Media release
27 April, 2018

The inundation of booked-hire vehicles on Brisbane and Gold Coast roads is resulting in mounting congestion and other traffic problems across CBD areas and inner city suburbs. Hundreds, and at times possibly thousands, of booked-hire vehicles are cruising around South East Queensland streets while waiting for their next fare, causing a massive strain on the traffic flow system.

The Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) is urging authorities to protect the safety of passengers and other road users by imposing stronger penalties on booked-hire vehicles that make dangerous manoeuvrers and stop to pick-up or set-down their clients illegally.

Booked-hire vehicles are not allowed to use taxi ranks under the Government’s new regulations because the space is too limited. Instead, booked-hired vehicles have access to more than 155 loading zones to pick up and drop off their passengers in the Brisbane CBD, so there is no reason for drivers to stop illegally, hold up traffic, or have passengers entering and exiting their vehicles in unsafe locations.

TCQ CEO, Blair Davies, says the unchecked growth and evidently negative impact of booked-hire vehicles on our roads is a “wake up call” for Government and has called for stronger enforcement by Police and Transport Department officers.

“Legalising booked-hire services has turned over our city streets to be run by people in the gig economy for their own profit at the expense of other road users,” said Mr Davies.

“Congestion is just the tip of the iceberg. Other unwanted consequences include dangerous parking manoeuvres and passengers getting in and out of vehicles in unsafe locations, both of which put passengers’ and other road users’ safety at greater risk.

“Passenger safety should always be put first and authorities need to do more to ensure booked hire drivers obey the law when operating on our roads.”

Booked-hired service, Uber, claims to have more than 11,000 drivers in Brisbane compared to the 3,100 taxis operating across the whole of Queensland. With booked-hire operators such as Ola and Taxify eyeing Brisbane as one of their next markets to enter, concerns of further traffic woes are imminent.

“The situation can surely only get worse as more operators enter the market,” predicts Mr Davies. “Brisbane should follow New York in considering a cap on the number of booked-hire vehicles operating on our roads as a means to mitigate congestion.

“While we welcome competition, more needs to be done by the Government to improve the safety and efficiency of Queensland roads. Everyone in the personalised transport sector should be held to the same standards as the taxi industry when passenger and public safety is at risk. The last thing we want is to see Queensland drivers and commuters lose out in the end as global operators pump more and more cars onto our roads,” concludes Mr Davies.
ENDS

Media release
April 16, 2018

The Road Safety Manual for the Taxi Industry, developed by QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) has just been released and aims to develop a standardised safe driving guide for taxi operators, owners and drivers.

The report is the result of months of work on the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) funded project called Reducing the Crash Involvement of Taxis in Queensland: Situational Analysis and Crash and Exposure Analyses.

The Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) and our members actively participated in the development of the Manual in a bid to help deliver a new, coordinated approach to driver safety and highlight the key hazards and risks affecting the industry.

TCQ CEO, Blair Davies, said the industry’s approach to safety has always been to push to higher standards.

“The safety of our operators, owners, drivers and passengers is of utmost importance and TCQ’s support of this manual reinforces this,” Mr Davies said.

“With some 3,200 taxis operating on Queensland roads 24/7, and moving up to 90 million people per year, improving safety in the taxi industry is a big deal.

“A standardised safety-related framework such as The Road Safety Manual for the Taxi Industry aims to provide the industry with a number of strategies that taxi operators and drivers can adopt to ensure a safer industry as a whole.”

CARRS-Q Senior researcher Amanda Evenhuis said the manual highlights some examples of the key hazards and risks facing the industry and provides some risk management ideas that could be adopted to make the industry safer.

“While our previous research found examples of initiatives to improve road safety within the Queensland taxi industry, an overarching coordinated, strategic approach was lacking,” Ms Evenhuis said.

“The most common factors associated with a higher risk of crashes for taxi drivers are gender (mostly men), age (25-49), driver distraction, vehicle condition, road conditions, organisational culture, high mileage and time pressure.

“Driver distraction or inattention has been found to be a contributing factor of 78 per cent of all crashes and 65 per cent of near crashes by taxi drivers and other drivers. Fatigue is another danger area that can impact on drivers’ mental and physical capacities.”

