1. Road Transport Professional Training at International Standards – State of Play and development for the Taxi Sector
Cologne, 10 November 2012
Patrick Philipp Head - IRU Training

2. Why Organisations Invest in Training?
Safety
Behavioral performance change
Process improvements
Increased customer satisfaction
Staff retention
Profitability
These are the answers from a recent multi-sectoral survey conducted in 2010.
Companies should invest in training because research has shown that "companies that invest in learning outperform the market by more than 45%. Companies that do not, under perform by 22%." These were the findings of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) when they examined the average annual training expenditures of more than 500 U.S. based publicly traded firms. In fact, in that study, the top half of the group who spent the most on training had a "total stockholder return 86% higher than firms in the bottom half and 46% higher than the market average."
Employee Retention Another great reason for investing in training is to retain valuable employees. Employee attrition can be very costly for firms. "Business Week (3/1/99) cites the 1999 Emerging Workforce Study when estimating the average cost of losing a typical worker at $50, Putting numbers to that statistic shows that a 1000 worker company with an ineffective training program stands to lose as much as $14.5 million. The same study showed that 41% of employees who rate their company's training offerings as poor plan to leave within a year. It also showed that among employees who rate their training opportunities as excellent, only 12% plan to leave within a year." Better Communication and Supervision / Process improvement A third reason for investing in training is to improve communication, efficiency and supervision. According to the Economist (7/22/2000), miscommunication and inefficiency were cited as two of the leading causes that can hurt companies and their stockholder value.

3. IRU Academy Objectives
Sustainable Development
Safety
Compliance
Performance
We speak here about:
Fatality decrease
Laws & regulations
Improved competitiveness
Environment and social development

4. Resulting in loss of Revenues
Compliance
Not complying with the rules will lead to fines and a negative impact on your reputation!
Resulting in loss of Revenues 4

5. Performance
Improving safety record - Identifying and manage “risk” for the employees
Improving regulatory compliance
Improving efficiency
Increasing employee and customer satisfaction
Increasing competitiveness
In today's environment not being able to adapt in order to effectively deal with change doesn’t give a very positive outlook. It has become essential to be constantly adapting and encapsulating the changes incurred by legislative, technology or market changes.
mediacollegep

6. Safety Damages to: The Population The Economy The Environment
In an industry where most companies are small businesses, aside the cost on human being directly involved in a tragedy and the impact on their relatives, most businesses will collapse and therefore any incident or accident will have large collateral damages.
Source: Centre d’Estudis del Risc Tecnològic (CERTEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
A study of 1932 accidents that occurred during the transport of hazardous substances by road and rail from the beginning of the 20th century to July 2004 was carried out. The results obtained show an increase in the frequency of accidents over time. More than half of the accidents happened on roads (63%). The most frequent accidents were releases (78%), followed by fires (28%), explosions (14%) and gas clouds (6%). The various causes of the accidents, the type of substance involved and the consequences for the population (number of people killed, injured or evacuated) were also analysed. Among the diverse measures taken to improve this situation, the training of professional people involved in transportation seems to be of major importance.
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According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), the workers most likely to be killed at work aren't the ones donning bullet-proof vests to capture criminals or saving victims from fire-engulfed buildings. Instead, the workers most likely to die on the job are the ones who help provide us with our daily needs like a safe home, food and electricity.
Truck drivers transport goods including cars and livestock, and driver/sales workers deliver and sell their firm’s products over established routes. Both groups spend the majority of their time on the road, putting them at high risk of highway vehicle crashes.
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers Fatalities: 27.6 per 100,000 employed Truck driver median pay: $33,520 Driver/sales worker median pay: $20,090

7. Currently the IRU Academy network count more than 50 ATIs across 35+ countries on 4 continents

8. IRU Academy Programmes
Competence
Compliance
The objective of the IRU Academy is to work against the values of harmonisation, standardisation, coordination and cooperation and to provide high level harmonised quality training programmes and the recognition to road transport professionals through the obtainment of IRU Academy Diplomas and Certificates which helps them to promote their skills and achievements and differentiate themselves in an industry which is more and more competitive.
Originally the IRU Academy launched one programme in 1999 – The CPC Manager programme based on the EC directive EC98/76. Today the IRU Academy manages a portfolio of training programmes both in terms of regional and subject matter scope.
Safety
Recognition 8

