Taxi drivers facing lengthy bans as govt reveals crackdown
The State Government has started a crackdown on taxi drivers who overcharge or refuse to provide a service after it issued 1350 penalty infringement notices to drivers since November.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads said it would begin suspending drivers who were repeat offenders. Suspensions could range from a month to indefinite.
The department said there 750 infringements in a three-month period between November 2022 and January 2023 and a further 600 up until June, this year. Drivers have a right of appeal over suspensions.
The department said there had been issued for overcharging, refusing service, stopping in non-designated areas and failing to display correct authorisations.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey said his message to drivers who continued to break the law was to āclean up your act, stop ripping off hard-working people and leaving people with a disability on the side of the roadā.
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He said drivers would be putting their income at risk.
āIn December 2022, we saw nearly 28 per cent of intercepts by TMR staff ending with a penalty infringement notice. That fell to 6.3 per centin May this year. This is a clear message that rogue drivers are getting the message,ā he said.
āSo, take this as a final warning. Overcharging is an unacceptable offence ad for those drivers caught it could cost them significant time of the road.
āThese driver authorisations are a privilege, not a right. We want the industry to remember that.ā
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