The Road Safety Manual for the Taxi Industry covers six main sections with a seventh revision process covering:

• Systematic nature of work driving safety
• Legislative obligations
• Core safety elements
• Steps towards improving driving safety of taxis
• Post incident management and investigation
• Continuous improvement
• Reassess management of taxi industry risks

Each section provides a series of actions or questions taxi drivers, owners and operators can consider in a bid to help them understand the potential risks and formulate a management plan relevant to their own operations.

The Road Safety Manual for the Taxi Industry is available to download here.
https://eprints.qut.edu.au/117485/1/__qut.edu.au_documents_StaffHome_StaffGroupe%24_evenhuis_Desktop_Road%20safety%20manual%20for%20the%20taxi%20industry.NAV.pdf
ENDS

Media release
28 March, 2018

With a recent report1 revealing UberX drivers earn less than the national minimal wage, the Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) has warned that booked-hire service drivers are clearly in danger of being exploited and says that more needs to be done to ensure the fair treatment of all drivers.

The study by The Australia Institute Centre for Future Work found that the average UberX wage in Australia equates to just $14.62 per hour, well below the national minimum wage of $18.29 per hour. This estimated figure is the drivers’ take home pay after deducting Uber’s fees, net taxes and vehicle maintenance costs from their hourly earnings.

TCQ CEO, Blair Davies, says these recent figures are “a wake-up call” to Government and has called for tighter protections to ensure booked-hire drivers are not exploited in Australia.

“With more than 50 per cent of booked-hire drivers relying on this work as their main source of income, it is simply not sustainable or ethical for them to continue to live and work under such poor conditions” said Mr Davies.

“There are clearly cases where booked-hire drivers are earning very little and paying for costs out of their own pocket in order to subsidise Uber’s financial losses. If one platform can get away with this type of practice, what’s to say other booked-hire service companies won’t follow suit? How long do we sit back and watch drivers being treated poorly in this way before we have a very serious social issue on our hands?”

The TCQ is concerned that “the driver” is becoming less and less of a concern within the booked-hire service industry, something that has been highlighted by Uber’s introduction of a driverless fleet in the US.

“Uber’s end-game is ultimately to cut drivers completely out of the picture. Its charging along with its driverless car program because it wants to be rid of having to give drivers a fair deal,” said Mr Davies. “It is a case of drivers not being a priority focus for the company and that’s why they are clearly not rushing to fix what is blatant exploitation.

“Taxi drivers typically split the income from the cab 50:50 with taxis operators, they’re the guys who own the taxi and pay for all its running costs. Booked-hire drivers in contrast are essentially funding their trips themselves. Couple this with the fact that booked-hire vehicles still don’t have any real security equipment to keep them, and their passengers safe, it has to be said they are getting a very raw deal!”

Uber deducts a 25 percent service fee from each fare** and introduced a 55 cent booking fee in 2016, where 50 cents is taken by Uber while the remaining five cents is left for the driver to pay the Australian Taxation Office as GST***.

Mr Davies says booked-hire drivers do not realise how much they are losing out and should instead explore alternative avenues.

“The taxi industry just wants to see a personalised transport sector where everyone gets a fair deal, both drivers and passengers. Booked-hire drivers have been complaining for years that that they just want a safe working environment and to have their services properly valued. Unless something is done about this soon, we will see booked-hire drivers emerge as a new underclass of the working poor.,” concluded Mr Davies.

Reference: 1. The Australia Institute Centre for Future Work – Innovation or Exploitation? Simulating Net Hourly Incomes of UberX Drivers. By Jim Stanford 6 March, 2018 https://www.futurework.org.au/innovation_or_exploitation_simulating_net_hourly_incomes_of_uberx_drivers Reference 2: Business Insider Australia – Australian Uber drivers say the company is manipulating their ratings to boost its fees. By Harry Tucker 20 May, 2016
Reference 3: The Daily Telegraph – ‘It’s a slap in the face’: Uber drivers label rise of minimum fee ‘minuscule’. By Edward Boyd 29 May, 2017 2:04PM
ENDS

Media release
March 20, 2018

The latest report of a female passenger allegedly suffering a sexual assault by an Uber driver has brought
the Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) out swinging, demanding the Queensland Government act
immediately and do more to ensure the safety of passengers.

