VTC drivers in the Community of Madrid will have to

pass a theoretical exam

before getting behind the wheel.

This is one of the requirements that the Ministry of Transport will demand of companies such as Uber and Cabify in order to "professionalize the sector." According to EL MUNDO has learned, the test that these drivers must necessarily undergo will be similar to the one that the City Council of the capital asks taxi drivers, which includes

a psychotechnician and questions about the regulations

is in force and the street

, although with a broader agenda.

In addition, they will be required to take a training course to update their knowledge every five years in order to continue carrying out this work activity. "From the Community of Madrid we have always defended that it should be the Government of Spain that regulates the activity of the VTC, but, given their lack of response, we have decided to do it ourselves out of responsibility and with two clear objectives: to give more security to users and

ensure balanced competition "

, explains the Minister of Transport, Ángel Garrido, who this Monday will present the new measures to the representatives of the sector.To materialize this commitment, the regional Executive will promote a reform of the Law on the Organization and Coordination of Urban Transport, of competition autonomic, in which the services provided by this group will be defined "clearly",

the disciplinary regime will be adapted to the "current reality"

"collecting new concrete offending facts and reviewing their seriousness" and additional requirements for workers and companies will be established.

The forecast is that the text reaches the Assembly of Vallecas in the last quarter of this year and may be approved and in force in the first half of 2022.

More requirements

In the Community of Madrid there are

8,933 VTC licenses

, of which 8,357 are active, according to a spokesperson for Garrido's team.

To be able to take passengers in these vehicles, it is currently only necessary to have a driver's license, a circumstance that has traditionally aroused many misgivings in the taxi sector.With the reform prepared by the Department of Transport, the drivers of Uber and Cabify They must have a class B or higher permit with at least one year old.

Further,

they will not be able to suffer any "infectious-contagious disease

or physical or mental impairment "that makes it impossible or difficult to carry out the profession. As for the admission exam, it will be multiple choice, with

100 questions divided into six modules

.

Each of them will have four possible answers and only one of them is correct.

The duration will be two hours.

In addition, there will be an optional English test. This mandatory measure provides for a caveat: those who, once the change takes effect, will be exempt from going through this selection process, accrediting that they have performed the job during

a minimum of six years continuously

or eight years with intervals not exceeding a total of five months.The VTC driver card will have

maximum validity of five years

and it must be renewed in the year before it expires.

For this, those interested will have to have passed a continuous training course to update their knowledge in a center authorized by the Directorate General for Transport and Mobility, which is a novelty with respect to taxi drivers.

The content of the test

Psychotechnical.

10 questions to measure the intellectual and professional capacities and aptitudes of the applicant.

Legal framework.

25 questions to assess knowledge of the regulations applicable to the VTC sector.

Rational and efficient driving.

15 questions about the operation of safety devices, methods to minimize wear and tear and the prevention of malfunctions of vehicle operation.

Road safety.

20 questions to assess knowledge about "driving in adverse conditions, prevention of dangerous and compromised situations, as well as how to avoid behaviors that may generate risky situations for road users".

They will also include content on the use of public roads, compliance with traffic regulations, lighting and optical signaling, and traffic signs.

Health and first aid.

10 questions about the importance of the physical condition of drivers, a healthy and balanced diet, the effects of alcohol, medications or any other substance that can modify behavior, as well as the symptoms, causes and consequences of fatigue and stress .

General culture about Madrid.

20 questions about addresses of centers of interest, such as stations, public offices, official centers, hotels or leisure places, street maps of the capital and other important municipalities and the most efficient itineraries.

English.

Elective test to assess the knowledge of the language and ensure a "quality service" to foreign customers. The modules of rational and efficient driving, road safety and health and first aid represent a novelty compared to the examination of taxi drivers.

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