Cambridge Taxi School # 2

Running head: Cambridge Taxi School Student Manual Shahroodi 1
Cambridge Taxi School Student Manual
Customer Service, Hospitality & Conflict Resolution
Researched, Prepared and Written, By
Ardavan A. Shahroodi
2010-2011
(Material andideasfromthismanuscriptwere utilizedtocreate the final versionof the Manual)

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Customer Service & Hospitality
---------As a taxi operator you are selling a means of honest/truthful transportation from
point A to point B. You are also promising that at the very least you actually have a
pretty good idea how to get from that point A to the requested point B. In addition, you
must be able to give assurances to your passenger (s) that you will make every reasonable
effort to guarantee their safety and security while being transported in your vehicle.
Furthermore, you must be able to create the kind of physical environment for your
customer/passenger (s) that is in line with superior hygiene standards and make every
effort to promote a kind of psychological atmosphere that reduces conflict and promotes
open communication.
--------All the above qualities contribute to the creation of your product. Remember, at
the most elementary level all the above characteristics must be present in order for you to
engage in the business of operating a taxi service. As a business you must define what is
it that you’re selling? As a businessperson operating a taxi service, you must ask
yourself, “What is my product?” Each and every time you transport a passenger all the
above elements (honesty, knowledge, safety, security, taxi operator superior hygiene,
vehicle cleanliness, conflict de-escalation and open communication) contribute to the
creation of your final product. In turn, what your passenger is purchasing from you is not
measured only by the single act of transportation, rather by the combination of many
factors that in a given/set amount of time affect the quality of that customer experience
while in your taxi vehicle.
--------You must always remember that you are conducting your business and selling your
product in a regulated environment. This is precisely the reason behind attending

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Cambridge Taxi School, studying and passing the Hackney license exam and acquiring
certification from the city of Cambridge to become a taxi operator in the City of
Cambridge. Cambridge, similar to most other municipalities highly regulates its taxi
industry in order to “ensure public safety and to ensure the existence of an adequate
supply of taxicabs to meet public necessity and demand” (Rules & Regulations Article
I/Rule I). You need to conduct yourself, operate your business and deliver your product
in a manner that is in line with the hackney rules and regulations of the City of
Cambridge.
--------The first important consideration that you must take into account defines your
product as one that promotes the safety, security and well-being of yourself as the
operator of a taxi service, your passenger (s) and the public at large. In short, the above
prerogatives must never be compromised in exchange for any other consideration,
business or otherwise. In this light, please read the sections in this book covering “Public
Safety and Driver Protection”, “Rules and Regulations” especially Articles XI, XVI,
XVII, XX, XXII, XXIII and XXIV, “Substance Abuse” and “Radio Communications”
(In the Radio Communications section read segments dealing with “Reporting
Emergencies”/X and Safety/XI) in advance of this section on “Customer Service”.
Furthermore, in the event that you have questions dealing with safety and security
forward those inquiries to the Director of the Cambridge Taxi School or the Cambridge
Hackney Police Officer. Customer service and conflict resolution knowledge and skills
may potentially defuse some dangerous situations. However, issues covering safety and
security demand a very distinct set of knowhow and conduct altogether separate from the

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mostly business oriented topic of “Customer Service”. The following are three examples
that may illustrate the aforementioned comments further:
Example # 1: You find yourself at 3:00 A.M. in a dark side alley having legitimate fears
for your safety, your passenger’s safety or the safety of your taxi vehicle.
Example # 2: You have legitimate suspicion that your passenger is utilizing your taxi to
conduct activity that is in “Violation of Laws” (Article XVI, Rule 16a).
Example # 3: A “noisy, intoxicated or disorderly” person (Article XVI, Rule 16b) is
requesting that you transport him or her from one drinking establishment to another and
you do not have any “reason to believe” (Article XVI, Rule 16b) that the destination is
the potential “passenger’s house or lodging”(Article XVI, Rule 16b).
----------All the above examples deal with the safety and security aspect of your job as a
taxi operator. You need to study the Cambridge Taxi School Course Manual carefully,
ask related questions from the Director of the Cambridge Taxi School or the Cambridge
Hackney Police Officer and discuss the above examples and other potential scenarios
with your fellow aspiring or for that matter existing City of Cambridge taxi operators in
order to fully understand the safety and security aspect of operating a taxi vehicle. Please
remember that customer service and conflict resolution skills of a taxi operator in and by
themselves are not sufficient tools in upholding everyone’s safety and security while
delivering a taxi service. Indeed, due to the unique character of the taxi business, safety
and security considerations must always take precedence over any other concerns. In
order to maintain a legitimate business posture at the most elementary level one has to
constantly strive to ensure safety and security while engaging in commercial transactions.

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--------As an operator of a taxi service your product must be an honest means of
transportation. This implies that next to adhering to safety rules and regulations your
product must be delivered ethically and according to moral standards. In practice, this
translates into shutting off the meter if you are lost prior to reaching the destination
requested by your passenger. Always remember that by accepting a fare you are
assuring your prospective customers that you will be transporting that passenger to her or
his destination via the shortest possible route. Please do not leave the meter running
while you are turning from one street onto the other and travelling from one
neighborhood to the other and stopping along the way while you inquire from the general
public the correct directions to your ultimate destination. The meter must be off in all
such occasions!! This act will establish your sense of fairness in the eyes of your
passengers and your customers will be much more understanding about the situation at
hand when they observe that you have their interest at heart by turning the meter off
when you are lost. This one act of shutting the meter off will lessen your customer’s
anxiety placing her or him more at ease while promoting trust between yourself and your
passengers. Always remember that the more your passengers trust you the more they will
find a reason in their mind not to engage you in conflict ridden encounters. Please also
do not leave the meter running if your taxi vehicle experiences a breakdown that will lead
to an interruption of the trip.
---------Trust is a necessary central element in any business interaction. Imagine yourself
purchasing a product that presents or advertises itself as having certain qualities albeit
possessing none of those qualities or being of an inferior quality. Now, imagine yourself
hiring a taxi in an environment that you are not familiar with based on the understanding

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that you will be charged an honest fare. Both these scenarios ask you to place yourself in
the shoes of your passengers. In great majority of cases you are a complete stranger to
your customers. This is especially true when you are transporting hotel guests and
vacationers. Unfortunately, some of them have also heard stories or have in the past
themselves been exposed to what they consider as dishonest taxi related fares or charges.
Always remember that among strangers trust rests on a razor thin foundation, fragile
and weak susceptible to immediate breakdown. Your behavior and conduct as an honest
taxi operator delivering an honest product will strengthen the foundation for establishing
a more solid and unshakable sense of trust among yourself and your passengers. In these
situations, the higher the level of trust the lesser the potential for conflict among yourself
and your passengers.
--------As a new City of Cambridge taxi operator, in order to deliver an honest product,
utilize the following strategy in order to lessen your very understandable anxiety and
nervousness in the first few weeks and strengthen your business practices. Start your first
day on the job utilizing the “List of Ten” technique. This would be a list of ten
destination locations in Cambridge or Boston that you feel very confident of transporting
passengers/customers correctly from Harvard, Central, Kendall or Inman Squares or from
any of the City of Cambridge hospitality establishments (hotels). Your list must include a
correct understanding of how to get from Harvard, Central, Kendall or Inman Squares or
from the hospitality establishment (hotel) of your choice to Logan International Airport,
Copley Square/Prudential Center, Faneuil Hall, South Station, North End, MIT, and
others that you may deem as necessary. Make certain that on your first day as a City of
Cambridge taxi operator you are completely familiar with the correct route from Harvard,