Police are currently investigating reports of a serious sexual assault that occurred in the early hours of
March 18, involving a young woman travelling from Fortitude Valley to Clayfield in an Uber.

CEO of the TCQ, Blair Davies says “enough is enough” and is urging the State Government to “act
urgently and boldly” to address the issue of safety in booked hire vehicles.

“We have been calling out the need for mandatory safety equipment in booked hire vehicles for some
time now,” says Mr Davies, “and yet nothing seems to sway the Government into seeing the urgency of
this matter. How many more incidents to we have to have before this issue is taken seriously?

“This is not the first time an incident of this kind has occurred. There have now been six separate serious
incidents in Queensland. The situation is clearly snowballing and we need bold, immediate action now
before any further passengers suffer from the lack of security in booked hire vehicles.”

The TCQ has highlighted the need for booked hire vehicles, such as Uber, to have mandatory security
equipment because it considers the current criminal history checks do not provide sufficient enough
protection for passengers.

“Criminal background checks work if the person has a record, but it does not protect passengers from
those that don’t,” warns Mr Davies. “This is where taxis with security cameras have come into their own
and why we see this as an important safety change the Government could make for passengers travelling
in booked hire vehicles.”

It was a Labor Government that, through consultation with The Taxi Council of Queensland, made it
mandatory for all taxis in this state to have security cameras as long ago as in 2005. Mr Davies says
“there are lessons to be learnt from this”.

“We know security cameras have improved passenger safety in taxis, so clearly this tactic would work for
booked hire vehicles too.There is no price you can put on passenger safety and the longer the current
Labor Government waits to take action on this the more incidents I fear we will see like the one reported
just yesterday.
​
“People should be able to catch a taxi or a booked hire vehicle in Brisbane and feel that they are safe,”
added Mr Davies. “The TCQ will not stay silent on this issue until it is resolved. Now is the time to act,
before it is too late.”
ENDS

Media Release
March 16, 2018

The Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) is concerned that while Uber is pricing its services to win over consumers, an analysis of the booked-hire company’s financial position shows it is yet to turn a profit and if it continues to grow its market share, consumers will be the losers in the end.

TCQ CEO, Blair Davies, said Uber leads consumers to believe their low pricing means they are more efficient, however their losses prove that is not the case.

“Uber works extremely hard to downplay its continuous stream of losses, but according to a recent report1 has actually burnt through a staggering USD $10.7 billion in just nine years,” Mr Davies said.

“Uber appears to be trying to price its taxi competitors out of business, eliminating the competition and monopolising their market share. If they get monopoly control, it’ll then become time to pay the piper. We fear consumers face losing out in the end when Uber no longer needs to offer their unsustainably low fares.

“After years in the red, Uber will inevitably want to recoup their mountain of losses by increasing fares, with consumers ending up the ultimate losers in this scenario. Consumers can expect their experiences with surge pricing to move from being an exception to where they become the new norm.”

Mr Davies said even though Uber isn’t playing by the rules, the taxi industry is committed to providing robust competition for consumers to ensure this doesn’t happen.

“Typically if a competitor is providing a cheaper service, it’s because they are a more efficient business,” he said. “In the case of Uber, their financial losses prove this isn’t true, they just have a huge bucket of investor money to subsidise unprofitable pricing.

“We’re surprised that the ACCC seems to be happy to sit back and not take a more active role in this space. It seems that they are relying on Uber’s global competitors, like Didi, Ola and Taxify to bring a competitive balance to the Australian market. However, that just seems naïve when you look under the hood and find the level of cross ownerships and common investors of these companies,” Mr Davies said.

It is commonly reported that Japanese investment fund, SoftBank Group Corp, has sizeable stakes in all of the global ride-sourcing companies and is using that influence to discourage head-to-head competition between Uber and its other companies. Uber’s withdrawal from the China market in return for a stake in Didi is being mooted as a strategy that SoftBank is pushing Uber to repeat in India with Ola and in South East Asia with Grab2.

“The taxi industry just wants the opportunity to compete for customers where everyone plays by the rules. If the ACCC and State Government don’t step up their game to keep the market fair, it’ll be Queensland consumers who inevitably wear the consequences,” concluded Mr Davies.

