Page 21 - drive a2b FEB 2020 web

No consideration was given to the proceedings, if he could find and no longer exist) in all Australian
commercial viability for taxi, hire cars identify the person. States and drivers are abandoning
and rideshare operators. Unsavoury booking services at breakneck speed
practices, such as touting, began as The effect of rideshare on licensing - preferring to flick between apps for
drivers struggled to find work. While scheme and licence values is a rides and take their chances on rank
the touting loophole is now closed, debacle that is endemic across the and hail work, than pay network fees.
it’s a tragedy that drivers' incomes country - and no Australian State
have suffered so much that they (or overseas country) can claim to Independent taxi operators
resorted to begging for work. have cracked the perfect solution constitute a growing element in
to accepting rideshare without Victoria’s market, which raises new
As the Victorian Parliament resumes disadvantaging the existing industry. issues for Booking Service Providers'
this month (February 2020) we begin (BSP) registrations, trip levy reporting
a new campaign to close another Here in Victoria, the Victorian and collection, and compliance
loophole opened by Victoria’s 2017 Andrews Labor government chose with safety requirements such as
reforms. to revoke licences, paying arbitrary roadworthy certificates and tamper-
compensation and sending licence proof cameras in cars.
The offence for fare holders into a spiralling nightmare of
evasion was dropped debt and despair. Have other states It appears that Victoria's regulator
and territories done any better? We
does not understand our industry.
in the reforms, so if a think not. They are failing to keep up and
passenger does a runner, manage this rapidly changing
the driver has no recourse New South Wales and landscape, let alone minimise harm
through police and must Queensland froze the to the industry and the public from
the ramifications of each unexpected
seek a civil action for issuing of taxi licences in consequence of these poorly
compensation. an attempt to protect their implemented reforms as they arise.
value.
In January a driver was bashed In Victoria we have an inquiry report
with a hammer by a passenger who This created an opportunity for with 13 recommendations that give
refused to pay the fare - this driver rideshare entities to explode onto us a chance to review the reforms
now has a criminal recourse, but the market, leaving taxi operators and get things right. I will be working
only because of the assault against with no way to increase the number with the government over the coming
him. Without the hammer incident of services to compete. months to ensure we get the best
the driver would be left to pursue outcome to repair the past and create
the fare evader through civil court Licence values have collapsed (or a pathway to move forward.

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DRIVE A2B magazine · February 2020 21