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Central, Kendall or Inman Squares or from the hospitality establishment (hotel) of your
choice to your preselected “List of Ten” destinations. In the first few weeks, consider
returning to or “playing” the same taxi stand (Harvard, Central, Kendall or Inman
Squares or the hotel of your choice) all day or during the entire span of your shift in order
to gradually familiarizing yourself with the feel and the layout of the area’s streets and
destinations. As always shut off your meter if you lose your way driving to the
aforementioned or any other locations. In the case of an airport trip the price is a fixed
rate and the meter usage is unnecessary. During that anxiety ridden first few weeks the
“List of Ten” technique will act as a knowledge foundation for you to expand your
understanding and familiarity of the area’s geography and the most requested destinations
by the general public. In comparison to other major metropolitan centers, Cambridge and
Boston occupy a relatively small geographical area. This characteristic actually works in
your favor as an unseasoned taxi operator with less material to learn and together with
your “List of Ten” approach will allow you to educate yourself gradually without the
pressure and the corresponding anxiety of having to travel to completely unfamiliar
destinations. In a relatively short amount of time the utilization of the “List of Ten”
technique enables you to become extremely adept in traveling from your base (Harvard
or Central or Kendall or Inman Squares or the hotel of your choice) to one of the ten
addresses on your list. The “List of Ten” technique also allows you to accept fares that
may not be on your list, however again due to the relatively small size of Cambridge and
Boston a requested destination maybe a very short distance from one of the ten addresses
on your list. As an example, if your passenger is requesting to be taken to a restaurant on
Boylston Street whose exact location is unbeknown to you, the very fact that you have

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mastery of getting to Prudential Center enables you to accept the fare which actually will
be in close proximity to Prudential Center. Again, remember to be fair and shut off the
meter if you feel that you are lost or that you have passed the actual location of the
restaurant. In these situations, matters may become much simpler if you have an actual
address in your hand or in the case that your passenger is a hotel guest please ask the
hotel Doorperson to supply you with an address or the directions to the destination.
-------The “Flat Rates” booklet provided to you by the Cambridge Taxi School is a
wonderful resource by outlining precise directions to all the listed “flat rate” designated
communities and destinations. In addition, the “Flat Rates” booklet contains the exact
rates that Cambridge taxi operators may charge those customers who wish to travel to the
listed “flat rate” communities and destinations. Furthermore, in the beginning of the
“Flat Rates” booklet those communities and destinations that surround the cities of
Cambridge and Boston and due to their close proximity to the City of Cambridge have
been designated as “non-Flat Rate” by the Cambridge Hackney License Commission
have been identified. Taxi operators must only use their meters if the requested address
is located in a “non-Flat Rate” community. Please remember that the “Flat Rate” booklet
is a legal document issued by the Cambridge Hackney License Commission and in that
light Cambridge taxi operators who are requested to transport their customer(s) to a “Flat
Rate” community must only charge the amount that has been listed in the booklet. A
very good idea would be to familiarize your customer(s) with the “Flat Rate” guide by
having them see the booklet itself and the actual printed amount in order to establish
credibility and promote trust between the passengers and yourself at the very onset of
your “flat rate” journey. Remember that your potential customers do not know you and

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for all practical purposes they may not be aware of the “flat rate” system covering
outlaying communities. As a service provider you must always utilize the tools of your
trade to increase your credibility and promote trust between yourself and your customers.
Once you have reached the requested “flat rate” community, if need be, you may always
stop at any Fire Station and inquire regarding the exact location of a particular address.
Fire safety personnel are always more than happy to help people in need of assistance and
by the very definition of their work they are very much familiar with the geography of
their communities. In the long run, as you progress in the taxi business, you may also
wish to familiarize yourself with an electronic navigation device that will greatly reduce
the confusion out of locating any and all addresses. Navigation devices are incredible
tools that have the potential of eliminating the guessing game out of finding particular
addresses.
----------As a new taxi operator, during the initial weeks, you may wish to introduce
yourself to the Front Door and Guest Services personnel of the many hospitality
businesses (hotels) that operate in the City of Cambridge. This is extremely important
since during your career as a taxi operator you will receive many fares from these
establishments. In general, the great majority of hotel patrons are either in the city for the
purposes of business or vacation. This by definition would largely translate into fares to
Boston’s Financial District, Boston’s and Cambridge’s Historical landmarks and
Cambridge’s or Boston’s many educational, technological and medical addresses. All
together, these destinations comprise a relatively small and easy to learn geographical
area. Please work hard to establish a close, cooperative, professional and friendly
working relationship with the employees of Cambridge’s many hospitality establishments

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(hotels). The front entrance area of hotels can occasionally become extremely busy,
hectic and confusing. Hotel front entrance employees are often under extreme pressure to
multi task and accommodate their patrons safely, courteously and expeditiously. Hotel
employees are a wonderful educational and business related resource in the beginning
and the duration of your career as a Cambridge taxi operator. On many occasions, hotel
employees may assist you with providing a wide variety of directional and tourist related
information. Please do not allow the nervousness and anxiety embedded in the initial
weeks of becoming a taxi operator prohibit you from laying the foundation for forming a
relationship based on trust and mutual respect with the employees of the Cambridge
hospitality industry (hotels). This very relationship will help your business greatly as
hotel patrons may form a sizable portion of your generated revenues for the duration of
your career as a taxi operator. In most hotels, there is a short distance between the front
entrance area of the establishment and where the taxi cab vehicles park waiting for their
fares (taxi stand). On occasion, guests themselves will walk over and enter the taxi cab.
However, it is also customary on most occasions for guests to exit the hotel and either
themselves or for that matter the front door staff of the establishment to request your
service through waving their hands or the sound of a whistle. In these instances you will
drive to the front door of the establishment and only start your meter after the customer
(s) has entered your taxi and informed you of the requested destination. Here, you must
follow the “Rules of the meter etiquette” in the Meter Rates and Discounts section of
your Cambridge Taxi School Manual (page 7-2, third paragraph from the bottom of the
page).

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---------Above all, have confidence in yourself that you will in an extremely short period
of time comfortably learn how to transport your customers via the shortest possible route
to their requested destinations. Indeed you may be surprised to know that mastering the
geographical knowledge portion of your job (how to get from point A to point B) will
probably be the rather simpler aspect of becoming a taxi operator. In this light, in the
preceding pages we have illustrated how through the usage of the “List of Ten”
technique and tools such as the “Flat Rates” booklet or electronic navigation systems
and establishing a cordial and cooperative relationship based on trust with the employees
of hospitality establishments (hotels), a beginner taxi operator is able to achieve
acceptable and workable levels of geographical knowledge in an extremely short period
of time.
----------Inthe beginning of this section of your manual labeled as “Customer Service &
Hospitality”, we mentioned that as a taxi operator/businessperson the product that you
are offering/selling/promising to your customers does not end with the service of
transporting them safely and securely via the shortest possible route to their requested
destination. As a matter of fact, your product must also include your ability to provide
for your customers and their belongings a physical environment that adheres to
acceptable standards of hygiene and cleanliness. This aspect of your product starts with
you as the service provider extending to the actual taxi cabin including the trunk of
your vehicle where potentially pieces of luggage are stored in addition to the outside
physical appearance of your equipment and the mechanical condition of your taxi cab.
As a taxi operator/service provider/ businessperson you must take a shower and wash
yourself thoroughly on a daily basis, brush and floss your teeth after every meal or

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two/three times a day, always maintain clean hands and nails (keep them short) and make
certain that you always carry with you a spare set of hygiene related products (i.e. tooth
brush/paste, deodorant, soap, comb, air fresheners, etc.). You may also consider carrying
with you an extra clean shirt in case one is needed due to excessive perspiration or
changing a flat tire. Please do not compromise the quality of the service that you are
providing to your customers by wearing sandals, torn, unkempt or tattered articles of
clothing and t-shirts. The more professional you appear to your customers, the more you
take yourself seriously and have respect for your product, the more your passengers will
respect and trust you and yes, this usually translates into receiving a higher gratuity from
your customers.
---------Keep your taxi compartment clean, tidy, organized and free of unnecessary
personal or other articles that are unrelated to the business of delivering superior
customer service to your passengers such as collecting old newspapers and magazines
that you intend to read in the future. Please pay close attention to the cleanliness and
orderliness of the trunk space of your vehicle. The floor and the side walls of your trunk
space must be consistently dry, clean and free of soils associated with automobile
maintenance related fluids. Your travelling customers expect and rely on a taxi trunk
space that does not damage and soil their belongings or luggage. Naturally, taxi
operators may have more frequent flat tire incidents than ordinary drivers due to a higher
level of driving. The spare tire must always be fastened to its proper location and not just
thrown in the middle of the trunk compromising the amount of space available for storing
luggage and potentially soiling the personal property of your customers. Adopt the habit
of continuously cleaning the windows, the interior and the exterior of your vehicle in

