World Kindness Day at The Taxi Centre: Some Top Taxi Stories
- World Kindness Day is a global event celebrated every year on November 13th. The day is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the act of kindness.
- It was introduced by the World Kindness Movement in 1998 - a group of kindness organisations around the world and has been celebrated ever since.
- This year, we celebrate World Kindness Day by recognising the acts of kindness shown by taxi drivers around the UK.
The 13th November marks World Kindness Day. As its name suggests, it’s a day dedicated to recognising and celebrating acts of kindness.
This year, we’re celebrating some of the acts of kindness from taxi drivers across the industry that have helped spread some joy and love. Read on for some of the top stories this year!
Taxi driver helps woman who gave birth in the back of a taxi
Jimmy Crerar, a Scottish taxi driver for Tele Taxis, took on more than a normal day’s work when his passenger and mum-to-be gave birth in his taxi.
Caitlin Nuttal, 22, had called a taxi to her home in Dundee after realising she was in labour. Though they only just made it to the car park at Ninewells Hospital when Caitlin’s baby girl arrived.
Jimmy quickly ran into the hospital to get help, bringing some midwives to assist with just seconds remaining.
Both mum and baby were happy and healthy, with Caitlin and her newborn returning home six hours later following a check-up. Caitlin later explained that Jimmy refused to charge her for the journey, and the story attracted lots of praise on Tele Taxis’ social media.
This one just goes to show that not all heroes wear capes – some just drive a taxi.
Taxi driver helps Powick residents during field fire
A taxi driver on his way to Malvern with a passenger stopped to help after noticing a raging field fire in Powick.
Maz Shakil, 30, stopped the meter and got out with his passenger to knock on the homes of residents nearby to wake them up and help them evacuate.
Seven homes and 11 residents were evacuated, as the fire spread through 4.3 hectares of crop.
Shakil described the heat of the blaze was like an oven, and the smoke made it difficult to breathe normally. He knew he had to stop and help evacuate nearby residents until the emergency services arrived.
Thankfully, firefighters were able to stop the blaze using two extended hoses to prevent it from spreading to houses at the field’s edge. If it weren’t for Shakil and the other residents coming together, the outcome could have been very different.
Telford Taxi driver helps three children separated from mother get home safe
A taxi driver in Telford went above and beyond after spotting three children without their mother at the local train station.
The family had arrived at Telford Central train station where the children got off the train. Though before their mother could join them, the doors closed, forcing her to get off at the next stop at Wellington Railway Station.
A member of the public saw the mother in distress and offered to drive her back to the train station. When they arrived, the three children were nowhere to be seen.
Police were called to review CCTV footage and managed to spot the children getting into a taxi after the train had departed.
A search was carried out in the town centre, while two PCSOs headed to the family’s home in Madeley.
It was here they found all three children safe at home with a neighbour, who told officers a taxi driver had kindly brought them home.
These are just some of the many heart-warming stories of taxi drivers going out of their way for the public.
Feeling inspired? Follow our list of top tips for celebrating World Kindness Day with your passengers this year.
World Kindness Day checklist for taxi drivers
We’ve put together some tips and ideas on how you can get involved in World Kindness Day, and share the joy with your business:
Help out other taxi drivers where possible
If you’re traveling down a busy road in traffic and you see another taxi waiting to emerge from a junction, drop back a little to make a gap for them. You’ll be helping another taxi driver like yourself to go on their way and enjoy an easier journey. They’ll be sure to thank you for it!
You could also do this for other drivers on the road in general, as well know how good it feels when someone helps you out on the road.
Have a friendly chat with your taxi passengers
There’s nothing worse than silent journeys. So why not strike up a friendly conversation with your passengers? Small questions like ‘how are you today?’ can make all the difference when it comes to giving your passengers a good experience. After all, some people might appreciate talking to someone new!
Offer extra help where needed
Dropping off an elderly passenger and their shopping? Or maybe you’re taking someone home who has recently been in hospital? You could make their day by offering to carry their bags to the door for them and making sure they get in okay.
Consider a random act of kindness
Heading to a drive-thru for a quick morning coffee before your shift? Why not pay for the person behind? A cup of coffee costs little, and though you might not get to see their reaction, you’ll still have made a real difference to someone’s day.
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