Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Media Release Re: Dodgy Taxi Inspection

NSW TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION
Incorporating Bailee Drivers, Owner Drivers & Lessee Drivers
Inc 9882558 ABN 98 653 928 763
www.hermes.net.au/toursbm1/NSWTDA.htm
P.O. Box 322 Alexandria NSW 2015
'A Fair Share of a Fair Fare'
President: Geoff Coates Mob: 0431 585 944 Phone: 02 9526 1629
Secretary: Ted Hirsch Mob: 0432 665 822 Phone: 02 9810 1136



Media Release Re: Dodgy Taxi Inspection

Channel 9 reports that Police are stopping/booking taxi drivers for not picking up passengers.

The relevant Regulations are that taxis need not pick up passengers at night between the changeover times from 1.30 to 4.30AM. For safety reasons taxis also need not pick up passengers who are intoxicated or problematic.

On behalf of taxi drivers the NSW Taxi Drivers Association asks the Minister for Transport and the Commissioner for Police under whose authority Police are stopping taxi drivers? And the NSW TDA asks under what Regulations are Police stopping taxi drivers?

During Christmas the problems of people getting home at night are severe because buses and trains stop running long before people want to go home. Only buses and trains can move the large crowds of partygoers during December. Only buses and trains operating until 4AM can get the majority of people home. Taxis can never handle such large crowds of people.

Taxi drivers will take all the passengers they can to earn an extra quid. Police stopping them from their work are only making the December situation worse. A simple electronic destination sign could avoid frustrations! So let’s look for solutions rather than passing bucks.

Police needlessly stopping taxi drivers for not picking up people may be distracting the public from the real problems of the lack of late night buses and trains for the public at Christmas. Are these Police actions deliberately distractions from the real problems of lack of December late night public transport by the Iemma Government?


Faruque Ahmed
Media Manager
Mobile: 041 091 4118, Email:
union_faruque@yahoo.com.au

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