Articles: Taxi fares increases

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Taxi fares to rise as fuel cost bites

Taxi fares to rise as fuel cost bites
Marissa Calligeros | June 22, 2008 - 6:27AM

THE surging cost of fuel is likely to trigger a rise in Queensland taxi fares from July 1.

The Queensland Taxi Council confirmed yesterday that a State Government review could result in a 3per cent rise in fares.

"Every day that a decision is not made on this issue is costing cabbies dearly," council spokesman Blair Davies said. "Average [LPG gas] costs have risen 32 percent in the past six months, leaving little profit margin for cab drivers."

At Brisbane southside service stations yesterday, LPG prices hit 69.9cents a litre. "Cabbies are sorely missing the days when it was 40 cents at the pump," Mr Davies said.

Yellow Cabs general manager Bill Parker said there was no alternative but to pass higher operating costs on to passengers.

"This is the toughest cab drivers have been hit," Mr Parker said.

"Commercial vehicles have to pass on their costs like any commercial business in times like these."

However, veteran Brisbane taxi driver Robert Lemon said the fuel burden should not be passed on to passengers.

He was concerned higher fares would mean fewer passengers, "because they're already struggling with rising [living] costs". Mr Lemon agreed rising fuel costs were indeed "biting hard". "Of the $250 I made yesterday - after I gave up 10percent for fuel and half to my boss - I pocketed $100," he said. "I'm making less than $8 per hour on most days."

Fares will rise in NSW on July 1 after a week of record petrol prices of almost $1.72 a litre in Sydney.

An average seven-kilometre taxi ride in urban NSW will rise 95 cents. An average three-kilometre ride in regional areas will cost 69 cents more. The flagfall in metropolitan areas will rise from $3 to $3.10 and the distance rate will increase from $1.79 to $1.85 a kilometre.

with AAP

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Fee increase to finance driver facilities at airport

Fee increase to finance driver facilities at airport
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Peter Morley

June 30, 2008 12:00am

THERE will another dollar added to taxi fares from the Brisbane Airport from today so its owner can spend $5.4 million on driver facilities.
A prayer room will be included and the non-denominational facility will be incorporated along with a cafe, service station and amenities in a central cab holding facility beside the airport's northern access road, which is under construction.

Taxi Council chief executive Blair Davies said his organisation had suggested the prayer room.

"We have a lot of drivers who are of Muslim persuasion and part of their religion is the need to pray at regular intervals," he said.

"The prayer room will be among new facilities for Brisbane's 7000 drivers, making their life easier and hopefully, improving the service to passengers."

However to cover the cost of the holding centre and enhance existing cab rank operations at the domestic and international terminals, Brisbane Airport Corporation has increased the taxi access fee by 50 per cent to $3.

The coach fee goes up from $8 to $10.50.

Corporation spokesman Gert-Jan de Graaff said the upgrade was needed to ensure the ground transport system worked efficiently as the airport handled nearly 18 million passengers a year.

"Taxi and ground transport operators are a very important part of the airport's transport mix," he said.

"For this reason, we want to ensure taxi drivers have access to the best possible facilities so they can then provide airport passengers with the highest level of customer service."

Mr Davies said the $2 taxi access fee had been in place since 2003 and an increase was long overdue.

"We think that with the airport corporation putting up other fees including parking our industry will be able to absorb an increase of $1 and remain competitive," he said.

Last month, BAC raised parking fees, with 20 minutes at the domestic and international terminals costing $2, 30 minutes $6 and an hour $10.

Long-term covered parking is available at the daily rate of $25, with a week stay costing $105.

BAC says that its rates remain less than those in Sydney and Melbourne airports and are lower than those in Brisbane's central business district.

In the previous year, BAC has invested more than $75 million in undercover car parks and will spend a further $130 million during the next two years.

In the 2006-2007 financial year, the corporation made $39 million from car parking fees and $66 million from landing aircraft.

In the longer term the BAC is not looking the sure bet it once was?

The continuing high costs are already impacting as airlines start cutbacks.  People are tired of the price ripoffs associated with airports.  Good to see rail passenger services starting to respond eg. discounted fares on the Bundaberg tilt