Taxis & Ridesharing - articles, discussion ...

[ozbob]

^ far more likely to see autonomous trains and buses long long before there are any significant numbers of self driving cars, even in the backwater that Brisbane is.

The problems with self-driving cars are very considerable and are not really being fully explained.

[James]

The issue with Uber right now is that it is (arguably) running its service at well below cost-price. There have been articles done saying that after accounting for vehicle depreciation and maintenance costs, that the amount a driver makes without surge pricing is well below minimum wage. And that is before you even look at the company, which is making losses in the order of billions, and only being propped up on the basis that one day, it will turn a profit - after it has squeezed everybody out of business.

Yes, there's the whole "supply/demand etc.", but humans are not rational consumers. People will not set aside part of their Uber fares as costs to cover wear and tear on their vehicle, to their detriment. Also, one thing I've noticed, a lot of taxi drivers are now driving for Uber - and bringing a p%ss ordinary service with it.

The big gamechanger will be when these ridesharing apps go driverless....eliminating driver costs overnight. We will potentially see  ford,tesla and google and whoever else competing for market share......driving ridesharing prices to ridiculous lows....the lower ridesharing prices go the more attractive it becomes and less attractive to use bus/rail.

The day driverless cars come on board is the day transit is revolutionised. It is at least a decade away though. Too many variables associated with driverless cars sharing the road. For example, unpredictable humans who merge into you, people who stay in the one lane, mysteriously decide to brake because Kim Kardashian came on the radio etc.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Meet some victims of Uber revolution

I CAUGHT an Uber on the Coast recently.

The car was clean and arrived promptly. The driver was friendly and up for a chat.

Driving for Uber wasn't his fulltime job, it was something he did on weekends, usually at night, to bring in extra money.

Better than sitting at home watching television, he said.

He took advantage of the busy peak times — and the fare loadings charged by Uber.

Happy days.

But not everyone is thrilled by this brave new "sharing economy".

Limousine licence owners are devastated and outraged that their investments have been wiped out by a state government decision to legalise ridesharing and subsequently deregulate the limousine industry.

Limousine driver protest outside of the Queensland Parliment over the new Uber laws which render their $150,000 government-issued licences worthless.

For decades, Gold Coasters have been investing in limousine licences. Licences sold to them by the government and regulated heavily.

Owning a limo licence meant annual fees, car checks and adhering to strict state government rules pertaining to the age and value of the car, how many consecutive hours a driver worked and even how the drivers dressed ... all to ensure a high level of service and safety was maintained.

Ted Buchanan, of Eagle Heights, owns five licences and has had some of them for 27 years.

The licence prices fluctuate — from $50,000 to $130,000.

Each licence was paying the Buchanans a return of $600 a month plus GST.

The rise of Uber impacted the industry but it was the legalisation of Uber in September that sounded the death knell.

Limo drivers called the licence owners asking for lease reductions.

The $600 dropped to $400 and now it's down to $100. Some drivers have handed the licences back, opting to join the sharing economy and drive without a licence.

"The state government has killed the investment," Ted Buchanan told me this week.

"Two years ago the state government was selling these licences by ballot for $60,000. Now they're worth nothing."

Ted Buchanan is 58 years old and predicted his five licences would provide he and his wife with a modest income on which to retire.

Now he simply hopes to recoup his $250,000 investment.

"The state government sold the licences in good times and now in bad times they should be buying them back," he said. "I don't want to become a millionaire, I just want my money back."

Jacqui Fiebig is a single mum who invested $72,500 in a limo licence.

She still owes the bank $60,000 and was receiving $700 a month in lease payments from a driver.

She says investors are stuck in no-man's land. One retiree has lost his monthly income stream but doesn't qualify for pension payments because Centrelink believes his limousine licence is worth $60,000.

Two months ago Jacqui formed the Limousine Action Group to represent Queensland limo licence owners and drivers left high and dry by the change in State Government legislation.

