NSW cab drivers put on notice, tougher fines for rule-breaking drivers


NSW cab drivers could soon be fined $1000 for refusing a ride, demanding to be paid in cash or not turning on a meter in a statewide crackdown on dodgy taxi drivers.

NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen put cab drivers on notice during question time on Tuesday and said the Point to Point Transport Commissioner tasked with overseeing rogue driver behaviour would be told to prioritise the harsher penalties.

Under the law, taxi drivers must turn on the meter once a passenger enters the vehicle, and they cannot refuse a rider on the basis of their destination.

Ms Haylen said fines would be increased from $300 to $1000, and about 20 undercover compliance officers would be patrolling cabs for illegal behaviour.

“We will throw the book at them,” Ms Haylen said.

“There are no fixed fairs in NSW for cabs that are hailed on the street or a cab that picks up from a rank.

“They can’t demand a big fare, and the one they charge is the one that the meter says.”

Ms Haylen encouraged passengers to take a photo of an offending driver’s registration before reporting the incident to the 1300 Cabs hotline. She said about 168 fines had been issued from about 681 complaints over the last six months.

“I would say to taxi drivers, do you really want to put up with a $1000 fine just for trying to make a quick buck from unsuspecting passengers,” she said.

“The reputation of our city is at stake here, we want to make sure people know that when they get into a taxi, it’s not a process of negotiation.

“It’s not a process of how much you are willing to pay, but that you pay the fare displayed on the meter at the end of your journey.”

Minutes after the Transport Minister’s announcement in parliament, the Coalition said penalties for rogue drivers needed to be stronger and called for $1200 fines for drivers who refused a rider, or didn’t turn on their meters, and suspensions for cabbies after they committed three offences.

They also called for a public advertising campaign, transparent reporting on the amount of fines issued and said the contact number for the Point to Point Commissioner Taxi Fare Hotline should be displayed in the front and back of all taxis.

Opposition transport and roads spokeswoman Natalie Ward accused the state government of being “asleep at the wheel”.

“Taxi services are relied on by Sydneysiders to get home safely at a fair price. Those operators that don’t follow the rules need to be held to account,” she said.

Opposition women spokeswoman Leslie Williams said reports of women being refused rides was especially concerning.

“Stories of women being left on the roadside at night is deeply concerning and it is incomprehensible that the government remains so timid on such an important issue,” she said.

“The only solution offered by the minister is that she will have a meeting and possibly increase compliance hours, which is frankly not good enough.”



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