In an El Periodico article, foreign taxi drivers pass the taxi exam without speaking Spanish or Catalan. This issue along with identity theft are some of the ongoing problems among those who wish to obtain a drivers license illegally. Since September, the administration has required a language test prior to registration. The objective is to avoid drivers who memorize the questions and solely use the GPS to navigate the city. Being a taxi driver has provided shelter for those individuals who have become unemployed or just arrived to Catalonia. According to the Metropolitan Taxi Institute, 11% of drivers are foreign students.
Jose, a taxi driver for 36 years, explains that the test is complicated. Many of his colleagues openly complain that the calls they receive are impersonations and usual traffic tests. In some schools the tutor has to speak in English so that part of the class can understand. The president of Union Taxi de Catalunya, Luis Berbel, wonders what would happen if you went to a restaurant and the waiter asked you in signals what dish you want because you do not understand. Many immigrant drivers ask their clients to enter the destination in a paper copy so that he can put it in his GPS navigation system. The whole purpose is to provide a better service and not to discriminate. The image of the taxi here in Barcelona is deteriorating because of these controversial issues. From my experience, I have had many difficult encounters with taxi drivers because of the language barrier. Many streets in Barcelona that you would expect driver to be familiar with have to be looked up either in their book or by GPS.
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