She says the decision to legalise Uber undermined the limousine business. She believes stage two of the reforms, expected next year, will delete limo licences entirely.

"Now you can call yourself a luxury car and turn up in a Nissan Pulsar," she says.

Geoff Noble owns two limo licences and believes the state government has a duty to compensate investors for the licences it sold them.

"We're senior self-funded retirees and we've done nothing wrong," he said. "We've paid our dues and our fees and now we've been abandoned by the government in pursuit of the youth vote."

Of course the transport sector isn't the only industry adversely impacted by the sharing economy.

Airbnb has changed the way accommodation is traded. Even my own profession in media has been hit by the rise of "aggregator" websites, which steal content compiled by journalists and paid for by traditional media companies.

The world changes. No one denies that. You can't stop it.

But as a community we must ask some tough questions.

What do we stand for?

Why are we willing to walk away so quickly from the stringent rules and standards which were applied in the transport sector for decades?

Why does the government no longer require people driving passengers for a fee adhere to the high level of scrutiny it insisted upon for many years?

I feel for the people who invested their money in limousine licences.

I hope they are fairly compensated by a government that has abandoned them, but suspect they face a tough fight.

Some will argue their situation is no different to the landlord who can't rent his commercial property due to a market downturn; or the cafe owner whose business has eroded because a new, flash eatery has opened up the road.

But I do think the plight of the limo licensees and drivers is different. They were trading in a commodity controlled by the State Government. The state sold them a regulated, protected product.

With no warning the State Government decided all the rules and regulations it insisted on for years aren't that important after all.

The State Government has made good money from the limousine industry for many years, the least it can do is compensate the investors for their losses.

[#Metro]

When I went for my general car driver licence, I had to pass it for safety reasons.

But I didn't fork out $150 000 to get it, or buy someone else's licence. Or think I could retire on it.

That's the difference here. They were buying an investment, not just getting permission. They were in it for the $$$.

I can understand people thought they were on a winner buying up these financial assets.

After all, they were Queensland government backed and had laws to back them up. Gov't protected oligopoly. What could possibly go wrong with that?


The value of these licences are falling due to increased competition. That steals customers, which reduces revenue.

And the value of an asset is its future earning potential. If future prospects look bleak, then your asset is devalued. That shows up in the sale price in the end.

Gov't should pay compo, even if it is just to acknowledge it should not have created dodgy financial investments and then on-sold them later on.

[verbatim9]

^^I don't know why this Taxi Uber debate is being raised? It was settled last August!

[ozbob]

PRESS RELEASE: It's time to give Taxis a #FairGo so let's level the playing field Australia. #auspol #qldpol #taxi #PaulineHanson #OneNation pic.twitter.com/YyjfTNxE4M

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) December 8, 2016

[ozbob]

Pauline Hanson has vowed to take on Uber for destroying the Queensland taxi industry. Story: https://t.co/IIjd90p9aQ pic.twitter.com/64MJEnlEBE

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) December 9, 2016

^ could prove costly to the major parties hey?

[techblitz]

onp will probably lose just as many votes from the UBER drivers they are taking on......evens itself out in hindsight..

[ozbob]

Whether they're #Lyft or #Uber, electric or driverless, cars hog space. TransitTools #1: Why Uber Won't Kill Transit https://t.co/L5OWKeH3Ks pic.twitter.com/Rn6oWoqCT7

— TransitCenter (@TransitCenter) December 8, 2016

[James]

ONP will probably lose just as many votes from the UBER drivers they are taking on......evens itself out in hindsight..

I disagree.

Look at the kind of people who use Uber... inner-city trendy Uni students and yuppies in their 20s. Your crowd who screamed when Trump won and who'd rather throw themselves in front of a cattle train than than vote for Hanson. Look at the taxi drivers - a lot of them are middle-aged or older families who own taxi licenses as part of a small business... prime One Nation territory.

I reckon PHON is on to a winner here...