Reference: 1. Bloomberg Technology – Uber Spent $10.7 Billion in Nine Years. Does It Have Enough to Show for It? Uber is a financial oddity. Can it mutate into a sustainable business? By Ian King and Eric Newcomer March 6, 2018, 9:00 PM GMT+10

Reference: 2. SoftBank’s Got a Ticket to Ride – Uber’s Stranded. This wasn’t going to end well after the key shareholder shuffled market dominance. by Andy Mukherjee 8 March 2018, 4:57 pm AEST
https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2018-03-08/softbank-grabs-a-ticket-to-ride-and-uber-s-stranded
ENDS

Media Release
February 7, 2017​

Taxi industry can influence election because Queenslanders believe in a fair go

The chief executive officer of Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) believes that Queenslanders will support the taxi industry and punish politicians that have let down honest small business operators.

In an address to members gathered at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre last week, Mr Wash outlined the organisation’s political strategy in the lead up to the state election, declaring, “now is the time for the taxi industry to step forward and lead in what may well be characterised as the fight of our lives”.

“Arguably, in the nearly 70 years that TCQ has worked on behalf of members, never has there been an issue of such magnitude and consequence if allowed to continue unchecked and unchallenged,” he said.

Mr Wash said that the industry made a difference in the last federal election in the seat of Longman, where assistant minister Wyatt Roy was defeated.

“Mr Roy attributed his loss on election night to the campaigning by our industry, yet all we did was bring attention to his lack of support for small business.

“Don’t underestimate our influence,” he warned.

He said the industry’s fight was never against competition. “Queenslanders quite rightly want competition and we’ve said from the outset that we welcome competition.

“But Queenslanders also believe in a fair go, and the thought of honest, ordinary people who did the right thing, being thrown on the scrapheap so that a large foreign company that ignored and broke the law could make more profits, is abhorrent to fair-minded people.”

“It appears that elected representatives have forgotten that they are elected not to pursue their own personal agendas, or that of their party, but to represent their community.
​
“This election is the Queensland taxi industry’s opportunity to stand together and make our voices clearly heard that enough is enough!”
ENDS

Media Release
25 January 2018
​

Queensland taxi companies are gearing up for a busy Australia Day long weekend. While most people are enjoying a well-earned day off, the public holiday will see thousands of cabbies out on the road making sure their fellow Queenslanders get to and from family festivities, parties with friends, and even the odd protest rally safely and affordably.

The State Government is encouraging Queenslander’s to have a ‘Plan B’ in place as they celebrate our national day under its Join the Drive campaign to keep roads safe.

Taxi Council of Queensland CEO, Blair Davies, said the smartest plan for Australia Day is to leave the car at home and just grab a cab.

“We’ll have over 3,000 cabs at the ready to transport passengers all weekend, whether it’s to a backyard bar-b-que, celebrations in a park, or a night on the town,” he said.

“Queensland cabbies are professionals and collectively they are on the road all day, every day, serving their communities. Customers can trust their cabbie to have the skills and experience necessary to navigate through holiday traffic and road closures to pick them up and then get them to their destinations.

“Our aim this long weekend is to ensure every passenger experiences a reliable, affordable and hassle-free service.”

While ride-booking companies will be looking to implement money gouging methods such as surge pricing whenever demand picks up, Queenslanders can have confidence that taxi fares won’t be subject to spikes and exploitation.

“Our locally owned and operated taxi companies do not implement surge pricing because as Australians we don’t like rip offs either; we believe in a fair go for all,” Mr Davies said.

“This weekend we’re encouraging everyone to stay safe by grabbing a cab. In doing so you will be helping Australian businesses that own and operate your local taxi services to stay on the road and serve your community. This Australia day, it just makes sense, let’s make Australian businesses our first choice.”
ENDS

Media Release
24 January 2018

ROCKY CABS LEGEND JAN BUTTERWORTH RECEIVES TCQ AWARD

Rockhampton Yellow Cabs owner Jan Butterworth believes everyone should be able to get around Rockhampton with ease, regardless of whether they have a disability.

