Stakeholder Reference Group Meeting Tuesday 21 April 2015 Action When Item Subject: Comments/Action: by: (Date): 1. Welcome & introductions Welcome and introduction of delegates Mircina Mayas (Victorian Taxi Families), Darryl Marks (Country Taxi Booking Services/Permit holders), Brendan Zwanikken (Melbourne Airport) and Allan Bemrose (Regional Taxi Booking Services).
2. Previous minutes & action Update on action items provided, no changes sought or advised in relation to previous items minutes. It was advised that the Victorian Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Association had again been contacted regarding their non-attendance at SRG meetings and accordingly their membership was withdrawn. 3. Reform update Members were provided with an update on the reform program implementation, including: - taxi meter specifications and upcoming Regulatory Impact Statement process - data warehousing of taxi vehicle/trip information - number of taxi licences taken up since 30 June 2014 - number of active drivers - Knowledge test and pass rates. 4. Compliance Services The TSC Manager Field Compliance provided members with an overview of the current compliance team activities and focus for ongoing operations.
Matters discussed included, unauthorised/unaccredited commercial passenger vehicle providers, those operating outside of their licence conditions, Taxi Quality Ratings and touting.
In the current financial year over 19,000 inspections have been conducted, 70% of which are targeted operations. The teams focus is on driver behaviours, vehicle quality and safety standards and intelligence gathering. All intelligence information should be directed using TSC’s feedback and complaints form at taxi.vic.gov.au
Members were reminded that the Quality Assurance Centre is located at 8 Mareno Drive, Tullamarine.
1 of 4 Action When Item Subject: Comments/Action: by: (Date): 5. Melbourne Airport update Melbourne Airport provided members with an update on: infrastructure developments underway at the airport, taxi modal growth and future proofing the airport to meet increasing demands.
New infrastructure development of terminal four, ground transport hub and Airport Drive extension are all due for completion by the end of 2015.
Taxi pick-ups vary between 6400 on weekdays, increasing to 8000 on peak days. 31st October 2014 was a record for taxi pick-ups (9043). The airport is looking at ways to monitor and communicate demand for taxi services more effectively.
Three sets of taxi related regulations are due to sunset in June 2015, Transport (Taxi- Legislation / regulation 6. Cabs) Regulations 2005, Transport (Passenger Vehicles) Regulations 2005 and Hire Car review Regulation. In the interim these regulations will be consolidated into one.
The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) are reviewing the regulations to simplify these, remove (if no longer serving their purpose) or to reduce red tape.
DEDJTR has proposed a number of changes to the regulations and consulted with industry and SRG members. Feedback was obtained and as a result many of the proposed changes were endorsed or in some instances retained for the time being, (such as taxi livery and taxi driver uniform requirements).
The Minister for Public Transport will be briefed on the changes and if supported the amended regulations will come into effect in June 2015.
Further consultation on the consolidated regulations will take place during 2015-16.
7. General business Members reported that permit holders are challenged by the impact of the 45/55 fare split of the Driver Agreement (DA) on their businesses. The TSC is conducting a review in all zones into the DA and has written to permit holders seeking their feedback.
2 of 4 Action When Item Subject: Comments/Action: by: (Date): Country and regional member reported they were tentative to price notify and increase fares due to customer perceptions and price sensitivities in these areas. A fellow member stated that patronage did initially drop after price notifying, but then subsequently returned. Other matters that were discussed included: taxi insurance and general insurers security screens (costs, usage, storage) public register (industry access via a user interface ie. API) London taxis
Next meeting to be confirmed
3 of 4 Attendees:
Taxi Services Commission Liza McDonald, Director - Industry Reform Implementation (Chair) Greg Kazuro, Manager - Stakeholder Projects Alicia White, Director - Marketing, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Leissa Van Saane - Industry Liaison Officer Steve Brnovic - Managing Senior Lawyer Greg Maloney - Manager Field Compliance Lara Dooley - Industry Reform Implementation Officer
Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Paul Salter - Chief Regulatory Economist
Stakeholder Reference Group Brendan Zwanikken- Melbourne Airport Mircina Mayas - Victorian Taxi Families Group Sam Ozluk - (representing metropolitan hire car industry) Robin Smith - (representing country taxi drivers) Allan Bemrose - (representing regional taxi booking services) Denis Nelthorpe - Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic) Harry Katsiabanis - Metropolitan taxi fleet permit holder Daniel El-Fahkri - Platinum Taxis Ned Moorfield - (goCatch) Brian Gammon - Victoria United Taxi Industry Graeme Byrns - (representing country taxi booking services /permit holders) Darryl Marks - (representing country taxi booking services /permit holders) Bruce Mossig - Victorian Country Limousine Association Georgia Nicholls - Victorian Taxi Association – apology (ATIA) Greg Hardeman - (representing metropolitan taxi booking services) - apology (ATIA) Nirmal Sekhon - (representing urban taxi booking services) - apology (ATIA) Andrew Cron - City of Melbourne - absent Victorian Wheelchair Taxi Association - absent
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