Taxi industry lacks independent regulation

The NSW taxi industry is largely a self-regulated body with no clearly delineated, independent process to handle complaints against drivers, Transport for NSW has confirmed.

A complicated system is in place whereby complaints about taxi operators to State Government authorities are referred back to the taxi operators themselves, with Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) only investigating offences deemed to be of the most serious nature.

The flawed complaint process has come to light by way of complaints made about the operator of a Lime Taxis maxi-cab on the morning of Sunday, March 3 after the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade and Party.

The operator of the maxi-cab allegedly advised passengers he would only carry them on their short journey from Moore Park to Darlinghurst if they agreed to pay $10 each.

When the driver’s request was refused, he offered the $10 deal to others. Five people left the cab and refused the offer, which disregarded the requirement for taxi trips to be metered and the right of taxi passengers to decide on additional passengers, if any.

A complaint about the experience – made to Transport for NSW via an online feedback on the NSW Government website – resulted in a response from Taxis Combined.

“Thank you for offering feedback … the taxi company will be in contact within 14 days, however if you
are not contacted you can call the Department of Transport,” replied a Taxis Combined employee in response to the feedback form.

When Taxis Combined was questioned on how a complaint made to a government authority precipitated a reply from the taxi company itself, the same individual who dealt with the complaint from Lime Taxis replied. But this time they replied as a Taxis Combined staffer: “The investigation is currently underway and we will be interviewing the
driver … regarding the alleged complaint.”

A Transport for NSW spokesperson subsequently confirmed that the State Government refers complaints made about taxis back to the taxi operators themselves, in all but the most extreme of circumstances.

“Complaints are forwarded to the relevant taxi-cab network for investigation with the more serious complaints such as inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature, assault, guide dog refusal, Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) fraud, driver(s) under the influence of alcohol or drugs, improper use of an authority card and operating or driving without authority are referred to RMS for investigation,” said the spokesperson.

The Mardi Gras complaint has now been referred to the RMS for investigation, but only at the passenger’s insistence and under the threat of media coverage.

The RMS has now taken a statement from the passenger and is investigating the matter.