Professional Driver Conduct, Ethics, and Customer Service
What you must know
Professional conduct covers appearance, punctuality, communication, and honesty. A professional driver represents the company, so courtesy, patience, and clear communication matter as much as technical skill. Ethics covers honesty about hours, condition, and incidents; refusing to drive impaired or fatigued; and reporting defects rather than hiding them. Customer service covers greeting passengers, assisting those with disabilities, handling complaints calmly, and protecting passenger privacy.
Know the boundaries. A driver should not accept gifts that create conflicts, should not discuss other passengers' information, and should not argue with a customer in a way that escalates. When a customer asks for something unsafe or illegal, the correct answer is a polite refusal with an explanation.
Traps to expect
Questions test whether you know that honesty about a defect or an incident is always the right answer, even when it may cost the company money. They reward refusing to drive when unfit and reporting the reason. They penalize the driver who hides a minor collision, drives while taking impairing medication, or shares passenger details.
Worked example: A passenger asks you to speed to catch a flight. The professional response is to explain that you will drive safely and give a realistic arrival estimate, not to speed and not to argue.
Rule of thumb: if you would not want the action reported to your supervisor, it is not the professional choice.