[James]

^ read the post again...ive specifically said many an uber driver will most likely NOT vote one nation if she is out to threaten their primary/secondary source of income...

I'd say the same thing about Uber drivers - they're generally either younger people or people looking for a bit of income between jobs. Uber has not become a livelihood for a lot of people. One thing I've noticed about Uber since it was legalised is that some former taxi drivers now drive for Uber part of the time. I don't think they'd necessarily object to Uber going back to being illegal.

[techblitz]

The taxi council has a huge swathe of foreign born drivers who aren't registered to vote......politically they are a silenced voice...so i think Pauline will have a battle on her hands due to the lack of drivers enrolled to vote.....however there are plenty of Australian uber drivers who are registered to vote.....sure the majority of taxi licence owners would be registered but probably don't have the numbers like uber...

[verbatim9]

onp will probably lose just as many votes from the UBER drivers they are taking on......evens itself out in hindsight..

Google and Uber have a war chest of marketing powered. Could knock out Pauline with one punch!

[ozbob]

As I expected, Uber wheels are starting to fall off here and there. 
Their business model is not really sustainable.  They can spend for a while but eventually it catches up.

Taxis are in it for the long haul, little doubt about that.

I use taxis from time to time, I experience around 50% aussie background drivers.  As you move into regional areas this goes higher.

It is not only taxi drivers it is their families, friends and acquaintances and broader community contacts.

James has really hit on it. Uber is really only used mainly within a relatively narrow demographic group.

[techblitz]

unless I am mistaken this is the first public transport issue Pauline has spoken on....have not heard her say anything on the current QR debacle etc..and really no surprise that she has chosen this as it essentially falls into the 'job security' category. And that's one of the headline agendas for one nation...

[James]

Google and Uber have a war chest of marketing powered. Could knock out Pauline with one punch!

In a market as small as Qld against a party as small as Pauline's? A google campaign would boost her primary vote by getting her name out there and build her "multinationals against the battlers" narrative. The kind of people who like Google are the kind of people who are least likely to vote for Pauline Hanson.

[verbatim9]

Google and Uber have a war chest of marketing powered. Could knock out Pauline with one punch!

In a market as small as Qld against a party as small as Pauline's? A google campaign would boost her primary vote by getting her name out there and build her "multinationals against the battlers" narrative. The kind of people who like Google are the kind of people who are least likely to vote for Pauline Hanson.

Not necessarily, depends how it's done they can be very clever

[#Metro]

Google etc can just block her twitter, facebook and youtube accounts. 

(Oh wait, perhaps an international conspiracy between the WTO, NASA, Weight Watchers, and the UN will do that).

[ozbob]

A new ride-sharing app will cater strictly for female-only passengers and drivers. @sarahbestqld #7News https://t.co/7z8xP30xIP

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) December 10, 2016

[#Metro]

^ This is wonderful.

Wouldn't exist if we still were doing things under the old laws.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Yellow Cabs taxis to launch fixed fares to tackle rise of Uber

Yellow Cabs will offer fixed fares for customers who telephone for a taxi in 2017 in the first return volley since ride-sharing schemes such as Uber were legalised in Queensland.

It will be the first response from Queensland's taxi industry since the Palaszczuk government announced on August 10, 2016, that Uber could operate legally in Queensland.

The scheme will be heavily promoted and launched in January 2017, but Yellow Cabs general manager Bill Parker confirmed on Monday "fixed fares" were being trialled.

"I will be honest with you, we've been trialling it and the public like it," Mr Parker said.

"But we are going to take it bit further in January 2017."

Mr Parker said customers could phone and ask for a fixed fee, which would be factored into the successful driver's meter system.

"So if you ring up and say you live at Belmont Road, Tingalpa, and you want to go to Chestnut Street, Auchenflower, for example, and you ask 'Can I have a fixed price', well, we will give it to you," Mr Parker said.

"We will tell the driver that is what the fixed price is."

