A competition to find the UK’s top black cab driver has been started by car care company, Turtle Wax.
The competition was launched by taxi driver Don Pratt of Newquay, Cornwall who was left a £250,000 tip after one of his customers passed away.
Explaining the reasons behind its launch, Andrew Freeman, European Marketing Director of Turtle Wax said: “We’ve introduced a new high-performance waxing and polishing system for black cars called Black Box. There was an obvious link with black cabs, which are an iconic vehicle that operate in cities throughout the UK. The competition seemed a good way of linking professional drivers who need to look after the item they depend upon for their income and our top-performing product.
“We also want to promote the values that make a good cabbie. That means someone who has credibility, works hard, and gives people a sense of security and comfort.
“A good cabbie is someone who looks after their vehicle, can deal with long hours, all the challenges of driving on busy UK roads, the ins and outs of taxation and licensing. And, ultimately the best cabbies provide good reliable, customer service.”
Don Pratt made headlines across the world in July after he was left a significant sum by pensioner Mary Watson. He’d spent two decades driving Mary to and from her local shops and when she died, aged 86, she left Don her whole estate which included her house and savings, together worth more than £250,000.
Speaking at the launch Don said: “Being a good cabbie is much more than simply ferrying passengers from A to B; in any one day you can be called upon to be a counsellor, a critic and a confidant.
“I am delighted that at last there will be some recognition for the great work carried out by cabbies across the UK everyday.”
Turtle Wax is asking people to nominate black cab drivers who go the extra mile for their customers and take absolute pride in their cab, inside and out.
Andrew Freeman added: “We want to find the most pukka and deserving ‘Black Cabbie’ in the UK.”