9. IRU Academy Programmes Safe Loading & Cargo Securing
Latest IRU Academy programmes developed to address key Industry concerns: road safety and emissions
In focus
ECO-Driving 9

10. IRU Academy Content Management - Accessibility
Resource Center
Accredited Training Institutes can access up-to-date learning material, reference information and multimedia resources through a single web access
Through its unique content management plateform (ACM), the IRU Academy can ensure efficient programme management and distribution on permanent basis whilst ensuring that ATIs benefit from the latest programmes updates.

11. International Recognition IRU Academy Advisory Committee
The IRU Academy benefits from the support of its Advisory Committee constituted of experts from Leading International Organisations which also contribute to provide International Recognition to the IRU Academy training programmes
UNECE
United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe

12. IRU Academy Online (AOL)
Private and secure web sites for
- IRU Academy ATI promotion
- IRU Academy graduate promotion
- Real-time credential verification
Promotion
AOL is the web interface that not only manages the training events but also enable employers and employees to manage their career on-line whilst also promoting themselves to the industry. It also provides anti-forgery capabilities to avoid the fraudulent dissemination of IRU Academy Certificates and Diplomas. Any issued IRU Academy Certificate and Diploma can be checked on-line anytime anywhere.

13. constant professional
Taxi - Anytime, Anywhere
Need a knowledgably
skilled workforce
which can demonstrate
constant professional
attitude
The taxi industry, as represented by the IRU is committed to constantly improving the core values which make taxis a sustainable mobility option: quality, attractiveness, safety, environmental friendliness and accessibility of its services - by further increasing the professionalism of its managers and drivers through vocational training as offered by the IRU Academy, and by intensifying the exchange of best practices amongst taxi professionals.

14. Taxi – Current EU Status
No EU regulation on access to profession
No EU driver directive
Lack of professional skills harmonisation
Delicate public image perception
Vocational training for professional goods drivers is heavily supported by the EC, but there is a lack of structured training for taxi drivers.
For many people, especially people with disabilities, those who are unable to drive or use conventional public transport, taxis and private hire vehicles are the preferred means of ensuring their mobility.
Taxis are increasingly safer. Indeed, survey results and statistics from several European countries show that taxis are many times safer than private cars, thanks to the professionalism of the drivers. 
Taxis are also becoming increasingly greener, especially where appropriate fiscal, administrative and operational incentives are offered for the introduction of more environmentally friendly technology, fuel and management practices.
Taxis are an integral element of the public transport chain in both urban and rural areas. Thanks to their unmatched flexibility, which even surpasses the flexibility of the private car, taxis complement other public transport modes, with a 24-hour/7-day availability.
The taxi industry, as represented by the IRU is committed to constantly improving the core values which make taxis a sustainable mobility option: quality, attractiveness, safety, environmental friendliness and accessibility of its services - by further increasing the professionalism of its managers and drivers through vocational training as offered by the IRU Academy, and by intensifying the exchange of best practices amongst taxi professionals.
Fully conscious of the great variety of taxi frameworks, services and cultures that exist across the world, the taxi industry will keep strengthening and promoting its common set of values, demonstrating its willingness to work together to make taxis an ever safer, greener, more flexible, comfortable and accessible mobility alternative for all and make it known.
Flexible
Taxi offers an immediately recognisable, widely understood form of transport the world over, in cities and rural areas.  Services are quick, operate from door-to-door and are readily available, both in cities and rural areas, making the taxi the most flexible form of public transport available for all social groups. See the factsheet in English, German and French
Comfortable
Taxis provide high levels of comfort and convenience, supported by drivers’ professionalism. The quality of taxi services, in which comfort plays a paramount role, together with the professionalism of drivers, is highly appreciated by taxi users. See the factsheet in English, German and French Accessible
Taxis are instrumental in ensuring the mobility of people who cannot driver or use conventional public transport. For many people with disabilities, especially those who are unable to drive or use conventional public transport, taxis and private hire vehicles are pivotal means for ensuring their mobility. See the factsheet in English, German and French Safe The safety and security of both customers and the driver are among the primary concerns of taxi professionals. Taxis retain an enviable safety record. Safety is a key element in the taxi licensing and control regulations, as well as in taxi drivers’ professional training. See the factsheet in English, German and French See the taxi driver checklists in 21 European languages Green
Taxi design and use makes it one of the greenest vehicles on the road. All taxis are regularly serviced, both to meet regulatory inspection requirements and to maintain vehicles in prime condition, which ensures optimal fuel-efficiency and thus contributes to further green mobility.

