Becoming a London taxi driver took five years and 55 exams
London resident Anshu Moorjani finally won the right to drive one of the city’s famous black cabs. Reaching that point took five years and 55 exam attempts, because London cabbies must pass one of the toughest professional tests in the world, known simply as “The Knowledge”.
A taxi driver must know the city by heart
A London black cab driver cannot simply lean on a sat nav and hope for the best. Under Transport for London’s system, drivers must be able to work out routes from memory, know the streets, landmarks and major destinations, and advise passengers on places of interest across the capital.
Candidates do this through “The Knowledge”, an exam Transport for London first introduced for taxi drivers in 1865. According to TfL, learning it usually takes three to four years.
320 routes and thousands of details
At the centre of the test sits the so called Blue Book, which contains 320 routes within a roughly 9.6 kilometre radius of Charing Cross. Candidates must also know every road and key point of interest within about 400 metres of the start and end of each route.
The process comes in stages. First, candidates complete a self assessment and a written exam. Then come oral sessions with an examiner, where they must describe the shortest route between two points in London. Later, the suburban section adds another 25 routes.
An old school professional test in the digital age
According to Autoevolution, Moorjani completed the process after 55 attempts over five years. Speaking to CBS News, he said he did not want to take the easier path as a ride hailing driver. He wanted to become part of the history of London’s black cabs.
His story shows how strongly the image of the black cab still holds in London, even in an age of navigation apps and robotaxis. TfL’s standard is not just about getting from A to B. It is about trust, the quiet currency on which the whole black cab tradition still runs.
