Article: Hotline for cab complaints ordered by Minister Rachel Nolan

[ozbob]

Taxis are an important part of the overall public transport network.

From the Courier Mail click here!

Hotline for cab complaints ordered by Minister Rachel Nolan
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Michael Crutcher and Tuck Thompson

May 07, 2009 12:00am

TRANSPORT Minister Rachel Nolan has ordered a hotline for complaints about cab companies as the State Government reacts to the changing taxi industry.

Ms Nolan said she was concerned by "allegations that service standards are not high" and a hotline would be set up for anyone not satisfied with how a cab company had dealt with their complaint.

The hotline, which will act in a fashion similar to an industry ombudsman, follows The Courier-Mail's recent stories about the taxi industry, including claims of an influx of foreign students with poor driving skills and limited English.

The newspaper was contacted by hundreds of readers with "horror" stories about cab rides, particularly passengers in the greater Brisbane area.

Readers told of fares being illegally inflated, drivers with a poor understanding of English and drivers with poor skills.

The stories included:

? Passengers being charged $90 for a journey from Turbot St to the Brisbane airport. The journey should cost $35 to $40.

? A driver taking off with backpackers' luggage after they sought a receipt on a $70 fare to the City from the airport.

? A driver charging a toll to cross the Victoria Bridge.

? A Business Class driver speeding the wrong way down a dropoff ramp at the international terminal with a passenger inside.

Ms Nolan said she was aware of some passenger discontent, and the hotline would enable Queensland Transport to learn more about the industry.

"I am advised that, to some extent, the recent issues with inexperienced drivers have come about because of the very buoyant labour market ? a factor which has led to higher employment of overseas trained workers," Ms Nolan said.

"I will take action to ensure that safety and service are maintained."

The Australian Transport Council was already looking at uniform minimum national training standards which she believed were "a step in the right direction", she said.

Yellow Cabs general manager Bill Parker said his company introduced a "zero tolerance" approach last November which had led to the sacking of more than 30 drivers.

Those sackings had weeded out some bad drivers and enabled Yellow Cabs to continue to provide the "best possible service" to its customers.

Black and White Cabs general manager John Tighe said complaints against drivers had not increased despite "negative press reports".

"There will always be those within the taxi industry who want to talk the industry down," he said. "Some elements in the taxi industry are their own worst enemy.

"We find it refreshing that the Indian community in particular sees the taxi industry as a good career path, and those drivers discuss the opportunities within their communities in a positive light."

Queensland Transport figures released yesterday showed that 130 of Queensland's 14,000 taxi driver permit holders had had their credentials cancelled since the start of 2008. A further 853 had their permits suspended for a range of reasons, including the loss of points on their driver's licence.

A spokesman for Queensland Transport said a phone number for the hotline would be advertised within the next week.

And

Overseas cab driver licence loophole exposed

Veteran cabbie glad to quit after 43 years at the wheel

Taxi driving a job not many could cop

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
07/05/2009

Transport Minister sets up Taxi Hotline

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan has directed her department to set up a customer complaints hotline where Queenslanders can raise specific concerns they have in relation to taxi industry service standards.

Minister Nolan said the new hotline would serve two clear purposes.

"First, it will give taxi passengers a guarantee that their complaint will be dealt with," Ms Nolan said.

"At present the complaints are directed to and dealt with by the taxi companies themselves. With this hotline, the taxi company will still have the first opportunity to respond, however, Queensland Transport will act as an informal ombudsman if customers still have concerns.

"Second, it will provide government with greater clarity on what's going on so we can act on training and service standards if needs be.

"This hotline will give the Queensland public the opportunity to tell us their concerns in relation to the taxi industry," Ms Nolan said.

Ms Nolan said that the Queensland Government had taken a very strong role in ensuring a safe taxi fleet for Queenslanders.

"Everyone working as a taxi driver here in Queensland must have a legal Australian driver licence. If they have an overseas licence from a country such as India, they are required to pass both a written and practical test to get an Australian licence.

"In addition there are daily criminal history checks of drivers and the government has installed security cameras in every Queensland cab.

Ms Nolan said that the current issues raised in the media related to the quality of service provided by some cab drivers. She said that service had generally been the responsibility of taxi companies and owners but that she was willing to act if needs be.

"I have met with the Taxi Council of Queensland on this matter and have sought their views. It may well be that government needs to set higher training standards including requiring a tougher course before a Driver Authority is approved and requiring refresher training.

Ms Nolan said that most taxi drivers worked incredibly hard and provided a tremendous community service.

"There is no doubt that in recent years of low unemployment there has been an influx in less experienced drivers from overseas. The up side of that - as the industry itself has recognised today - is that they have filled gaps which may well have led to driver shortages and longer waits for cabs.

"Frankly, I think it's great that the taxi industry provides opportunities for all people - whether they're Australian born or not - to work hard, provide a community service, not get bogged down in red tape and get a start in life.

"I am looking for genuine community feedback and I am willing to make changes on training standards as required.

"However, this all needs to be kept in perspective and I am determined this doesn't become a racial issue when it's really an issue about service standards."

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[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Taxi hotline for passenger complaints

Taxi hotline for passenger complaints
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Tuck Thompson and Michael Crutcher

May 11, 2009 12:00am

QUEENSLANDERS can vent frustrations about the taxi industry on a State Government hotline initiated after public outcry.
But Transport Minister Rachel Nolan has not guaranteed that the information received on the phone service will be released as the taxi industry comes under the spotlight after widespread complaints.

Ms Nolan initiated the hotline - 1800 183 673 - after The Courier-Mail published a series of reports on an industry that some drivers said was "heading towards a crisis".

Online, couriermail.com.au has published more than 300 responses from people concerned about taxi drivers' standards and that cab companies were not properly handling complaints.

One female passenger complained about being stalked by a driver who used credit card details to find her home phone number.

Another passenger reported falling asleep and waking to find his driver had driven into a ditch and was asking for help to recover the car.

Ms Nolan has said comments to the hotline would be used only to advise her department.

As of yesterday, it was still unclear whether the Government would accept anonymous calls to the hotline, but a spokesman for Ms Nolan pledged all caller information would be kept confidential.

"The Taxi Hotline will provide people who have raised issues with a taxi company that remain unresolved or who have serious concerns about industry standards with a way of letting the Government know of their concerns," the Transport Department website said.

The Courier-Mail has exposed that foreign students are able to use fake documentation to obtain open Queensland driver's licences.

Veteran cabbies say earnings and driving standards have dived over the past year as accidents caused by poorly trained foreign drivers have soared.

Ms Nolan said allegations of students using fake credentials to get licences were a police matter. "That's fraud and we've already got laws against that," she said, declining to answer whether there had been any prosecutions.

[SteelPan]

Attn Minister

* 75% drive like the world ends at 5pm today (if so, I wasn't told!)
* 90% don't seem to understand what the word "STOP" means (as in Stop Sign)!
* 80% are lost and have not a clue even where major roads are!
* 80% use English as their 17th language, cause it sure as Hell ain't their 1st or 2nd!

I hope this helps.