Smarter Than Maps

In a time full of navigation apps and GPS systems, one group of people is being told not to rely on the technology. Cab drivers in London are required to learn all of the roads in their area, as well as the fastest ways to get to every location. More than that, for the past 150 years, all taxi drivers have been required to pass a test. The test taxi drivers must pass is called “The Knowledge”, and it requires learning at least 300 basic routes, 25,000 streets, and over 15,000 landmarks and notable locations. It takes, on average, three or four years for a driver to learn the entirety of “The Knowledge”. The recent popularity of navigation systems and services like Uber have taken over, but taxi drivers have become more of an experience than a service in London. These drivers know the routes, the history, and the landmarks of their entire city.