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between fares. This very practice gets you exercising and out of a stationary position
behind your wheels. In general, you must realize that while you are transporting
passengers your taxi compartments (inside cabin, trunk space, windows, etc.) must be
considered as shared environments rented to the customer and as such they must
conform to the standards of cleanliness and hygiene enunciated in your hackney license.
--------As a new taxi operator, one will immediately come to terms with the fact that the
busiest (rush hours), the most lucrative and as a result the most hectic period of the
working hours tend to also overlap or coincide with your breakfast, lunch or dinner time.
Unfortunately, many service providers and especially taxi operators have a tendency to
“skip” eating their meals during regular intervals due to business demands. The
extremely unhealthy habit of “skipping” (avoiding) meals places your body on the
starvation avoidance alert mechanism that in turn leads to patterns of overeating and
binge eating. You must adopt healthy habits consisting of eating small portions of well
balanced meals during regular intervals (four to six times every 24 hours). Your meals
must be well balanced with adequate amounts of fat (no trans-fat and minimum amounts
of saturated fat) and carbohydrates. Fats and carbohydrates are essential elements for
supporting and sustaining a healthy nervous system that is indispensable for a service
provider. In the same light, a daily regimen of calisthenics that ensure a healthy back,
adequate blood flow while promoting psychological mood enhancement are also
indispensable for a taxi operator.
--------Anyseasoned taxi operator will testify that as rewarding as this profession maybe
it has also the potential to become on occasion extremely stressful and frustrating.
Elements such as traffic jams, foul weather and hazardous road conditions, polluted air,

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vehicle related mechanical failures, disagreeable and difficult passengers and lack of
business all may lead to feelings of helplessness, depression, anxiety and eventually
anger for the taxi operator. This is precisely why as a taxi operator you must maintain a
well-balanced nutritional regimen and a daily physical exercise routine in order to
withstand the pressures of your chosen profession. In the same light, you must also
remain well hydrated at all times with a daily intake of 6-8 glasses of water that again
promote mood enhancement and cleans the body from pollutants.
---------However, the most significant behavioral pattern that a taxi operator/service
provider/business person may practice in order to sustain a healthy psychological and
physical disposition (they are interrelated) involves spending quality and adequate time
with their loved ones especially their children. The rewarding (for all involved), relaxing
and psychologically satisfying quality times spent with loved ones balances against the
job related pressures and the stress associated with operating a taxi service. Indeed, all
the above daily recommendations such as healthy nutritional habits, adequate
hydration, physical exercise together with quality time spent with loved ones promotes
physical and psychological health bringing balance against the rigors of a job related
environment that can be extremely unpredictable and stressful.
--------Use polite and respectful communication as a means of developing trust with your
customers. As soon as it is safe and possible, as your passenger (s) has entered your taxi,
inquire about the destination. The destination must be known before you ask them how
they are doing or how their day is going so that you may begin driving towards the
destination. This saves your time, the passenger’s time and is considerate with respect to
the vehicle (s) that may be immediately behind your taxi cab. These initial moments are

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the most crucial in setting the pace for the nature of the interactions that you will have
with your customers for the rest of the ride until the destination address is reached. Your
customer (s) must find you to be hospitable and welcoming!!! Inquire concerning any
particular route that they would prefer you to take in order to reach their requested
destination and if appropriate offer your opinion in this regard. Your attitude, as a
service provider must be consensual, cooperative, agreeable, personable, reachable and
easy going. In this spirit, reach a mutual agreement with your passenger (s) on how to
travel to their requested destination. Always behave in a manner that is in line with
considering your customer (s) as a part of the solution in performing the task at hand (that
is operating a taxi service) rather than as a potential adversary or a problem. Here,
continue to pay close attention in projecting a welcoming and respectful attitude as your
consistently service oriented approach will set the pace for the amiable and friendly
relationship that you will maintain with your passenger (s) during the trip. Assert your
leadership with promoting a respectful and deferential attitude towards your customers
and thereby maintaining a cordial atmosphere within your taxi cabin. Do not allow
yourself to be provoked into speaking or behaving in a disrespectful and unkind manner
when interacting with those extremely rare individuals that are difficult to deal with and
are disagreeable, argumentative and disrespectful. Always remember that you are the
leader through your courtesy, hospitality, respectfulness, politeness, patience and quality
laden customer service. You must automatically set the pace in this manner with every
single customer and in the overwhelming majority of cases your passenger (s) will also
act accordingly.

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---------Ingeneral, refrain from debating political and religious issues with your
customers. Religion and politics have a tendency to generate deep emotional and
sentimental passion and response in most people. We are all aware of the fact that
religious and political questions and controversy consistently lead to conflict even among
family members and very close friends. Individuals care deeply about their religious and
political values and do not appreciate what they may consider as insensitive or
uninformed remarks concerning their very dearly held personal beliefs. You need to
continuously find and promote common ground with your customers in order to reduce
the potential for conflict during the relatively short time period that they are in your taxi
cab. The ideal topics of conversation between yourself and your guests are sports,
weather, traffic conditions, directions/geography, places to eat (restaurants) and tourism
related information relating to Cambridge, Boston and the state of Massachusetts
including historical knowledge.
----------Imagine that you have received a fare from the front door of the Cambridge
Marriot hotel. Your customer has requested to be taken to Harvard Square so that he can
purchase a Harvard University jacket for his daughter who is planning to apply to that
institution next year. You drive forward on Main Street and make a right hand turn into
Memorial Drive. While travelling on Memorial Drive your passenger points to the MIT
campus on the right and asks if you know how many students are enrolled in that
university. You answer that there are approximately 4000 undergraduate and 6000
graduate students enrolled in MIT. Your passenger responds “Oh, Would you know
how old MIT is?” You respond that MIT opened its doors to students around 1865.
Your Passenger is impressed and states “Wow you really know your facts! The scenery

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of Charles River on our right is so breathtaking and beautiful! I wonder how long the
Charles River is.” You respond that the Charles River is a winding 80 miles long that
starts in Echo Lake in the town of Hopkinton (the starting point of the Boston Marathon),
however the actual distance between the initial source of the river and where it empties
into the Boston Harbor is approximately 26 miles. Your passenger nods his head and
enjoys the spectacular views on the right as you go forward on Memorial Drive passing
the Longfellow and Harvard bridges and approaching Harvard University on both sides
of the Charles River. Here, realizing that your passenger is very interested in learning
more information, you point to your left and bring to his attention that across the Charles
River is the world famous Harvard Business School (only graduate students) with a
student enrollment of approximately 1800 students. You continue by informing him
that Harvard Business and Medical Schools are actually located in Boston and
Harvard has a student population of around 20000 with approximately 7000 of them
undergraduate and 13000 graduate students. You also show him the beautiful historical
buildings on the right hand side as you turn right into JFK Street and share with him that
these are some of Harvard’s undergraduate residences referred to as “houses”. You add
that Harvard unlike other universities does not have college fraternities. On your left you
bring to his attention Harvard’s JFK School of Government and as you go forward you
state that JFK Street will eventually leads to Harvard Square where he may purchase the
Jacket for his daughter, Massachusetts Avenue and Harvard Law, Education and other
schools. At this point, your customer asks you if you are willing to wait for him on a side
street so that he can purchase the jacket quickly and subsequently drive him to the Logan
Airport. You respond that you are more than glad to do so since you have adequate time

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in your shift to fulfill his request. He states that on the way to the airport he would like
you to drive through Boston so that he can also see a little bit of that city. Here, he settles
his fare with you for this portion of the trip as you had turned into a side street off
Harvard Square and had showed him where he may purchase the jacket. After a few
minutes the customer returns to your vehicle very happy with his purchase and says
“Harvard Square was so crowded! What is the population in the city of Cambridge?”
You respond that the city of Cambridge has a population of approximately one
hundred thousand people, city of Boston’ population is approximately six hundred
thousand and the state of Massachusetts has an approximate population of six and a
half million people. As you and your passenger continue the conversation including
other subjects such as the weather in New England and the sports, you drive once more
along the Charles River on Memorial Drive so that your customer enjoy the scenery again
and next use the Longfellow Bridge in order to cross into Boston. At the end of the
Longfellow Bridge you turn right into Charles Street having already brought to the
attention of your customer all the sail boats on the Charles River belonging to the
Community Boating organization that is the “largest, oldest and the best public boating
program in the United States” (refer to their Web site for additional information). As you
go forward on Charles Street you inform the passenger that on both sides of the street he
can view the Historic Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston and eventually turn left onto
Beacon Street. Your passenger states that the buildings on the left in Beacon Hill are
extremely interesting and beautiful. You express your agreement with your passenger
and inform him that most buildings in Beacon Hill are representative of the Federal style
of architecture identified with less ornamentation on the exterior surfaces of buildings.

