What is The Knowledge taxi test and why is the exam taken by London’s black cab drivers so tough?

DRIVERS of London’s famous black cabs have long been held to high standards.

Those hoping to get behind the wheel of one of the most iconic taxis in the world have to pass a notoriously difficult test.

But what exactly is the cabbie exam known as The Knowledge and why is it so hard? Here’s the run down…

What is The Knowledge?

The Knowledge is a series of tests which must be passed by all black cab drivers before they can get a licence to work in the capital.

Black cabbies must study some 320 routes and 25,000 streets and get to know them all by heart.

They also memorise roughly 20,000 landmarks and places of public interest, from tourist destinations to museums, parks, churches, theatres and schools.

The process typically takes between two and four years to complete and has been described as like having an atlas of London implanted into your brain.

Black cabbie hopefuls must then pass a written test and a series of oral exams before they can get their licence.

Why is The Knowledge so hard?

Unlike minicab drivers, black cabbies are not allowed to use satnavs to find their way around.

Instead, they must know their way through the sprawling metropolis of 9million people completely by memory.

The time and dedication needed to achieve this has made many black taxi drivers angry with what they see as a lack of regulation for their competitors.

They have brought London to a standstill in the past with huge protests against minicab app Uber.

TfL is now insisting that drivers for Uber and other minicab firms take a test of their own, to prove they can speak English.

Has there been a documentary about The Knowledge?

Channel 4 commissioned a documentary about black cabbies called The Knowledge: The World’s Toughest Taxi Test.

The programme saw cameras follow candidates inside their nerve-wracking exams, for which they studied for years.

The film also highlighted the surprising range of characters at various stages of the process, including a single mum, a Kosovan immigrant and a bus driver.

It aired on C4 in April 2017.