Yellow Cabs is making modifications to integrate the cabs' metering system with Yellow Cabs dispatch system.

"So if we quote you $65, for example, we will put that on his or her meter, so that they can't charge you any more, or any less," he said.

Mr Parker said while fixed fares had been quietly available in the past, it would soon become a regular policy as part of a suite of other changes to be announced in January.

Mr Parker said the move was being made to counter a perception that some cab drivers took the longest way to get to a destination and "were dishonest".

He said the reality in most situations was that prices varied depending on how busy traffic was on certain routes, how many red lights the car driver struck and whether school holidays had started.

"So what we are doing is giving people the surety that they are not going to taken advantage of," he said.

"I mean, the average (cab) driver does not do the wrong thing, but we want to take the public perception away."

Mr Parker said Yellow Cabs was meeting with a number of organisations next week to finalise its new fare offers, including fixed fares.

He said it was an extension of the fare calculator on Yellow Cabs Brisbane's website.

"What we have done in the past is say that is an approximation, because we do not know if there are roadworks, or a road closure or whatever," Mr Parker said.

The fare calculator now says it is an estimate only.

"The results given using the fare calculator are indicative only and do not represent a 'quote' for payment purposes," it reads.

Mr Parker said that would change.

"So what we are doing is taking that one step further and offering that to them in advance and putting that on the drivers' meter," he said.

"Because we can do that with the technology that we currently have."

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in August that ride sharing services such as Uber would be operate free in Queensland from September 5, 2016.

Queensland's 13,000 taxi drivers were disappointed at the outcome of the review, which heard that the value of cab licences had dropped from $519,000 in 2014 to about $260,000 in 2016.

Mr Parker declined to release for information to keep his "competitors at bay".

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Australian Taxation Office announces crackdown on ride-sharing services Uber, GoCatch and Lyft

BANKS will be forced to hand over details about customers who used ride-sharing services under a tax office crackdown on Uber, GoCatch and Lyft.

The Australian Taxation Office, concerned too many drivers are moonlighting with ride-sharing businesses and not paying their fair share of tax, will obtain all payments made in the past financial year and this financial year.

The Courier-Mail can reveal some state and federal public servants work as drivers on their days off.

The "sharing" industry is booming.

Deloitte Access Economics found one in two Australians had "participated in some form of collaborative economy" last year, and 63 per cent soon planned to.

It has been estimated that the new industry rakes in more than $500 million a year.

Last year, the ATO warned tens of thousands of Uber drivers that they faced an audit if they did not declare their income. ...

[ozbob]

14th December 2016

Media Release
Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Lift Payment: Priority Taxi Bookings for Wheelchair Users

Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) wheelchair users can now have their cab bookings prioritised with the Palaszczuk Government providing $5.6 million in incentive payments to the drivers of wheelchair accessible taxis (WATs).

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said new $20 Lift Payments were designed to improve taxi waiting times for Queenslanders who rely on a wheelchair for their mobility.   

"The $20 Lift Payment is expected to provide an incentive for the drivers of wheelchair accessible taxis (WATs) to prioritise bookings from wheelchair-dependent TSS members," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"It also recognises the additional time needed by drivers to assist wheelchair users with boarding.

"By ensuring the $20 Lift Payment is made directly by the Palaszczuk Government to the driver or operator of the wheelchair accessible taxi it means there is no increase in fare costs for TSS passengers."

The Lift Payment applies to each eligible wheelchair accessible taxi (WAT) trip involving the transportation of a Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) member travelling in a wheelchair.

Queenslanders meeting the Taxi Subsidy Scheme's (TSS) eligibility criteria receive a 50 percent subsidy for taxi travel up to a maximum of $25 per trip.

The $5.6 million Lift Payment incentive package is part of the $100 million Industry Adjustment Assistance Package, passed by the Queensland Parliament in December.

Included in the Industry Adjustment Assistance Package is a range of financial, advisory and incentive measures, including the Lift Payment, to assist operators to adjust to industry changes.