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You also show your customer on the left hand side the architecturally magnificent
Massachusetts State House designed by the famous architect Charles Bulfinch and
inquire if he would like to see the Back Bay section of Boston prior to taking him to the
airport. Your passenger responds that he would be very interested and you subsequently
turn right onto Park Street and right onto Tremont Street showing your passenger on the
right hand side the start of The Freedom Trail (a 2.5 mile walking path of major historic
sites in Boston such as the ship U.S.S Constitution, the North End, Paul Revere’s
House, etc.) in Boston Common (Oldest public park in U.S.) next to the Visitor
Information Center. You proceed to make a right onto Charles Street showing Boston
Public Garden on the left and relay to him that the Garden is representative of the
Victorian taste in design with her beautiful and ornamental flowers and plants. Next, you
make a left onto Beacon Street entering the Back Bay neighborhood, telling him how this
section of the City of Boston is largely the result of a massive landfill project that took
place in the 19th century. You also show your passenger all the beautiful Victorian style
of architecture Brownstone buildings with their ornamental exteriors lining both sides of
Beacon Street. At this point your passenger and you agree that the limitations of time are
such that he should be taken to the airport and you proceed to make a right hand turn onto
one of the side streets from Beacon Street and eventually enter Storrow Drive in order to
go to the airport. Once at the airport, your passenger expresses his deep appreciation to
you by informing you how much he has enjoyed listening to you and learning all those
facts about Cambridge and Boston. He continues by stating that the trip with you acting
as a guide who shared with him all your knowledge about Cambridge and Boston will be
one the most memorable experiences that he has ever had in any taxi cab in his life.

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----------Youare required to read and fully understand the “Rules and Regulations”
section of your Cambridge Taxi School Course Manual under Article XX (Service to
Passengers)/Rule#5 (Refusal to Transport Passengers). Rule # 5 states that “A taxicab
driver shall not refuse transportation to any person except under the following
conditions…” (Pages 10-30 & 10-31 in the Rules and Regulations section). Here you
will read that the conditions under which you are allowed to refuse a fare have to do with
situations when the driver is being dispatched to another call, when the driver has
finished the work shift or when the taxi cab is facing mechanical difficulties (off duty
light must be on), when the would be passenger is under the influence of alcohol, drugs
or is noisy and disorderly (in these situations the driver maybe directed to transport such
a passenger at the discretion of a police officer), when the would be passenger is a danger
to public safety or the safety of the driver, when the would be passenger requires a
stretcher or a scooter, when the would be passenger is deceased and is placed in the taxi
cab by others or if boarding a particular passenger would “constitute assisting in a crime”
or when a would be passenger is “discourteous to the driver/disheveled/ emits an
offending odor”. A driver may also refuse to transport a passenger who is escorting an
animal who is not properly secured, is not being utilized due to a disability criteria or if
the driver is allergic to animals. Your license to operate a taxi cab in the city of
Cambridge does not allow you to deny service and refuse to transport passengers on the
basis of their religious affiliations, racial/ethnic backgrounds, disability condition or for
that matter sexual orientation. You must understand that under the legal requirements of
your license you must not deny service to the aforementioned population categories.
However, as a service provider and from a perspective of customer service you are also

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encouraged not to allow yourself to compromise the hospitality standards inherent in your
product. A customer service oriented mind set begins with regarding every passenger as
an individual/a human being in need of service and not to be judged based on the physical
characteristics, faith or life styles of that passenger (s). A customer service mind set does
not deny service based on the personal generalizations that one may hold regarding one
or another population groups but offers service whenever possible to all who observe the
law, request reasonable level of service and do not engage in the destruction of public or
private property. A customer service oriented mind set does not regard a perfect world as
one where all look the same way, all think in the same fashion and all act in the same
manner; rather a customer service oriented mind set understands that diversity is an
inherent aspect of human existence and perfection in human relations is only
approachable when we are willing to coexist and help one another regardless of our
varied orientations and beliefs.
--------Federaland state law may regulate cell phone usage while driving in the future. In
such an event federal or state regulations will take precedence over suggestions
concerning cell phone usage in the rest of this paragraph. Nevertheless, as a licensed city
of Cambridge taxi operator you must exercise extreme caution and adopt very careful
judgment in cell phone usage when you are transporting your passengers. In general, in
the event that you are driving a passenger to their requested destination and as such this
individual has trusted you with their safety, security and welfare while being transported
in your taxi vehicle, cell phone usage must be confined to calls of an important or for that
matter emergency nature. This means that you must not engage in cell phone usage that
is of a leisurely and entertainment nature while transporting your passengers. Such cell

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phone calls may always be made when your vehicle is stationary and you do not have a
passenger in your taxi cab. In addition, from a customer service perspective cell phone
usage tend to compromise the open communication and respectful atmosphere that you as
a taxi operator need to promote in relation to your passengers. Consequently, cell phone
usage that is not of an important or emergency nature conveys to your customers that you
really are not interested in communicating with them and that you regard them, their
presence and their wishes with indifference and carelessness. Usually, your passengers
will regard such pattern of behavior on your part as extremely impolite and inconsiderate
even if they themselves maybe utilizing their cell phone for non-emergency and
recreational purposes. Always remind yourself that the very act of driving greatly
influences the safety, security and welfare of yourself and your passenger (s) and in this
light you must continuously be in such a state that the control of your human faculties is
not in any form interrupted while operating the taxi vehicle. Cell phone usage while
operating a motor vehicle may potentially compromise the level of control that must be
exercised with respect to the primary job at hand which is driving safely. Nevertheless,
the customer is not under such restrictions regarding cell phone usage due to the fact that
they will not be operating a motor vehicle while being transported to their destination in
your taxi cab. In addition, from a customer service perspective it is reasonable to assume
that at the beginning or during each fare necessary discussions will takes place between
yourself and your passenger (s) concerning their requested destination and the
appropriate routes to arrive to that address. However, any additional verbal interaction
between you and the passenger must take place in the spirit of not intruding on the
privacy of the customer. Some customers indeed are extremely eager to engage you in all

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manners of conversation while others may just wish to quietly enjoy the scenery, be
reflective in silence or only speak among themselves or as stated above utilize their cell
phones. As a service provider you must respect their wishes and privacy in this regard
and adjust your interactions with the customer (s) accordingly.
--------Imagine a very much loved elderly relation of yours, a mother, father,
grandmother, grandfather or an old sweet aunt who was always more than kind to you,
took care of you and was always there with words of encouragement and support. Now
imagine that such a loved one of yours is taking a taxi from Harvard Square to Central
Square. Due to the advancement of years her knees are really bothering her and it is
indeed so difficult for her to get in and out the taxi cab. The pain is actually excruciating.
At times she uses a walker; however in public she is more comfortable with a cane. Once
the taxi arrives in Central Square the meter reads $ 4.75. The driver stops the vehicle at a
location where he feels confident the taxi will not be blocking any pedestrians or any
other vehicles. This would be a location where the safety of his passenger and himself
are assured and he can safely assist your loved one out of his taxi cab in such a way that
would not cause her much pain and they would not be rushed. As a matter of fact, she is
on fixed income and as much as she would like to be generous she can only afford to give
the taxi cab operator a gratuity of 25 cents. She gives him a $ 5.00 bill and informs him
to keep the change. He thanks her graciously saying “Thank you so much! This was my
pleasure! I hope the pain in your knees gets better! Have a great day! Now think;
wouldn’t you desire your loved one to be treated in this courteous, patient, kind and
understanding manner rather than being rushed out of the taxi cab with her painful knees
and given a dirty look because she can only afford a gratuity of 25 cents. Or maybe the