The industry veteran of 37-years was recently awarded the Significant Achievement Award in the Taxi Council of Queensland Industry Awards for her integral role in implementing the first wheelchair accessible vehicles in the fleet.

Approaching her work with dedication and drive, Jan has always been passionate about providing the best possible service for her community and says going above and beyond for customers is exactly how a job should be done.

“That’s just how things work in regional areas – we see the same customers often weekly or even daily so you really build a rapport with them on a personal level,” Ms Butterworth said.

“It deeply saddens me knowing that before we offered our disability services, many Rockhampton residents were unable to travel far from their homes while recovering from illness or injury.

“It’s so important that we foster a community that promotes accessibility and creates equal opportunities for all.”

As the first in Queensland to implement the swivel seat, Rockhampton Yellow Cabs had never serviced a person in a wheelchair, but progressively they have seen hundreds of customers take to the service.

During her time as the cab company’s manager, Jan also introduced driver training in Rockhampton prior to it becoming mandatory in Queensland, and educated non-English speaking drivers on how to communicate with customers in English to ensure Rocky Cabs’ service offering was nothing short of exceptional.

Taxi Council of Queensland CEO, Blair Davies, commended Jan for her much deserved win, thanking her for her above-and-beyond contribution to the taxi service industry.

“It’s fantastic to see a person of such influence recognised for their consistent efforts at our industry awards,” Mr Davies said.

“Jan is a true leader and should be incredibly proud of her involvement in this field that has aided hundreds of new customers access the Yellow Cabs service in Rockhampton.

“It’s examples of fantastic customer service like this that will carry the Queensland Taxi Industry into the future as leaders in transport service,” he said.
ENDS

MEDIA RELEASE
19 January 2018​

Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) has expressed concern following the recent revelation that ridesharing drivers are increasingly declining passengers who possess lower ratings in their system, or who they simply don’t like the look of.

It has been suggested that ethnicity may be linked to low ratings with one particular ridesharing company, resulting in these minority groups rarely being able to secure a driver. Although this is against the company’s policies, it is extremely difficult to prove.

Even passengers who make advanced appointments have no higher chance of securing a ride with ridesharing companies if the drivers in the area at the time decide they don’t want to pick them up based on their rating. Taxi Council Queensland CEO Blair Davies said it is extremely worrying that drivers of these companies are given the power to refuse customers based on their race or on past mistakes which have affected their rating.

“The taxi industry is committed to offering a reliable service for all, regardless of who you are. We do not discriminate based on looks, or because you were having a bad day the last time you used the service,” he said.

“If you book a taxi in advance to arrive at a particular time, we will do everything in our power to pick you up on time so you can arrive at your destination.
​
“Of course, if a passenger is a risk to our drivers’ safety they are at liberty to refuse their service, however they are specifically trained handle these types of situations effectively.
“Essentially, taxis are dedicated to giving everyone a fair go.”
ENDS

Media Release
​19 January 2018

From this week onward, it is an offence for drivers from ridesharing companies to operate without a booked hire service license as enforced by the Department of Transport and Main Roads. This call for change followed concerns expressed by Queenslander’s on the safety of sharing rides with drivers who were not issued with a governmental authorised taxi license.

The continuous tug-of-war over state guidelines and regulations have significantly impacted ridesharing businesses, causing ever-increasing price hikes and surging which has a direct impact on consumers.

Last December, Uber announced an increase to their fares and an additional ‘waiting fee’ for Queensland customers, with the aim of putting more money in the pockets of their drivers.

In contrast, taxi companies such as Yellow Cabs and Black and White Cabs have and will continue to provide consistency and stability in fare pricing so customers always know approximately how much it will cost to get to their destination.

Taxi Council Queensland CEO Blair Davies said the reliability and convenience of taxis outstand the service of any other operator.

“Taxis have been serving Queenslanders for many years. We are trusted and depended on to get our customers to their destination safely and affordably,” said Davies.

“There are no price hikes or surges when choosing to travel with our cabs, as we are committed to ensuring our valued customers enjoy a seamless and hassle-free journey without any nasty surprises.”

Online fare estimators and options such as pre-paid and fixed fares are available to taxi customers, allowing them to budget their money and plan ahead of time.
ENDS