A year ago, Nashville Tourism officials blasted local cabbies for their rudeness. The cabbies retorted that they didn't make enough money and threatened to strike.
What a difference a year makes. Armed with a grant from the Nissan Foundation, the Nashville CVB, the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute and Metro Transportation and Licensing Commission are offering 3-day training programs to taxi drivers, many of whom weren't actually trying to being rude to visitors. They just didn't understand American culture (there's a switch).
The program helps them with English idioms, the area's colloquialisms and how to greet passengers warmly and make eye contact. The goal: 200 of the city's cabbies through the groundbreaking program over the next year. Very Cool.
No word whether they are teaching them to say, "You talking to me?'
This is certainly something the Denver CVB should take a look at.
Posted by: Paul W. Swansen | December 03, 2009 at 07:40