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passenger (s) would be your wife and your children. How would you want them to be
treated? Would you desire your children to be treated with kindness, understanding and
patience and your wife to be treated with respect? Of course, we all want the best, the
safest and the healthiest environments for our loved ones. Consequently, would it be fair
or logical to desire or expect the best for our loved ones but refrain from doing what we
are able to do in order to help other people’s loved ones weather be an elderly person or
someone else’s family.
---------As a taxi service operator practicing quality laden customer service or for that
matter exercising simple kindness, you must first make certain that your, your
passenger’s and the public at large‘s safety and security is assured and upheld. You must
also make sure that your service oriented or natured actions are not in violation of the law
in any manner, shape or form such as using your taxi cab at the request of a customer in
the perpetuation of an illegal act (Read previously mentioned related segments in the
Cambridge Taxi School Manual Rules and Regulations section). Social science research
has shown us that our behavior mostly shapes our attitudes rather than vice versa and
even if we begin acting in a certain manner in a very small way; we tend to gradually act
in the same manner in a much larger and repeated fashion. As a new taxi
operator/service provider/businessperson in the city of Cambridge try to everyday do
something kind for one of your customers. Maybe this would be opening the door for an
elderly passenger and assisting that individual to safely and comfortably enter your taxi
cab, or maybe this would be an out of town family who are vacationing in Massachusetts,
or maybe that would be a passenger with a disability, or maybe a middle aged office
worker or maybe even by practicing courteous driving and being polite to other drivers

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on the road. Remember and observe the standard for exercising kindness as a taxi
operator is that your act of kindness must never be in violation of safety and security
standards nor should it be in violation of the law. With this spirit, you will soon become
an expert in customer service and take pride in your chosen profession. Here, not only
are you making an honest and proud living making an enormous contribution to the
transportation needs and commerce in the city of Cambridge, you are also helping other
people with your kindness, patience, service and hard work.
---------As rewarding the profession of operating a taxi service maybe, there are also
those occasions that stress, frustration and anger may potentially ruin your day. The
scenarios for this are limitless and we have already talked about some strategies that will
help you manage and withstand the pressures associated with being a taxi driver. The
following are a few more suggestions that will more specifically address the elements of
conflict and anger in the life of a taxi service operator. First, exercise road courtesy with
respect to other drivers and their vehicles. Do not cut off, tail gate or race other vehicles
on the road. Always remember that the road belongs to everyone and not only yourself
and with this in mind drive respectfully, politely and patiently. Observe the rules of the
road and the speed limits carefully and diligently follow the instructions of those whose
job is to uphold the law (police). Show respect for the Cambridge community by
observing the rules and the regulations for driving in this wonderful city and its
surrounding municipalities. Second, start your first day on the job with an action plan on
how to deal with or manage your temperament if and when you feel that you are
becoming angry and frustrated. Use soothing and optimistic music as a tool to create the
kind of atmosphere in your taxi cab that promotes relaxation, happiness and patience.

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Always carry pictures of your loved ones in an easy to reach location in the taxi cab so
that you can look at them reminding yourself that they love you and that they do not wish
to see you behaving with anger and frustration. Practice strategies that we discussed in
the previous pages regarding balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, frequent exercise/
movement and quality time with loved ones. In the case that you are able to do so
remove yourself from the environment or encounter that has made you angry until you
have regained control over your emotions and speech. Third, be on your guard regarding
problems associated with anger and even reckless risk taking at the very beginning and
potentially at the very end of your working shift. This is due to the fact that at the very
beginning of every shift you are under pressure to meet your monetary goals of the day.
This may bring stress and lead to conflict with other drivers on the road, other taxi
operators and your passengers. At the end of your shift, again you may not have met
your monetary quota for the day and this too maybe extremely frustrating and causing
intense anger together with the fact that at the end of your shift one is also extremely
tired. In these situations you must keep reminding yourself that your business strategy is
a long term one and not defined by one unprofitable day or shift. This is precisely why
regardless of the revenue that you generate, you absolutely must be disciplined enough to
place a percentage of your intake in your savings on an everyday basis. Such a habit will
help you along mentally and keep things in perspective on those lackluster days when
revenue generation is difficult. Fourth, learn to use the phrase of “I am sorry” effectively
in defusing and de-escalating conflict prone situations. An example here would be to say
to your passenger “I am very sorry, I am doing my best to get you to your destination
safely. However I am not allowed to go any faster than the speed limit due to the fact

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that I may be penalized by a heavy fine and lose my license to operate a taxi service in
the city of Cambridge”. The tone of your voice here must also be sympathetic and
empathetic. Do not be afraid to say “I am sorry” due to your fears that you are assuming
responsibility for a mistake that you are being blamed for rather this phrase is merely
communicating that you are a conscientious, polite, considerate and service oriented
person that cares about the customer. In these cases be especially patient and avoid
addressing your passengers in a patronizing manner as if only you are able to exercise
sound judgment regarding the situation at hand and they do not have a right to question
your actions. In this light also avoid addressing your female passengers as “Dear”,
“Darling” or “Honey”. Do not become defensive when you are explaining something to
your passengers and do not raise your voice as if to show irritation. In addition, do not be
hesitant to smile when appropriate reinforcing your friendly and welcoming demeanor
and mind set. Always remember what we discussed in the very beginning of this section
concerning the establishment of trust and open communication between yourself and
your customers. As a customer service professional your aim must always be to avoid
escalation of conflict. Indeed, you must realize that conflict de-escalation will take time
in order for the parties to place emotional distance between themselves and the conditions
that led to the conflict itself. Nevertheless, phrases such as “I am sorry!” expressed in a
sincere manner will go a long way towards stopping conflict escalation. In addition,
open communication with your passengers in a respectful tone allows them also to
express their thoughts or frustrations thereby potentially reducing their anger. One of the
most important elements here is the reality that in spite of all your best efforts there are
situations during your career as a taxi driver that will indeed be conflict ridden. You

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must not allow them to define a career that can be extremely rewarding. Utilize all the
strategies in this section on customer service and conflict resolution and soon you will be
well trained in handling all situations similar to a seasoned craftsperson exercising
professionalism and empathetic confidence offering quality laden encounters and creating
wonderful memories for yourself and your passengers.
----------At the end of this section on customer service and hospitality allow us to say a
few very important words about the experience of operating a taxi service in the city of
Cambridge. This exciting and unique city is one of the most special urban centers in the
U.S and for that matter the world. Aside from being home to some of the leading
educational institutions and the most innovative and cutting edge technological or
scientific think tanks and corporations in the world, Cambridge is also of major
importance in regards to American history tracing its heritage to the 1630s and the arrival
of the Puritans in the new world. The setting and the scenery that one may encounter in
Cambridge range from the inspiring, uplifting and literally unrivalled views of the
Charles River, to the leafy tree lined tradition rich areas, streets and neighborhoods such
as the Harvard campus, Brattle street and the Fresh Pond or energetic, vibrant, eclectic,
tolerant and socially inclusive and racially and ethnically diversified communities
surrounding Central, Inman or Kendall Squares. In this light, while operating a taxi
service in the city of Cambridge your next fare maybe a present or future individual of
national prominence in the U.S or a foreign country, a future Supreme Court Justice,
current or future winners of the Nobel prize, prominent scientists/intellectuals/thinkers,
famous entrepreneurs/technologists/business persons and ordinary everyday people or
tourists all needing your help with their transportation needs. This is a city that cares

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about its elderly and those who live with a disability. Cambridge is also proud of her
tolerant and welcoming multicultural heritage where generations of different races and
ethnicities have coexisted and raised their families. There are so many wonderful
characteristics about Cambridge that make this city remarkably special too numerous to
mention in this space. However, we encourage you to embrace this city with all its
magical diversity and take pride in being an integral part of the sheer excitement of
Cambridge. Your quality laden customer service and spirit of hospitality will not only
help you take great pleasure and satisfaction in your chosen profession but also makes a
remarkable difference in other people’s lives. Whether your passenger is a celebrity or a
regular citizen, you will be an ambassador for Cambridge earning an honorable living
while making an important contribution to the quality of life in this city.

