Page 15 - drive a2b march 2020 web

hitchhiking as the new black. drivers to show identification, have So we're in a proper pickle now.
GPS on the vehicles and have proper
We run profanity filters over our commercial passenger insurance. Let's stop this game of "taxi, not taxi",
social media channels and pull and call it what it is.
down comments that are personal On face value rideshare was a great
attacks. Generally, I love a good idea. Rideshare operators are
debate on social media - it helps us offering the exact same
see the whole industry picture. But Peak hour congestion jams are full of services as taxis and should
for the first time we have removed single occupant vehicles all heading have the same safety
and banned people from our social in the same direction, and rideshare's requirements.
media channels because we will not original premise was that a group of
tolerate messages that say these people travelling to the city at 8am There is a very good reason that then-
victims are at fault. every day from, say Glenroy, could be premier Jeff Kennett mandated that
matched together to share a car with
I genuinely feel for the rideshare the "driver" being reimbursed by the all Melbourne cabs should be yellow.
operators out there who are doing others for fair costs. All we are asking is that the almost
the right thing and are offering good 110,000 drivers accredited in Victoria
services, who are building a business What actually happened was the invest in their businesses. There is no
in this increasingly difficult industry. "drivers" got to the city and rather cost barrier to entry - you need a car,
We have met with many who share than parking and trotting off to an a driver's licence, $76 for a driver's
our frustrations and who want to do a office job, they went trolling for permit and $55 for your vehicle's
good job. another job, then another, another accreditation, and then you're in
and another. A full day of ridesharing.
But the rideshare model as it stands business - a gig economy dream job.
is severely lacking in proper thinking And that's the day that ridesharing It's a bitter pill for the taxi industry,
around how it delivers a safe service became a taxi service. for those who stumped up hundreds
to the general public, and the ongoing Unfortunately the Victorian regulator of thousands of dollars to start their
release of bandaid fixes isn't enough.
wasn't watching. Fancy apps, glitzy businesses, and now find themselves
Uber and Ola have just released a international marketing, a bottle of in gig culture.
new pin system, which riders must water in the backseat and a promise No consideration was given to the
provide to the booked driver before of peak hour congestion busting had commercial viability for taxi, hire cars
the journey can start. A simpler option them rushing to legalise these "taxi, and rideshare operators. Unsavoury
would be to just brand the vehicle, not taxi" services. pro move forward.
put tamper proof cameras in, require
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