Consultation regarding the next stage of personalised transport reforms is continuing with the Personalised Transport Industry Reference Group (PTIRG) meeting earlier this week.

For more information on the Lift Payment, visit http://personalisedtransport.tmr.qld.gov.au/

For more information on the Taxi Subsidy Scheme, visit https://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/ticket-types/disability/taxi-subsidy-scheme

[ozbob]

This is important! I'm not just a lone voice in the wilderness anymore! https://t.co/ZP9KZ4IyU5

— Jarrett Walker (@humantransit) December 15, 2016

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Gold Coast Cabs takes latest shot at Uber's price surging "bill shock"

GOLD Coast Cabs are fighting back against the rise of Uber by introducing flat fares from Cavill Avenue to three popular suburbs on Friday and Saturday nights.

The company hopes the flat rates will appeal to customers put off by Uber's "surge" pricing, which increases fares at busy times.

The taxi firm is offering revellers who line up for a cab at the southern end of Cavill Avenue between 10.30pm to 5am on Fridays and Saturdays a flat fare of $60 to Upper Coomera, $35 to Nerang and $35 to Robina.

Gold Coast Cabs acting CEO Benjamin Lee said the new fare structure, which begins tonight, would provide more consistency to taxi users.

"We think it's something that our customers like and want, we can provide them with some consistency so there's no Uber bill shock," he said.

"We also want to be competitive in the marketplace as well."

The flat fares apply to all sizes of taxis — including maxi cabs which seat up to 11 people — to any location in the three suburbs.

But taxis hired at the flat rate will not make stops at multiple locations in the destination suburbs.

"No, it is to a single destination in those suburbs," Mr Lee told the Bulletin.

Mr Lee said if the flat fees are successful more pick-up and drop-off locations could be added.

"We're absolutely looking to expand once the initial rollout goes live," he said.

"We will continue to explore any areas we think there will be value in deploying something like this."

Mr Lee said the taxi drivers who work for the company are on board with the plan to battle Uber.

"Absolutely we have a committee we meet with regularly and they're all for it," he said.

An Uber spokesman said customers should not be concerned about "bill shock" because the company was upfront about fare estimates for users.

"We provide upfront fare estimates for riders before they request a trip in the app, so they have certainty around the price they will pay before booking," he said.

[SurfRail]

Is that including or excluding the obscene merchant terminal fees?

[ozbob]

#Uber's impact on transit, and on cities. https://t.co/1xkQMX9icZ @BrentToderian @TransitCenter @HenryGrabar @EricNewcomer @izakaminska

— Jarrett Walker (@humantransit) December 15, 2016

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Taxi industry puts unlicensed cabs on road as Uber bites into old business model

Sick of fighting Uber, the taxi industry has decided to join them at their own game – by putting a fleet of unlicensed taxis on the road.

The new cabs look and feel just like a taxi, and charge the same for a trip. But they don't have taxi licences, and pay no taxi registration fee to the government. As recently as September taxi licence plates were selling for $165,000.

"The implication seems to be that if 13CABS can do it, anyone can provide a service without a licence," said Professor Allan Fels, former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and now member of the Uber global advisory board.

"This would also seemingly cut the value of licences to zero."

After inquiries from Fairfax Media, booking service 13CABS confirmed that six private-hire taxis were operating on the Mornington Peninsula. The cabs are owned and run by taxi operators in the region, with 13CABS dispatching jobs to them.

Fairfax Media has been told such fleets are operating in other states, including NSW and South Australia.

General manager of 13CABS, David Samuel, said owners were unwilling to buy new taxi licences given the uncertainty surrounding the industry.

"These operators are reluctant understandably to want to invest large sums in a taxi plates," he said.

He said there was no plan to roll out the service further.

But licence holders fear this is the beginning of the end for any remaining value in their licences.

