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2011 Taxi Inquiry

The Victorian Taxi Association welcomes the announcement of a new government inquiry into the Victorian taxi industry. The VTA has long called for structural reform, and is therefore pleased the Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Roads, the Hon. Terry Mulder MP, has chosen to make regulation and restructure of the Victorian taxi industry an early policy objective.

The appointment of Professor Allan Fels to head the inquiry is a demonstration of the government's commitment to tackling this situation. It is also high-profile step in bringing the industry's issues back into the public realm. We look forward to working collaboratively with Professor Fels, the State Government, the community and subsequent Taxi Services Commission.

The opportunity to introduce reform into the industry to achieve improved outcomes for the public and the industry must be taken now. Professor Fels has been quoted in 2008 and this week on his perceptions of the industry's shortcomings. He is not alone in having personal views about taxis: all Victorians are passionate about their cabs.

We raise our concern that any pre-conceived conceptions of the industry do not interfere with the terms of reference for the inquiry or its outcomes. Further to the Baillieu government's vow to run an honest government without hidden agendas, industry expects to be consulted on those terms of reference. Industry also expects to collaborate on the setting of transparent benchmarks by which customer service can be measured.

There are 4000 cabs servicing Victorians , and the majority of their drivers do a good job. Recent negative comments regarding customer service made by opinion leaders in the media need to be placed in perspective, as they are often incorrect and, at their worse, come dangerously close to inciting anger against drivers.

To obtain accreditation, drivers are required to demonstrate the most direct route to over 50 landmarks in Melbourne. If they do not get score of 89%, they cannot obtain accreditation. Often the problem is with public expectation not driver knowledge. Drivers are not expected to know suburban street names.

Around 90% of vehicles now have GPS units. Passengers must only provide a street address and the driver will follow the directions of the navigation computer.
If a driver refuses a passenger's fare, the passenger should contact the Victorian Taxi Directorate and register a complaint. All vehicles are numbered to make this process simple and effective.

Fares are not fair. This was a finding of the previous government and the foundation of a promise to industry to raise fares at the end of 2010. A promise broken. It's common sense: fair fares will attract career drivers to the job, delivering a better passenger experience.

The call for reform is not new. The Victorian Taxi Association has long called for structural reform, particularly regarding licensing and revenue distribution. The structure of the industry supports an inequitable distribution of revenues, resulting in drivers working for rates as low as $8 an hour.

A new government is a rare opportunity for a fresh start; an opportunity to collaborate with passengers, drivers, network service providers and operators to build a sustainable industry.

Taxis form a vital part of Victoria's transportation mix. The taxi industry provides safe, accessible door-to-door transportation for all members of the community, at all hours. Business and government rely on taxis to ensure expediency and productivity; the elderly and people living with disabilities rely on taxis to stay connected with family and community life.

Founded in 1964, the Victorian Taxi Association is the peak taxi-cab industry body in Victoria. The Association fosters the interests and wellbeing of taxi-cab drivers, taxi-cab operators and taxi-cab Network Service Providers across the State.