The public transport sector in Gran Canaria's main tourist hub is preparing for a renewal of its operational staff. The San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council has officially announced the call for applications for the aptitude tests required to obtain a municipal taxi driver's license. This announcement marks the beginning of a rigorous administrative process aimed at professionalizing the service in a municipality that experiences constant tourist pressure.
The driving test will not be a mere formality. The city council has designed an exam divided into two main sections intended to ensure that the future driver not only knows how to operate a vehicle, but also acts as an ambassador for the municipality. The first part consists of an elimination psychometric test, designed to evaluate the applicant's clinical suitability and social behavior towards road users.
The second section, theoretical in nature, will require in-depth knowledge of the local geography and culture. Candidates will have to answer questions about the history of the town of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, its street layout, the location of the main hotels and hospitals, and the most direct routes. In addition, there is a mandatory English test. This section, although graded separately, is a prerequisite for passing: the driver must be able to handle greetings, dates, prices, and directions in English to serve the large number of tourists who frequent Maspalomas.
The examining board has strictly prohibited the use of any electronic device during the tests, from mobile phones to smartwatches, under penalty of immediate expulsion. The marking system also penalizes guesswork: for every three incorrect answers, one correct answer will be deducted, a measure designed to reward genuine knowledge over improvisation.
Once the tests are completed and the provisional lists of successful candidates are published, a ten-day appeals period will open before the final decision. Those who pass all the stages will be able to apply for their professional certificate, a document that will open the doors to one of the most established and in-demand professions in the south of the island, integrating them into a service governed by the new Municipal Ordinance approved in 2023.