"We bought a perpetual licence in a regulated industry. And now we're told 'too sad too bad'," said a spokeswoman for the Victorian Taxi and Hire Car Families.

"Who's going to pay my debt now?"

The state government has already announced plans to scrap the licence fee, allowing Ubers, taxis and hire cars to take to the roads without paying for the privilege. But that legislation has not been drafted yet – leaving taxi operators to play in a grey area.

The decision to pre-empt the scrapping of the licence fee means licences are essentially worthless at the moment, says Peer Lindholdt, editor of taxi magazine OZ Cabbie.

"One taxi operator recently told me he approached the Taxi Services Commission asking them what would happen to him if he handed back his taxi plate and put a private rego plate on. And he was told, 'well, probably nothing'.

"The government cannot stop them. Because they aren't clamping down on Uber they cannot clamp down on 13CABS."

Aaron de Rozario​, CEO of the Taxi Services Commission, told Fairfax Media the commission was aware of the unlicensed cabs and "is working with 13CABS to understand how they intend to operate these vehicles".

Fairfax Media understands the commission concedes the new vehicles are operating in a significant grey area.

[ozbob]

17th December 2016

Media Release
Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

New Penalties for Unauthorised Taxi Rank Use

New penalties now apply for the unauthorised use of taxi ranks.

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games Stirling Hinchliffe said under the Palaszczuk Government's personalised transport reforms, licensed taxi operators have retained exclusive access to designated ranks and the ability to be hailed by passengers.

"The Palaszczuk Government's personalised transport reforms have helped to create a level playing field for existing taxi licences and confirm existing requirements for the use of taxi ranks," Minister Hinchliffe said.

"Ride-booking drivers don't have access to taxi ranks, nor are they able to pick up passengers who try to hail them from the side of the road."

Penalties for vehicles other than taxis using ranks have increased from $48 to $243. 

On-the-spot penalties of $487 now apply for ride-booking drivers who solicit or tout for fares.

"Ride-booking drivers are only able to accept fares from customers who have pre-arranged a booking with a smartphone app, or through a specialist phone booking agent," Mr Hinchliffe said.       

"With the festive season now in full swing, inspectors from the Department of Transport and Main Roads will be highly visible around taxi ranks and entertainment precincts to ensure ride-booking drivers are doing the right thing."

The new penalties form part of the Taxi and Limousine Industry Assistance Scheme Regulation. The regulation also facilitates the payment of transitional assistance for taxi and limousine licence holders.

Eligible taxi licence holders will now be invited by the Queensland Rural and Regional Adjustment Agency to apply for a one-off payment of $20,000 for a maximum of two licences, while limousine service licence holder will be able to apply for a $10,000 payment.   

Mr Hinchliffe also welcomed new innovations from licensed taxi operators for what is traditionally a busy time of the year for the industry.

"We're seeing some taxi companies now offering flat fare pricing options. It demonstrates the industry is identifying and acting on competitive opportunities presented by the new Personalised Transport regulations for the benefit of customers," Minister Hinchliffe said.

"The Palaszczuk Government's new Personalised Transport regulations deliver safe, reliable and affordable personalised transport options for all Queenslanders."

For more information, visit http://personalisedtransport.tmr.qld.gov.au/   

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Sorry, Uber, your new app may drive me back to taxis

If you're planning to take an Uber home from your Christmas party, chances are you could be in for quite a ride.

Surge pricing, when Uber hikes its fares in peak periods, is bound to be off the charts, and customers are also reporting recent issues with navigation and pricing. ...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Yellow Cabs to offer fixed-price fares to restore faith in taxis

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland taxi legislation to hit Queensland Parliament in 2017

Katter's Australian Party is set to introduce more legislation into Queensland Parliament to protect the taxi industry.

Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter plans to draft a private member's bill to create a separate authority to enforce ride sharing laws, in response to the rise of companies such as Uber.

It is understood the authority would look at long-term enforcement of the law and would combine the work of police and the Department of Transport.

