be classified as chinos.

He admitted: “If that’s the case, I won’t wear them again.” But I assumed they were classified as trousers.”

It was one of numerous complaints made at the meeting, but the union veteran later told The P&J that the council had been “unfair” in issuing Mr McKenzie the warning.

William Cameron one of many Aberdeen taxi drivers to face licensing bosses

In February 2024, we reported that William Cameron had his licence revoked after stealing thousands of pounds from a widow’s bank account.

Mr Cameron was accused of removing approximately £8,000 from the pensioner’s account without permission.

He had been trusted to withdraw money for her while she cared for her dying husband in 2021.

The cab driver of 20 years did not show at his hearing before Aberdeen City Council’s licensing committee at the time.

However, he stated that he had never taken money from his purported victim’s account without permission.

Despite his claims of innocence, Aberdeen councillors unanimously voted to revoke his taxi licence, declaring him “not a fit and proper person” to hold one.

When informed that his licence had been withdrawn, he declined to comment.

Naive driver thought he could pass test without any revision

We now move on to one of the most contentious aspects of Aberdeen’s taxi licensing system: the Street Knowledge Test.

Business leaders are increasingly calling for the abolition of this exam for private hire drivers, who know where they will start and end their journeys before leaving.

While it remains in existence, it has created a few controversies during council meetings.

In January, we wrote about “naive” cabbie William Duguid, who was barred from returning to work after his requests to skip Aberdeen’s disputed Street Knowledge Test were denied.

He said that he had worked for Rainbow City Taxis for 13 years before leaving in 2020 due to the Covid epidemic.

Aberdeen taxi drivers need to pass test to impress licensing bosses

He passed the Street Knowledge Test when he initially started in the trade in 2007, and another exam roughly a decade later.

With this in mind, the would-be returning cab driver approached Aberdeen City Council’s licensing committee to request an exemption from retaking the test.

Mr Duguid told councillors that he is “after a licence” because he “knows the streets pretty well” and is “hoping to be exempt through that knowledge”.

Committee members were informed that Mr Duguid had recently taken the Street Knowledge Test but was unsuccessful.

Mr Duguid admitted that he did not revise before taking the exam, saying, “I truly felt I would pass it.

“I was probably being a bit naive and I didn’t really study for it.”

One would-be driver tried to bribe his way into trade…

In February, a prospective cab driver attempted to pay invigilators to pass his test.

He offered Aberdeen officials hundreds of pounds while he tried to answer the trade’s mandatory questions.

Kashif Iftikhar had failed Aberdeen’s contentious Street Knowledge Test no less than 12 times before he took extraordinary measures to obtain job.

He twice offered invigilators “between £700 and £800” if they would bend the regulations to allow him to enter the profession.

The determined would-be cabbie was also spotted staring at his phone during two of the exams.

Mr. Ifitkhar later requested that the licensing chiefs waive the exam requirement in his case.

The committee almost immediately went to a vote and denied Mr Iftikhar’s request for an exception.

Returning cabbie sought to avoid test

Finally, we look at one cab driver who managed to avoid taking the test by saying councillors he passed it in 2016.

Scott Allan worked in the trade for three years before quitting during the pandemic.

If he had taken and failed the exam, he would not have been allowed to re-enter the profession.

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