SINGAPORE — It is the final hurdle for those hoping to become licensed private-hire car drivers, but some applicants are struggling to pass the vocational-licence test despite a flurry of attempts — older drivers chief among them.

The problem is, however, not confined to private-hire car hopefuls. Those who have undergone the tests for the Taxi Driver’s Vocational Licence (TDVL), introduced several decades ago, have found them equally challenging.

Private-hire car licence applicants said the test places great emphasis on memorisation, which is unfair for older drivers seeking a means to earn an income.

Instead, they urged a larger focus on the practical aspects of driving, like customer service and how to avoid accidents — elements that would benefit drivers in the long run.

Drivers who applied for a Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence (PDVL) before July last year must attend a course and pass a test by June 30 this year to obtain their licence, as part of a licensing regime. Those who do not obtain the licence by the deadline would no longer be allowed to offer private-hire car services.

Mr Lim Keng Boon, 70, who has failed to make the cut twice, said much of the test hinged on memorisation, which was unfair to older drivers above 65 years old.

“It’s so difficult even to memorise the content of one single page. Sometimes, I can’t even remember if I washed my hair yesterday,” he said.

Earlier this month, Mr Lim wrote to TODAY’s Voices section about the plight of drivers exasperated from repeating the test. His letter set off a spirited debate online, with some readers questioning the need to quiz drivers on subjects like personal health and laws.

Many, however, said the knowledge tested was essential and the minimum expected of any driver.

Private-hire car and taxi drivers can drive until they are 75 years old if they pass an assessment that includes a driving test with an occupational therapist and a driving instructor.

Mr Lim said being a careful driver should be the determining factor. “Is a person who scored less than 86 per cent a lousier driver than one who scores 86 per cent or more?” he asked.

The former school teacher suggested that zooming in on the dos and don’ts on the road would be of greater benefit to drivers.

TEST DRIVERS’ ABILITY, NOT KNOWLEDGE

Mr Ang Hin Kee, executive adviser to the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), echoed the drivers’ call for the Land Transport Authority to focus the test more on “practical, applicable knowledge, rather than head knowledge”.

“A vocational licence means that you should know the rules and be able to do your job well and conduct it in a professional manner. (It’s) less of your head knowledge, but more of your ability to do these things,” said Mr Ang.

Ride-hailing company Grab told TODAY that nearly six in 10 of the 300-odd drivers who have attended its PDVL revision classes so far are above age 50. Most of these drivers had failed the test at least once before enrolling in the classes, which are conducted twice daily.

Uber also holds study groups and revision sessions to help drivers who faced difficulties with the test. Hundreds of drivers have attended these sessions, a spokesperson said.

One applicant racing to cross the final hurdle is Mr Boey Wai Cheong. The 63-year-old has failed the tests on four occasions since October. He left his job at a construction company last year.

Driving a private-hire car is his only viable option to support his and his family’s needs, he said. He has amassed more than S$2,000 in unpaid housing loans since the second half of last year.

“I will definitely have to continue taking the test. At my age, what other jobs can I do? I have no choice and have to make a living,” he said.

Weighed down by his poor command of English, Mr Boey, who is Mandarin-speaking, said he could not understand some questions in the test. He also felt the passing criteria were too stringent.

Ms Jamie Sim, 41, attempted the test seven times since November before she finally made the grade on Saturday (Feb 24). She cleared Paper One on her fifth try, but passed Paper Two only on her seventh attempt after attending Grab’s revision class.

She said the health-related questions caught her off-guard because “we’ve no medical knowledge”. Asking those with few educational qualifications and a poor grasp of English to memorise the material was also a tall order, she added.

It would be “much more useful” for the test to put a larger bearing on customer service and ensuring passenger safety on the road, Ms Sim said.

“You can see nowadays how reckless (some) drivers are. (Some) don’t care about other cars approaching. All these things have to be addressed,” she added.

On the concerns raised by drivers, NPHVA’s Mr Ang, who is also executive adviser to the National Taxi Association, said applicants felt the course content and test were no “walk in the park” and were especially challenging for those less proficient in English. But that, too, has been the case for TDVL applicants for some time.

“You do need to pay attention to the course curriculum, do a lot of reading, understand the regulations before you can successfully gain your licence,” he said.

A 55-year-old Comfort taxi driver, who gave his name only as Mr Lee, said he took the TDVL tests thrice before he passed in 2003. Much of the tests, particularly road landmarks, had to be learnt by rote.

Fellow cabbie Mok Chun Kong, 65, took the tests in 1985. Though he passed on his first try, they were “not easy”. “You need to study the taxi course book,” he said.

Notwithstanding the difficulties of some, not all PDVL applicants have had to take the test more than once.

An applicant, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lim, passed on his first try, scoring 94 per cent on Paper One and 92 per cent on Paper Two.

In the week leading up to the test, the 55-year-old did mock papers between 10 and 20 times daily, and revised the materials diligently. He also attended an Uber revision session a day before the test.

He said on top of doing well in the mock papers, attending the revision session helped build his confidence.

“The test is pretty straightforward if you had done your studies,” said the former customer service manager.

THE PDVL TEST

• The PDVL test is broken up into two papers.
• Paper One tests drivers on service quality, health and safety — including avoiding road rage and the health risks of ailments such as diabetes.
• Paper Two quizzes applicants on rules and regulations, including the various offences that could lead to fines, demerit points or licences being revoked or suspended. This means drivers have to commit the penalties of each offence — including the varying amounts of fines — to memory.
• Each paper has 50 multiple-choice questions.
• To pass Paper One, applicants must get at least 80 per cent of their answers right.
• For Paper Two, the passing score is 86 per cent.