Mr Katter said the government had let down Queenslanders on the issue.

"This year we will be introducing further legislation to shore up conditions for drivers, owners and operators," Mr Katter said.

"We seek to root out the MPs who will support legitimate licensed business owners."

Mr Katter said there was a need for legislation to create a non-politicised body to enforce the rules and establish fair regulations.

One Nation has also been hanging its hat on Uber discontent, with Senator Pauline Hanson and state leader Steve Dickson promising it would become an election issue if the government did not act.

KAP plans to hold a press conference in the coming weeks on the issue.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the government was working to fast-track additional personalised transport reforms "without a new bureaucracy".

"Consultation with the industry is continuing as the government develops the second stage of reforms to be introduced to Parliament this year," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the tax obligations of ride-share drivers was an important issue raised during workshops the government was holding with the taxi and limousine industry as part of ongoing consultation.

"This isn't about picking sides. If everybody pays the taxes they should be, it helps to create a more level playing field for all parties," he said.

The LNP declined to comment until seeing the detail of the KAP bill.

In April 2016, KAP introduced a private member's bill including higher penalties for ride sharing drivers and giving transport inspectors more powers to detect offenders.

Ride sharing was legalised in Queensland from September 5, with a bill creating a $100 million taxi and limousine assistance package passing in December.

The $100 million assistance package includes one-off payments of $20,000 per taxi licence, capped at two per owner, while limousine licence holders can apply for a payment of $10,000.

The LNP also passed an amendment as part of the bill, requiring the government to outline its plans for the industry within three months and have them implemented within six.

A second round of reforms is set to be introduced to Parliament in 2017.

More than $18 million in industry assistance has been paid out since December to taxi and limousine licence holders.

Mr Hinchliffe said 746 applications for assistance were paid to eligible holders of taxi and limousine licences, with a further 834 applications being assessed or awaiting payment.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed there would be no extra money in the assistance package, but work was being done to look out how the money would be allocated.

"I've spoken to the Transport Minister about this, and this is in relation to the package that we announced," Ms Palaszczuk said earlier this week.

"It's how that package is actually divided up, so he is in discussion with the operators at the moment and those discussions are ongoing."

[ozbob]

Thanks to Trump ties, #DeleteUber campaign grows on social media https://t.co/yqhx3GHa9B pic.twitter.com/rEqZIeEP9H

— Mashable (@mashable) January 29, 2017

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Rideshare execs deny claims Gold Coast Uber drivers are being dismissed without proper hearings

UP to 10 Uber drivers are being sacked or stood down every week after complaints from passengers.

Reasons for dismissal include "inappropriate" language and sexual conduct towards customers.

Uber said it is forced to sack some operators who breach their driver policy or are found to have blatantly abused passengers.

It is believed to have more than 2000 drivers on the Gold Coast. However, the Queensland branch of the Rideshare Drivers Association of Australia (RDAA) says drivers are being unfairly picked on and it is in discussions with the State Government about industrial reform.

RDAA secretary Les Johnson said he had been swamped with inquiries from drivers claiming they had been unfairly treated by Uber.

Mr Johnson estimated as many as 10 drivers per week were having their accounts deactivated on the Gold Coast.

"The number of people I have inquiring every day is pretty damn scary," he said.

"There is a government working group. A number of people in that working group would like to see some kind of a tribunal introduced so that people get fair justice. I believe it should be transparent."

Mr Johnson said often when allegations were made against drivers they were hamstrung in their ability to defend themselves because they were not given the full details by Uber, citing privacy.

"We actually put up on social media that if you get a phone call from them, don't acknowledge anything — make them tell you exactly what the allegation is," he said.

An Uber spokesman said the company was committed to balancing the safety of passengers and ensuring drivers accused of wrongdoing are given a fair go.

"Maintaining a safe and respectful environment for both riders and drivers, and ensuring a high-quality ride experience, will always be our priority," he said.

