Can certificates guarantee drivers’ conduct?

Do character certificates or verification of antecedents guarantee that no taxi driver commits a crime? "“No,” say top police officials pointing out that these two steps are only reasonable precautions, but cannot 100 per cent check the possibility of a taxi driver committing an offence.

"The rape of a woman by the driver of app-based taxi service Uber in the country’s capital triggered a host of measures by government agencies in all States, including Telangana, for the safety of passengers, especially the women.

Practical difficulty

Among the other instructions issued to taxi operators by the government, was to hire persons without criminal record only as drivers and get background check done. “The practical difficulty in this proposal is from whom we should get the drivers certified for their conduct? Police are not ready to check credentials of persons we want to hire,” says taxi operator Srinivas Reddy of Jeedimetla.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy made it clear the question of police issuing character certificates to taxi drivers doesn’t arise as the responsibility of the behaviour of drivers lies with the persons hiring them and many factors drive a person to indulge in crime, including drink driving.

But, some day the day-to-day monitoring of drivers’ conducts by the taxi service managements helps minimise sexual assaults on women. “Feedback from passengers on drivers’ behaviour - their overt acts - should be analysed to take action sending warning signals. A proper human resource manager would be of some help,” Mr. Reddy felt.

Nothing should be left to the chance on the issue of women’s safety and technology like GPS must be used to keep tab on drivers, said Cyberabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand. At a meeting with the taxi operators, Mr. Anand told the taxi operators to evolve systems of monitoring the drivers’ movement since the time a passenger gets into the taxi.

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Police not ready to check credentials of persons we want to hire, says a taxi operator

Responsibility of the behaviour of drivers lies with the persons hiring them, says police official

Many factors drive a person to indulge in crime, including drink driving

Day-to-day monitoring of drivers’ conducts helps minimise sexual assaults on women

Feedback from passengers on drivers’ behaviour should be analysed to take action, sending warning signals