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Customer Service & Hospitality Exam Questions and Answers
Question #1: As an operator of taxi service in the city of Cambridge what elements
create your product (Page # 1)?
1: Providing honest, knowledgeable, safe and secure transportation from A to point B for
your customers.
2: Maintaining clean hygiene standards for yourself and the interior and the exterior of
the taxi vehicle.
3: Practicing open communication and conflict resolution skills.
4: All of the above.
Question # 2: As an operator of a taxi service you will conduct your business in a
regulated environment because the city of Cambridge highly regulates its taxi industry.
What is the reasoning behind such regulations (Page # 2, Rules and Regulation Article
1/Rule 1)?
1: Ensuring public safety.
2: Ensuring the existence of an adequate supply of taxi cabs in the city of Cambridge.
3: Establishing a balance between the demand for taxi service and the available supply of
taxis in the form of rates that the general public will be charged and the financial
standards (insurance, etc.) that taxi operators will have to observe.
4: All the above.
Question # 3: As an operator of taxi service in the city of Cambridge what must always
be the most important and fundamental aspect of your product on a consistent basis
(Pages # 2-3)? In short what comes before anything and everything else?

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1: Your geographical knowledge of Cambridge, Boston and the state of Massachusetts.
2: Your observance of hygiene and cleanliness standards concerning yourself and the
interior and the exterior of the taxi vehicle.
3: Your ability in providing excellent customer service for your passengers.
4: Your actions in promoting safety and security of yourself, your passengers and the
general public in addition to closely following the rulers and regulations of operating a
taxi service in the city of Cambridge specifically enumerated in the “Rules and
Regulations” section of the Cambridge Taxi School Manual.
Question # 4: According to Article XVI/ Rule 16b of the “Rules and Regulations”
section in the Cambridge Taxi School Manual are you allowed to transport “noisy,
intoxicated or disorderly” individuals from “place to place” who have requested your taxi
service (Page # 3)?
1: Yes, taxi operators are allowed to offer such service because that would amount to
excellent customer service.
2: Yes, taxi operators are allowed to offer such service because that would amount to
promoting public safety.
3: No, taxi operators are not allowed to transport such customers unless the driver will be
taking such persons to their house or places of lodging. This rule does not apply in cases
where a police officer has directed the taxi operator to transport such passengers whose
identity information has been taken by that law enforcement official.
4: No, taxi operators are not allowed to take such passengers under any condition.
Question # 5: What must be your first line of action as soon as you realize that you are
lost while taking a passenger from point A to Point B (Pages # 3-4)?

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1: You must immediately stop the taxi vehicle and explain the situation to your
customer.
2: You must immediately inform the dispatcher and ask for their help.
3: You must try to find someone who could give you correct directions to the requested
destination.
4: You must immediately shut off your meter.
Question # 6: Why is honesty such an important element in forming the character of your
product as an operator of a taxi service (Pages # 3-4).
1: Honesty tends to increase the level of trust among yourself and your passengers and
thereby decreases any potentiality for the emergence of conflict.
2: Honesty helps you psychologically by reducing stress in your everyday life. Honesty
helps you believe strongly in your chosen profession by making you realize that you are
earning a good living based on a type of service to others that abides by ethical and moral
standards. This in turn increases your self confidence in yourself and your work.
3: Honesty on your part as an individual creates a public good for the society at large.
Your personal honesty in the way you conduct yourself, your business and your product
is a treasure for your family and your community.
Question # 7: As a taxi operator what are some of the things that you may do in order to
promote trust among yourself and your passengers (Pages # 4-5)?
1: Exercise open communication between yourself and your passengers by being
receptive to their suggestions concerning preferred routes to the requested destination.
2: In the case that you are lost shutting off your meter immediately.

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3: Always keeping in mind that trust among strangers is either nonexistent or extremely
fragile and your actions as a service provider will go a long way in promoting trust
among yourself and your customers.
4: All the above.
Question # 8: What is the “List of Ten” technique as discussed in your Cambridge Taxi
School Manual (Pages # 5-6-7)?
1: The “List of Ten” technique is a list of 10 customer service and conflict resolution
strategies that you may use in your everyday business as a taxi driver in order to deliver
exemplary service to your passengers.
2: The “List of Ten” technique is a list of ten specific historical or points of interest in
Cambridge and Boston that you need to gather knowledge and facts about in order to
inform your passengers or tourists.
3: The “List of Ten” technique is a strategy for that anxiety ridden first few weeks of
being a taxi operator. According to this technique on your first day of operating a taxi
cab at a minimum you are able to correctly transport any passenger (s) from Harvard,
Central, Kendall or Inman Squares or any hospitality operation (hotels) in the city of
Cambridge to 10 addresses in the greater Cambridge and Boston area.
Question # 9: Which one of the following addresses may be included in your “List of
Ten” (Pages # 5-6-7)?
1: Faneuil Hall, Copley Square/Prudential Center, South Station, Newbury Street,
Boston Common, Freedom Trail, New England Aquarium.

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2: Any Hospital in the city of Cambridge, MIT, Harvard campus, Galleria Mall, Harvard
Business School, Inman Square, Kendall Square, Central Square, Fresh Pond Shopping
Center, residential neighborhoods in the city of Cambridge.
3: Boston medical area, Boston airport, Boston’s North End, Boston’s city hall, Boston
Public Garden.
4: All of the above and others that you may chose yourself.
Question # 10: What are some of the benefits of using the “List of Ten” technique
(Pages # 5-6-7)?
1: The “List of Ten” technique will allow you to begin your first day as a taxi operator
with a strong knowledge foundation that will support you very similar to a solid base
while you gain more knowhow and experience and become a more seasoned driver.
2: The “List of Ten” technique reduces your anxiety and stress of the first few days and
weeks. The list creates for you a mindset filled with confidence as you enter the business
of operating a taxi service with a sure understanding of how to correctly transport your
customers from a particular location in the city of Cambridge (your base of operations)
either Harvard, Central, Kendall or Inman Squares or one of Cambridge’s hospitality
establishments (hotels) to a list of ten addresses in Cambridge or Boston.
3: The “List of Ten” technique allows you to accept fares to addresses that may not be
on your list albeit in close proximity to the locations on the list.
Question #11: Which one of the answers bellow best describes the “Flat Rates” booklet
(Pages # 7-8)?

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1: The booklet is a guide of customer service principles that you must follow in dealing
with your customers.
2: The booklet is a list of prices that you are allowed to charge your customers who may
wish to be transported to communities in the greater Cambridge and Boston area.
3: The booklet is a list of cities and the corresponding prices that you are allowed to
charge your customers who may wish to be transported to these communities in the
greater Cambridge and Boston area. The booklet also contains directions to those listed
“Flat Rate” communities. In addition, the booklet includes the list of communities in the
greater Cambridge and Boston area that are considered as none “Flat Rate”. In the case
of these communities you must use your meter in order to charge your customers.
Question # 12: In the case of “Flat Rate” communities are you allowed to charge your
customers more than what is listed in your booklet (Pages # 7-8)?
1: Taxi operators are not allowed to charge their customers more than the listed amount
in the “Flat Rates” booklet.
2: Taxi operators are allowed to charge their customers more for “Flat Rate”
communities during the rush hour period.
3: Taxi operators are allowed to charge their customers more if the driver has to stop and
ask for directions in the “Flat Rate” community. In that case the driver will start the meter
and adds the amount to the “Flat Rate” listed in the booklet.
4: None of the above.
Question # 13: As a new taxi service operator what would be your best approach in
dealing with the hospitality establishments in the city of Cambridge (Pages # 8-9)?

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1: The best approach for new drivers is to altogether avoid the hotels until you become
more experienced.
2: The best approach is to introduce yourself to the employees of the hotels in the city of
Cambridge, nonetheless avoid picking up fares in these hotels until you become more
experienced.
3: In general, hotels are wonderful places to start your career as a taxi operator! In front
of hotels there are usually many other taxi operators who are also waiting for fares.
Many of these drivers may be a great source of information and experience for you in that
anxiety filled first days and weeks. Hotel employees are also important information
resource in your profession concerning the amount of business and the times during the
day or night shifts when taxi service will be needed by those hospitality establishments.
Question # 14: According to the “Rules of the meter etiquette” in the Meter Rates and
Discounts section of your Cambridge Taxi School Manual are you allowed to start your
meter as soon as you are hailed from the front door of a hospitality establishment (Page #
9)?
1: You are only allowed to start your meter on the condition that you have arrived to the
front door of the hospitality establishment in addition to your passenger (s) having
entered your taxi cab and you have received their requested destination.
2: You are allowed to start the meter at your discretion.
3: You are allowed to start the meter as soon as your passengers have entered your taxi.
4: You are allowed to start the meter as soon as you have arrived to the front door of the
hospitality establishment.

