Victorian government announces suite of changes to stamp out dodgy taxi drivers

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A two-strike policy for taxi and rideshare drivers is one of the reforms the state government is flagging to clamp down on dodgy behaviour in the industry. The government says the changes will make for safer journeys. But the taxi driver’s union has criticised the move as an empty promise.

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00:00Cracking down on rank behaviour. The state government is hailing new changes to the taxi

00:08and rideshare industry to increase passenger safety.

00:11There are some in the industry who clearly aren't meeting the standards that we rightly

00:16expect and that all Victorians rightly expect.

00:19The changes include mandatory QR codes in taxis and rideshare vehicles to help passengers

00:25understand their rights and make a complaint, allowing existing cameras to record audio

00:30in addition to vision and a two-strike policy for drivers who receive multiple complaints

00:35against them, with the government issuing a stern warning to rule breakers.

00:39There will be the ability to cancel their accreditation.

00:42The regulator may also review a driver's accreditation if they notice a pattern of complaints that

00:47fall below the two-strike threshold.

00:49You could have some benefits, especially in keeping riders more safe, in keeping, especially

00:55as a woman.

00:56I think it's a win for commuters.

00:59But the state's Taxi Drivers Union says it has concerns for how the changes would be enforced.

01:05It's a whole pile of lip service from the Victorian government.

01:08With 1% of trips ending in a complaint, the state government hopes these reforms target

01:13the small number of drivers doing the wrong thing.

01:16These changes do not go anywhere near far enough.

01:19They are an announcement on a piece of paper.

01:21They are a QR code inside a taxicab.

01:24It follows previous government changes in 2023, tightening regulations for maximum fares and

01:30ensuring drivers properly use their metres.

01:32They are a

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