11/13/2015
Thirty years of driving a taxi without a single complaint has resulted in Brisbane taxi driver John Topma being named this year’s Queensland ‘Taxi Driver of the Year’.
Yellow Cabs driver John Topma is a 30 year industry veteran and overcame a standout field to take home the top award at Taxi Council Queensland’s (TCQ) Taxi Industry Awards in Brisbane last night.
Drivers were nominated by the industry and members of the public and John led the way with three different nominations, all praising the 50 year-old’s courteous, reliable and consistent customer service.
Having driven cabs in New South Wales and Queensland, John is never without a friendly smile and a happy hello as he begins his shift, traits that have seen him receive a record number of compliments and frequent nominations as the state’s number one taxi driver.
Among his many acts of kindness and service was assisting an epilepsy sufferer when her medical alert dog warned her of an imminent seizure. John’s actions in calming and comforting his customer, while driving slowly to ensure limited movement in the cab, reduced the risk of bringing on a seizure.
TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said John’s commitment to putting the customer first is why Queensland drivers are rated the best in the country.
“All our training and education for drivers is about customer service and helping passengers when required. I salute John for always putting the needs of his customers first.”
Another industry veteran honoured at the awards was Yellow Cabs’ Marty Ord who claimed the Significant Achievement award for being an outstanding advocate for Brisbane’s blind and low vision community. Yellow Cabs has been Guide Dogs Queensland’s taxi provider of choice for many years.
ENDS