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Question # 15: In your Cambridge Taxi School Manual the operation of a taxi when in
the service of transporting customers has been described as taking place in a shared
environment. What does this mean (Pages # 10-11)?
1: The above statement has to do with the share-a-cab procedures discussed in the
manual.
2: The above statement refers to your responsibility as an operator of a taxi service in
maintaining excellent hygiene standards with respect to yourself and your taxi vehicle.
This is due to the fact that your customer (s) is sharing the taxi environment with you for
a limited period of time by paying a rent/fare for being transported from point A to point
B. Consequently it is your responsibility to create a shared environment for your
customers that fulfills the requirements of your hackney license and the expectations of
your customers.
3: The above statement refers to a situation when customers are sharing a ride listed in
the “Flat Rates” booklet.
Question # 16: What are four fundamental habits exercised on a daily basis by taxi
operators that would promote physical health and psychological balance in the face of
sometimes stressful and unpredictable work environment (Pages # 12-13)?
1: Contacting the dispatcher after every job, counting your collected income frequently
during the day, hard work, working overtime.
2: Competing with other drivers, communicating with other drivers, working the
hospitality establishments, going after the repeat business.

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3: Healthy nutritional habits, adequate hydration, physical exercise, quality time spent
with your loved ones.
Question # 17: As a taxi service operator would it be advisable to engage your customers
in discussions regarding religious or political issues (Pages # 14-15)?
1: Yes, it is advisable to engage customers in discussions dealing with religion and
politics only when you are very knowledgeable about those issues.
2: Yes, it is advisable to engage customers in discussions concerning religion and
politics only when you are certain that they will agree with all your statements.
3: In general, political and religious issues are extremely sensitive and personal for most
people. On the other hand the duration of an average taxi ride does not offer any party
sufficient time to treat political and religious topics with the sensitivity and carefulness
that they deserve. As a result, in these situations there is always the danger of
misunderstanding and misinterpretation of one’s view or intentions. This in turn will
decrease trust among the parties that will eventually hurt your product. Consequently, it
is advisable that taxi operators avoid such discussions.
Question # 18: What are the best topics of discussion among taxi operators and their
passengers (Page # 15)?
1: Religion and politics.
2: Sports, weather, traffic, religion and politics.

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3: Sports, weather, traffic condition, directions/geography, tourist related information
including places to eat and sights to visit, historical knowledge and information about
Cambridge, Boston and the state of Massachusetts.
Question # 19: How many undergraduate and graduate students are approximately
enrolled in MIT (Page # 15)?
1: Approximately 10000 undergraduate and 20000 graduate students.
Question # 20: In around what year MIT opened its doors (Page # 15)?
1: In the year 1900.
Question # 21: How long is the Charles River (Page # 15)?
1: Charles River is a winding 80 miles long.
2: Charles River is 20 miles long.
Question # 22: How many students are enrolled in Harvard Business School (Page #
16)?
1: Approximately 5000 students.

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2: Approximately 1800 graduate students.
3: Approximately 10000 undergraduate and graduate students.
4: Approximately 2000 undergraduate students.
Question # 23: Harvard Business and Medical Schools are located in what city (Page #
16)?
1: In the city of Boston.
2: In the city of Cambridge.
3: In the cities of Cambridge and Boston
Question # 24: How many undergraduate and graduate students are approximately
enrolled in Harvard University (Page # 16)?
Question # 25: What are the populations of the cities of Cambridge and Boston and the
state of Massachusetts (Page # 17)?
1: The population of the city of Cambridge is 50000 thousand. The city of Boston has a
population of 100000 thousand and the state of Massachusetts has a population of 2
million people.
2: The population of the city of Cambridge is 200000 thousand. The city of Boston has a
population of 250000 thousand and the state of Massachusetts has a population of 5
million people.

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3: The population of the city of Cambridge is approximately 100000 thousand. The city
of Boston has a population of approximately six hundred thousand and the state of
Massachusetts has a population of approximately six and a half million people.
Question # 26: The majority of the sail boats closest to the Longfellow Bridge belong to
what organization (Page # 17)?
1: The Massachusetts Boating Club.
2: The Cambridge Boating Club.
3: The Boston Boating Club.
4: The Community Boating organization.
Question # 27: The Massachusetts State House is located in which one of Boston’s
neighborhoods (Page # 17)?
1: Back Bay.
2: Beacon Hill.
3: North End.
4: South End.
Question # 28: Which style of architecture is most frequently observed in the Beacon
Hill neighborhood of Boston (Page # 17)?
1: The Federalist style of architecture identified with less ornamentation on the exterior
surface of buildings.
2: The Victorian style of architecture identified with more ornamentation on the exterior
surface of the buildings.
3: The modern style with straight lines and sharp edges.

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4: The classical style influenced from classical Greek and Roman architecture.
Question # 29: How long is The Freedom Trail and where does it start (Pages # 17-18)?
1: The Freedom Trail 10 miles long and starts at Copley Square.
2: The Freedom Trail is 5 miles long and starts at the ship U.S.S. Constitution.
3: The Freedom Trail is 1 mile long and starts at the North End.
4: The Freedom Trail is 2 and half miles long and starts at the Visitor Information Center
in the Boston Common.
Question # 30: How did the Back Bay section of Boston come into being and what is the
name of some of the buildings in that neighborhood (Page # 18)?
1: The Back Bay section of Boston came into being as a result of a massive public works
project in the 19th century and many buildings are called Victorian Brownstones.
2: The Back Bay section of Boston was a part of Cambridge Common and many
buildings are called the Purple Stones
3: The Back Bay section came into being after a large hurricane and many buildings are
called the Yellow Stones.
Question # 31: What is the name of the Victorian style park filled with exotic plants and
beautiful flowers in the Back Bay (Page # 18)?
1: The Boston Common.
2: The Central Park.
3: The Public Garden.
4: The Franklin Park.

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Question # 32: According to the “Rules and Regulations” section in your Cambridge
Taxi School Manual what are some of the conditions in which you have been given the
right of refusing transportation to passengers (Pages # 18-19)?
1: In the case you are experiencing mechanical difficulties and your off duty light is
turned on or the roof light is turned off.
2: In the case you have finished your shift and are driving back to the garage and your
off duty light is turned on or the roof light is turned off.
3: In the case you have accepted a fare from the dispatcher via your radio and are driving
to that job and your roof light is off or the “On Call” light is turned on.
Question # 33: Under what other conditions are you allowed to refuse transportation to
passengers (Pages # 18-19)?
1: When the driver has reason to believe that the individual is under the influence of
alcohol and drugs (unless directed by a police officer).
2: When a person is being noisy and disorderly (unless directed by a police officer).
3: When the individual is representing a danger to the safety of the driver or the ability of
the driver to operate the taxi cab in a safe manner.
Question # 34: Under what other conditions are you allowed to refuse transportation to
passengers (pages # 18-19)?
1: When the passenger requires a stretcher or a motorized scooter.
2: When the individual is deceased and is placed in your taxi by others.

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3: When accepting that passenger would assist in the commission of a crime or when the
passenger is “unduly discourteous to the driver or is disheveled or emits an offending
odor”.
Question # 35: Under the provisions of your Hackney license are you able to refuse
transportation solely on the basis of an individual’s religious affiliation, racial/ethnic
background, disability condition or for that matter sexual orientation (Pages # 18-19)?
1: Yes, in such cases the driver is allowed to refuse transportation to anyone on the basis
of their religious affiliation, racial/ethnic background, disability condition or for that
matter sexual orientation.
2: In such cases the taxi operator should actually accept or reject fares on the basis of
how profitable they will be for his business.
3: Under the provisions of your Hackney license you are absolutely not allowed to reject
or refuse transportation solely on the basis of an individual’s religious affiliation,
racial/ethnic background, and disability condition or for that matter sexual orientation.
4: In these situations the taxi operator should first ask the dispatcher and if the answer is
in the affirmative, the driver is able to go ahead and refuse to transport that individual.
Question # 36: In general, what is the advisable etiquette in using cell phones when
transporting passengers (pages # 20-21)?
1: Due to safety and courtesy considerations, cell phone usage while transporting
passengers must only be limited to those calls that are very important or of an emergency
nature provided that cell phone usage while driving is not against federal or state
regulations.

