The personality profile of Zululand Taxi Drivers

The purpose of this study was to identify whether there is a contributory relationship between the common unwanted behaviour of taxi drivers towards taxi commuters and the taxi drivers' personality. The study involved 59 minibus taxi drivers sampled from the Empangeni and Richards Bay areas of the Zululand district. The participants were randomly selected in their respective taxi ranks/stations around the above mentioned areas. The Big Five 10-Item Personality Inventory and a tailored questionnaire were administered in an interview format. The findings depicted that the unacceptable behaviour usually portrayed by taxi drivers towards taxi commuters is not caused by the taxi drivers' personality. The results further illustrate that the nature of the profession, which induces pressure on the driver, is one of the main causes of the behaviour