Page 20 - drive a2b FEB 2020 web

VICTORIA
NEWS R OD BAR T ON, MP

The government
has allowed an

irresponsible over

supply of ride-
share brands and

drivers.

e arrive in 2020 with a new batch of issues
arising in this “disrupted” commercial
passenger vehicle space and it’s a good
W opportunity to look at the competition the
arrival of rideshare has introduced in the market and what the
industry has done to fight back, to defend our market.
There is no doubt the technology innovations rideshare services
introduced have advanced services across the industry. Major
Rod Barton MLC
Leader, Transport Matters Party players like 13cabs and Silver Top Taxis have met the challenge
developing and releasing apps that can and do compete with
rival rideshare.

New integrations, such as adding rideshare as an option when
you search for a destination in Google Maps, are clever initiatives.
We also see recent pushes around the world to develop Mobility
as a Service (MaaS) applications that mix point-to-point
services and public transport, to get people to their destination.
Comparison options show the time and cost difference between
driving and these MaaS alternatives - this allows people to
evaluate the opportunity cost of an hour spent driving to their
destination, compared to an hour spent in time-tabled and on-
demand transport services.

But the way governments have chosen to introduce rideshare
to the market has been devastating for the incumbent taxi and
hire car drivers and operators, and has allowed an irresponsible
oversupply of rideshare brands and drivers.

Regulators in Victoria had no plan on how to
accommodate a 700% increase in commercial
vehicles on our roads.

20 DRIVE A2B magazine · February 2020