Media Release

11/4/2015

​Book a cab for Melbourne Cup – best bet of the day

Queensland’s taxis will be on the road from early tomorrow morning taking patrons to Melbourne Cup day events as the industry embraces one of its busiest days of the year.

Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) has urged revellers to book ahead for a cab, and if using a smartphone app, to make sure it is attached to one of the recognised booking companies.

TCQ chief operating officer Wayne Crooks also warned that illegal taxis will be attempting to flout laws and generate business.

“Illegal taxis take advantage of alcohol-effected people by not only providing an unregulated and unsafe service, but charging up to ten times the normal fare in what they call surge pricing,” he explained.

“Taxis are the safest form of door to door transport, so make sure there is a clear taxi brand on the car.”

The following can be attributed to Benjamin Wash, chief executive officer of Taxi Council Queensland.

Taxi Council Queensland has never called for uber to be banned. We have simply called for a level playing field that ensures anyone operating a taxi service plays by the same rules and abides by the law. If legislation needs to be changed so be it, however in the meantime Taxi Council Queensland expects existing regulations to be enforced and the Queensland Government to uphold the law and ensure that illegal taxi services – which currently includes uber – do not operate.

It should also be noted that it is premature to say that uber will be made legal in Tasmania, or indeed the ACT. Both governments have made it clear that any new laws will also aim to protect consumers by imposing key standards and safeguards applicable to traditional industries. The Tasmanian Premier has

​Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) says that the Government and police should be ashamed that illegal taxi operator uber has made criminality and illegality cool.

TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said that uber has mastered the art of lies and deception, with sections of the media and some MPs falling for it “hook, line and sinker”.

He dismissed claims that the company has done 2.5 million trips in south east Queensland as “unfounded and laughable, designed to cloak their illegal operations”.

“That police and the Government openly allow a company to break the law and ignore orders to stop, just because this company has a lot of money, is reprehensible and a blight on law and order in Queensland.

“Since when can you buy your way to break the law with money and popular publicity campaigns? It is shameful that this is being allowed.”

Mr Wash said if uber were

9/24/2015

The peak body representing the Queensland taxi industry is warning of the dangers of illegal services that do not regulate drivers to have a zero alcohol reading.

Under state transport laws, Queensland taxi drivers must always show a alcohol zero limit, and risk suspension and other penalties if found to have breached the strict regulations.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash says disregarding a zero alcohol limit poses serious safety concerns for customers who expect their drivers to be 100 per cent focused behind the wheel.

“Taxi drivers can not drink, full stop. A driver of an illegal taxi service can have a couple of drinks before getting on the road and picking up a passenger.”

He said it was impossible for illegal taxi services like uber to enforce their own blood alcohol limits because their drivers were not breaking the law by drinking and driving.

“Coupled with them having to use smartphones

Media Release
9/15/2015

Queensland’s Taxi Council has strongly endorsed a private members bill proposed yesterday by the Katter Australian Party that calls for greater penalties for illegal taxi services, saying it was time that the Government became serious about the law.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said uber has been defying the law for too long and laughing in the faces of regulators and governments.

“In every other part of society the law is upheld and offenders are prosecuted, yet because this big foreign monopoly has money to pay fines and doesn’t care about Queensland’s transport safety regulations it appears everyone is scared to act.”

Mr Wash said he couldn’t open a restaurant without abiding by food safety regulations nor could he open a medical practice without the necessary qualifications and licensing, so “how can we stand by and allow illegal taxis to operate without any safety regulations that protect

10/8/2015

Queensland’s peak taxi body says a review of personalised transport services in Queensland will provide the industry with the opportunity to put forward their views in a logical and rational manner, however has called on the State Government to continue to enforce existing legislation against illegal taxis while the review is in process.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said the industry has “never worried about competition”, declaring that the Queensland taxi industry is the best in the world.

However he believes the review should not be rushed. “The terms of reference of this review are extremely broad and it is therefore in the interests of Queensland that we get this right.”

“The recent Fels Inquiry in Victoria took two years and we believe this review should take at least that. It is important that the independent taskforce learn all of the facts and receive all of