It is a multiple-choice test consisting of four modules with 60 questions
The first 25 candidates underwent the pioneering qualification exam on Tuesday that professionals in Vehicles for Hire with Driver (VTC) must pass to work in the region, according to the regional regulation that came into force on January 12, 2024, designed to regulate a growing sector and establish order at the regulatory level.
A first appointment that took place starting at 4:00 p.m. at Calle Orense, 58, and will be repeated on the 15th with another 25 candidates. Thus, Tuesday’s exam is the first VTC driver training exam to be conducted in all of Spain, as highlighted by the Director General of Transport for the Community of Madrid, Luís Miguel Torres.
A test where they had 60 minutes to answer 60 multiple-choice questions divided into four modules on the Spanish language, the use of devices with navigation maps, itineraries and points of interest in the Community of Madrid, as well as first aid and accessibility and public service.
The test will be conducted periodically, with a minimum of 12 exams scheduled per year, with the possibility of adjusting the frequency according to existing needs to meet demand and ensure continuous access to the profession.
The Community of Madrid estimates that although the initial exams will be with around 25 candidates, the demand will grow to a maximum of 300 people. When that time comes, the test will be held at the Raúl Vázquez Professional Training Center in Madrid. «We believe that by mid-May this will start to increase significantly,» Torres pointed out.
According to the regulation, within 18 months, no person who is not accredited will be able to work as a VTC driver in the region. «It should be noted that people who have had years of experience have 18 months to apply, and the rest have 18 months to take the exam, but there is no doubt that within a year and a half, no one who has not passed the exam or applied for an exemption will be able to work in the sector.»
According to the Director General of Transport, it is expected that around 20,000 people will take this test, including those who may want to take the exam and may request validation or exemption.
Specifically, those who have been working in the profession since January 10 for at least one year continuously, or two in the four years prior to the VTC decree coming into effect, are exempt from completing this requirement.
In addition to passing the exam, the regional government also requires that drivers of these services hold a Class B driver’s license with at least two years of seniority and have no criminal records for sexual offenses.
To ensure high-demand periods, the regulation also allows for validations of VTC permits from other autonomous communities, as well as from taxi municipalities, without the need to take the specific test.
In any case, holders must register in the VTC Vehicle Drivers Register. Additionally, in order to improve the transportation services available to users, companies holding authorizations must provide continuous training to their employees.
The goal is to comply with the principle of legal security in a sector that currently has around 9,000 permits in the region and for users. «We want to provide security when using this service so that, even in the app, the driver’s authorization number can be verified, giving us all the guarantee that it entails, which is not only knowledge but also the rest of the requirements that are verified,» he said.
60 MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Specifically, it is a multiple-choice test consisting of four modules with 60 questions on the Spanish language, the use of devices with navigation maps, itineraries and points of interest in the Community of Madrid, as well as first aid and accessibility and public service.
In detail, the module on the Spanish language will consist of 12 questions and will assess basic language knowledge so that drivers can interact effectively with users. Definitions, sayings, conjugations, synonyms, antonyms, and similarities will be presented.
Module 2, with 18 questions, will include questions to demonstrate the use of electronic devices such as GPS or mobile applications to plan routes, as well as itineraries and points of interest or high traffic.
This module will also cover knowledge of air quality protocols in the different municipalities of the Community of Madrid and the environmental labeling system.
Module 3, with 18 questions, will evaluate knowledge of customer service, as well as users with disabilities, minors, and domestic animals, as well as Law 5/2018, of December 21, on access to the environment for people with disabilities accompanied by assistance dogs. Basic first aid knowledge will also need to be demonstrated.
Finally, in Module 4, with 12 questions, issues related to the legal framework applicable to the activity will be presented.
Each question will have four answer options, of which only one will be the correct answer. To pass the test, one must answer correctly at least half of the questions in each module, and failing to pass any of them will result in the suspension of the entire test.
The final assessment of the test will be either pass or fail, without any numbering. Interested parties may appeal the results to a tribunal created for this purpose, composed of a president, a secretary, and two members.
After passing the test, a provisional VTC driver’s license will be electronically issued, valid for a maximum of three months until the definitive license is granted. Once in possession of the definitive license, it will be valid for five years, after which it must be renewed.
The regulation also includes the possibility of taking the test in a self-examination mode and the establishment of artificial intelligence systems to verify knowledge. Additionally, in order to enhance the transportation services available to users, companies holding authorizations must provide continuous training to their employees.