TheCab and the Honolulu Police Department have joined forces and will train cab drivers how to avoid becoming victims and how to be aware of their passengers.

The seminar, which will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday (2/18) at the Ward Theatre, is open to all cab drivers.

The training was prompted by the stabbing last November of a cab driver who was taking a fare to Manoa Valley from Makiki. While that incident snagged headlines, it's the everyday incidents, the robberies, the fare payment avoidance that the cab drivers need to learn how to cope with, said Howard Higa, president of TheCab.

The Cab manages more than 650 drivers, who operate as independent contractors. The seminar will provide information for drivers to learn how they can prevent a crime from happening.

"It's time to take initiative, to educate drivers on what to do," Higa said. "We want to prevent injuries and to keep cab drivers aware."

In the Manoa incident, the cab driver had a knife pulled on him once he drove his fare to Manoa. The driver and the suspect struggled and the driver was stabbed several times. Police arrested a man and charged him with attempted murder.

"Hopefully we can empower them," Higa said. "It's really up to the cabbies to file police reports. We could file a report a day, but if no one gets hurt, then we just deal with the crime."

Anyone who wants to register for the seminar should contact Higa at 226-0000.