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2: Cell phone usage is acceptable while transporting customers provided that drivers
have initially received the destination address from their passengers.
3: Drivers should split their time between speaking with their passengers and speaking
on their cell phone.
4: Cell phone usage is acceptable because it will provide for the drivers much needed
relaxation.
Question # 37: As an operator of taxi service in the city of Cambridge what requirements
must you always fulfill prior to extending your services or exercising kindness with
respect to your customers or the public at large (Pages # 21-22-23)?
1: I must wait until I have received the fare for the ride and subsequently extend any
measure of kindness and service to my customers.
2: I must always extend service and exercise kindness with respect to my customers and
the public at large regardless of any prior requirements.
3: I must not be concerned with kindness and service with respect to my customers and
the public at large.
4: I must always make certain that my service, acts of kindness or any and all
consequence of my service or my acts of kindness must never be in violation of safety
and security standards or for that matter in violation of the law.
Question # 38: Does social science research shows us that attitude mostly shapes our
behavior (Pages # 21-22-23)?
1: Yes, social science research shows us that attitude mostly shapes our behavior.
2: Social science research shows us that attitude and behavior have no effect on each
other

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3: No, social science research shows us that actually behavior mostly shape our attitude.
Question #39: Does social science research teaches us that if we begin acting in a certain
manner in a very small way we tend to gradually act in the same manner in a much larger
and repeated fashion (Pages # 21-22-23)?
1: Small acts of kindness and service here and there do not actually make any difference
in anyone’s life.
2: No, small acts do not affect how we would act in a much larger way towards the
customer or the public at large.
3: Yes, research has shown that if we begin acting in a certain manner in a very small
way we tend to gradually act in the same manner in a much larger and repeated fashion.
Question # 40: How does exercising driving courtesy and politeness with respect to other
drivers and pedestrians influence the level of conflict in your life as a taxi service
operator (Page # 24)?
1: Courtesy and politeness in driving have very little influence in reducing conflict with
other drivers.
2: As a taxi service operator one’s most important attention must be paid towards
increasing one’s revenue and not devoted to politeness and courtesy in driving.
3: Exercising courtesy towards other drivers and pedestrians reduces the amount anger
and stress that is a part and parcel of being a taxi service operator. Once you train
yourself to drive with the spirit of sharing the road with others and follow closely the
rules and regulations of driving you will also learn to avoid conflict ridden encounters or

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for that matter not to escalate potential conflicts that are an inherent aspect of operating a
vehicle.
Question # 41: What are some everyday strategies for preventing anger from emerging
during your work as a taxi service operator (Page # 24)?
1: Listening to relaxing, soothing or soft music on low volume.
2: Placing pictures of loved ones in an easy to reach and view location on the dash board
of the taxi vehicle.
3: Having an action plan on how to fight and reduce the sentiment of anger when it arises
from the first day of becoming a taxi service operator. The plan may be as simple as
taking yourself away from the conflict ridden encounter or even remaining silent and
counting to ten until and unless such sentiment of anger has subsided.
Question # 42: What are the time periods during the work shift that a taxi service
operator is more prone to be involved in a conflict ridden encounter (Page # 25)?
1: Conflict ridden encounters are more likely to transpire at the middle of the shift due to
fatigue on the part of the taxi operator.
2: Conflict ridden encounters may emerge during the entire length of any given shift.
3: Conflict ridden encounters are more likely to emerge at the very beginning and at the
very end of any given shift due to the pressures associated with generating revenue.
Accordingly, at the very beginning of shifts taxi operators are starting with zero
generated revenue thereby are under pressure to accumulate adequate funds to meet their
rent in addition to their take home pay. Likewise, at the end of work shifts there are

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highly pressure prone occasions when the generated income is not sufficient to satisfy a
taxi operator’s expenses in addition to their take home pay.
4: Conflict ridden encounters are usually rampant at the end of those shifts when the
generated income is not sufficient to satisfy a taxi operator’s expenses in addition to their
take home pay.
Question # 43: What would be some strategies that would help you avoid such conflict
ridden encounters (Page # 25)?
1: Having the discipline of saving a percentage of everyday income on a continuous
basis as long as one is a taxi service operator. The very comforting knowledge of the
existence of such available funds that have been accumulated due to your hard work will
help you avoid conflict prone encounters.
2: Healthy nutritional habits, adequate hydration, physical exercise and adequate quality
time with loved ones.
3: Having a workable strategy on how to deal with the element of personal anger when
confronted in conflict ridden encounters.
Question # 44: What is the most powerful verbal tool, phrase or for that matter skill that
a customer service professional must become extremely familiar with in order to avoid or
for that matter defuse/de-escalate conflict (Pages # 25-26)?
1: The willingness to accept full responsibility even in those occasions when one is
clearly not at fault.
2: The ability to explain coherently why they are not to blame when a mistake has been
made.

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3: The ability to stay silent when being shouted at by their customers.
4: The ability to show empathy and sympathy for the customer by expressing the phrase
“I am sorry!!” The usage of this phrase is not to necessarily accept responsibility for the
situation at hand but rather to keep communication open by showing empathy for the
customer and their situation.
Question # 45: When utilizing the “I am sorry” phrase are you accepting blame for the
situation at hand (Pages # 25-26)?
1: There is always a danger of appearing week and indecisive when you use the phrase “I
am sorry”.
2: As a taxi service operator you should place all your energy and hard work on doing
things right so that you do not have to say “I am sorry”.
3: The purpose of using the “I am sorry” phrase is not to necessarily accept blame for the
situation, rather to show that you are a reasonable person interested in communicating
rationally in the face of potential adversity in order to solve a problem. In addition, the “I
am sorry” phrase is used to lessen the feeling on the part of the customer that you are the
source of the problem by being insensitive to their situation.
4: The best strategy is to avoid using the “I am sorry” phrase because it is too risky for
your business.
Question # 46: Which one of the following sentences would be the best illustrate the
spirit of the “I am sorry” phrase (pages # 25-26)?
1: “I am sorry” sir, however you gave me the wrong address! So this is not my fault!!
2: “I am very sorry”, I understand that you are very frustrated. However, I have to
follow the rules and regulations that help me keep my license and avoid heavy fines. I

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assure you that I am doing my best so that you arrive at your appointment on time. I
hope you will forgive me but I cannot go over the speed limit!!
3: “I am so sorry”, I assure you that I did everything that was in my power to help you. I
really feel bad for you however I cannot go over the speed limit!! “I am so sorry” I
cannot make a turn into this street. The street is one way going the other direction. “I am
sorry”!!
4: Answers 2 and 3 best represent the spirit and capture the meaning or the effectiveness
of the “I am sorry” phrase.
Answers key to the Customer Service and Hospitality Exam Questions
Question # 1: 4
Question # 2: 4
Question # 3: 4
Question # 4: 3
Question # 5: 4
Question # 6: 4
Question # 7: 4
Question # 8: 3
Question # 9: 4
Question # 10: 4
Question # 11: 4
Question # 12: 1
Question # 13: 3
Question # 14: 1

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Question 15: 2
Question 16: 3
Question 17: 3
Question 18: 3
Question 19: 3
Question 20: 2
Question 21: 1
Question 22: 2
Question 23: 1
Question 24: 1
Question 25: 3
Question 26: 4
Question 27: 2
Question 28: 1
Question 29: 4
Question 30: 1
Question 31: 3
Question 32: 4
Question 33: 4
Question 34: 4
Question 35: 3
Question 36: 1
Question 37: 4

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Question 38: 3
Question 39: 3
Question 40: 3
Question 41: 4
Question 42: 3
Question 43: 4
Question 44: 4
Question 45: 3
Question 46: 4

Cambridge Taxi School # 2

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