15. CPC Programme for Taxis and Hire Cars with Drivers – IRU Taxi Group Survey
There is no consistent CPC Programme currently available
Germany Ireland USA England Sweden Denmark Belgium Luxemburg Romania Switzerland Austria
Survey conducted in 2009

16. IRU Best Practices for Taxi Drivers
Free download from:

17. Taxistars
Taxistars aims at developing a European wide training curricula
To be delivered using current state of the art technology tools
The learning programme will focus on work and road safety, criminal assault and emergency case issues, social interaction skills and environmental issues
It shall contribute to transfer knowledge to the taxi industry
The project will last 36 months
Vocational training for professional goods drivers is heavily supported by the EC, but there is a lack of structured training for taxi drivers. Taxistars will address this by developing a European wide training curricula. This training programme will be delivered using current state or the art technology tools. The educational package will include work and road safety, criminal assault and emergency case issues, social interaction skills and environmental issues.  We will take a role to transfer knowledge to the taxi industry and help implement the training to taxi members. The project will last 36 months.

18. TaxiStars
Militos  – Greece – - Project leader, dissemination expert
International Road Transport Union (IRU Academy) – Switzerland Association / Training expert
Deutscher Taxi- und Mietwagenverband e.V. – Germany Association
Suomen Taksiliitto ruy/The Finnish Taxi Owner’s Federation –
Test & Training International Planning and Service GmbH, Austria,
Hellenic American Union – Greece -  - VET organization
Scienter -  - Expert in learning material development
R&DO -  - Technical expert for production of videos, animations, etc.
University of Macerata – Italy -  - E-Learning expert, smartphone app

19. IRU Academy benefits
International recognition of the road transport industry
First-class road transport training materials and training technology that include on-line simulators, interactive training, best practices and reference material.
Continuous training by experts in order to ensure complete knowledge transfer to ATI instructors
Being part of the largest training centre network and therefore benefit of regular updates on the latest development in road transport training and practices
The exclusive right to issue IRU Academy Certificates and Diplomas to all graduates who successfully undertake training programmes and undertake the exams with success
In today's globalised world, "harmonisation", "standardisation", "coordination" and "cooperation" are key words, particularly when we speak about road transport, the most dynamic and flexible transport mode of all, and road transport professionals, the most mobile professional category. (The IRU Academy ATIs have for long understood the value of team work and the importance of working together to implement standardised programmes to enable a sustainable development of the profession. )
Training is a key component for a sustainable development of the road transport industry. However, transport companies seeking effective training solutions often face a regrettable lack of standardisation and transparency in training offers at a time when training is crucial: Therefore by undertaking training through an IRU Academy ATI, road transport professionals benefit from a truly harmonised programme delivered by qualified experts and recognised a National and International levels.

20. Impact of Training
Education, vocational training and lifelong learning play a vital role in both economic and social context.
No matter what the industry or the size of your business, training will have a positive effect on safety records and performance which will positively impact the bottom line.
It is often said that people are the most important elements of businesses and societies. The truth is those organisations and societies can only achieve their goals if the people have the right knowledge, skills and attitudes.
All countries shall implement a professional qualification framework, established on the basis of international best practices as those provided by the IRU Academy in order to ensure a sustainable development of their industry and ultimately economies.
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