TDVL Client Communication and Service 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passenger forgets their belongings in your cab after exiting. What is the correct course of action?
- Keep the items until the passenger contacts you
- Immediately notify dispatch or the lost property office and hand in the items as soon as possible (Correct answer)
- Leave the items on the curb where the passenger exited
- Dispose of the items if no one claims them within an hour
Correct answer: Immediately notify dispatch or the lost property office and hand in the items as soon as possible
Promptly reporting and surrendering lost property to dispatch or the proper authority is both legal and professional.
Question 2: What tone should a taxi driver maintain when a passenger becomes verbally aggressive?
- Match the passenger's aggressive tone to assert authority
- Remain calm, speak in a measured tone, and de-escalate the situation (Correct answer)
- Shout louder to regain control
- Immediately eject the passenger from the vehicle while it is moving
Correct answer: Remain calm, speak in a measured tone, and de-escalate the situation
Staying calm and composed is the most effective way to de-escalate conflict and maintain safety.
Question 3: A passenger with a hearing impairment boards your taxi. Which communication method is most helpful?
- Shout loudly to ensure they hear you
- Speak clearly while facing them when safe, use written notes, or use a communication app (Correct answer)
- Refuse the trip because you cannot communicate
- Assume they will figure out how to communicate on their own
Correct answer: Speak clearly while facing them when safe, use written notes, or use a communication app
Adapting your communication method ensures passengers with disabilities receive equal service.
Question 4: A passenger asks you to wait while they run a quick errand. After 20 minutes, they have not returned. What should you do?
- Drive away immediately and report a no-show
- Wait for the agreed-upon time limit, then follow local regulations on waiting time charges and, if needed, contact dispatch (Correct answer)
- Continue waiting indefinitely at no charge
- Call police without attempting to contact dispatch
Correct answer: Wait for the agreed-upon time limit, then follow local regulations on waiting time charges and, if needed, contact dispatch
Following local waiting time rules and contacting dispatch ensures you handle the situation professionally and within regulations.
Question 5: Which of the following best demonstrates active listening with a passenger?
- Nodding continuously without processing what they say
- Making brief acknowledgments and asking clarifying questions when appropriate (Correct answer)
- Interrupting them to offer your opinion
- Turning up the radio to signal you are busy driving
Correct answer: Making brief acknowledgments and asking clarifying questions when appropriate
Active listening involves genuine engagement, brief verbal affirmations, and targeted questions that show you understood the passenger.
Question 6: A passenger requests that you do not use the GPS and instead trust their verbal directions. You are unfamiliar with the area. What should you do?
- Follow verbal directions only and never consult the GPS
- Explain that you will follow their directions but keep the GPS ready as a backup for safety (Correct answer)
- Refuse the trip because GPS is mandatory
- Ignore their preference and use GPS without telling them
Correct answer: Explain that you will follow their directions but keep the GPS ready as a backup for safety
Respecting the passenger's preference while keeping a safety backup is the professional approach in unfamiliar territory.
Question 7: A passenger asks you a personal question that you find intrusive. What is the appropriate response?
- Answer in full detail to build rapport
- Politely redirect the conversation to a neutral topic or simply say you prefer to keep personal matters private (Correct answer)
- Lecture the passenger on appropriate conduct
- Pull over and refuse to continue the trip
Correct answer: Politely redirect the conversation to a neutral topic or simply say you prefer to keep personal matters private
Professional drivers maintain personal boundaries courteously without creating conflict or refusing service.
TDVL Client Communication and Service 3
A passenger forgets their belongings in your cab after exiting.
What is the correct course of action?