"We never take the decision to deactivate a driver-partner lightly, and will always give partners the opportunity to share their side if an allegation is made against them.

"We have a driver deactivation policy in place in Australia to outline how and why deactivations may occur for driver-partners in a clear, straightforward and comprehensive way."

[Gazza]

It's an interesting issue.
Does it count as unfair dismissal?

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Uber drivers explosion after ride-sharing legislation introduced

THE number of Uber drivers has almost doubled since the State Government went public with its plans to legalise ride-sharing.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe announced that ride-sharing would become legal and regulated last ­August – about a month before the rules commenced.

About 5000 drivers were working for Uber in August, and about 9000 are currently with the company. ...

[ozbob]

Uber drivers must pay GST, federal court rules https://t.co/OQEXq65tni

— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) February 17, 2017

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Opinion: Uber GST ruling helps create a level paying field for taxis

AS MANY people in the taxi industry would know, I have been very disappointed at the way that state and territory governments across the nation have treated the taxi industry as they grappled with the arrival of Uber.

My firm view continues to be that the new arrival, Uber, has not played by the rules; leading to a situation where governments have rolled over with so-called reforms that don't deliver a level playing field between taxis and Uber, or adequate compensation — especially given that governments have been quite happy to regulate the industry in the past and collect large licence fees.

The recent decision of the Federal Court has gone some way to addressing the stacked deck that has worked against the taxi industry by requiring Uber drivers to remit GST to the Australian Taxation Office.

Uber tried to make an argument that their drivers weren't providing taxi travel because, ironically, they weren't licensed in any state or territory.

Under the GST law, cabs have to charge and remit GST and if Uber drivers don't, that's an immediate price disadvantage of 10 per cent for the cab.

This is an important win for the community who rely on the GST to fund essential services provided by schools, hospitals, ambulances, police and fireys across Australia.

Uber, who structure their finances via offshore corporations, have an obligation to all Australians to pay their fair share — this decision is a key step towards ensuring that they do so.

While the decision is a win for Australians, who expect companies to pay their way, it's also a big win for fairness in the way that cabs are treated.

I believe that the decision will also see:

Uber drivers having to properly gear up as businesses, registering for the GST, running proper books of account and needing to engage professional accounting services. Yes, there are costs associated with this and they are no different to the overheads of the taxi companies to run their operations in compliance with state and federal law.

The ATO running spot audits of Uber drivers and launching a number of high profile prosecutions for noncompliance. One thing about the ATO is that they have the resources to relentlessly pursue Uber drivers until they are satisfied that people have got the message.

A realisation among taxi drivers that the cab companies' arrangements actually assist them to deal with a range of compliance issues (like the GST) and provide a level of protection against prosecution.

My final point is that, if the Federal Court gets that Uber are providing taxi travel for the purposes of the GST law, then state and territory governments should stop pretending that Uber are somehow different from cabs.

They need therefore to revisit their so-called reforms and create a true level playing field for taxis and Uber drivers.

In the interest of full disclosure, Mr Newman acknowledges that Neill Ford, the Managing Director of Yellow Cabs, is a personal friend and supporter from his days in public life.

Campbell Newman is the former premier of Queensland and now Director, Araluen Capital Pty Ltd.

[ozbob]

Taxi driver compensation for Uber is unfair and poorly implemented https://t.co/VybEsXh6On via @ConversationEDU #qanda

— The Conversation (@ConversationEDU) February 27, 2017

[ozbob]

The Register --> Uber's Boston T party – and T is for taxi: City's cabbies sue app maker

Uber faces yet another antitrust lawsuit brought by cab companies, this time in Boston, Massachusetts.

Fourteen Boston area taxi companies filed a complaint [PDF] against Uber on Monday in a district court alleging that the ride platform provider violates state laws and city ordinances and deceives passengers about the safety of its vehicles and drivers.

"Uber's business plan and activity illegally undermine critical safety provisions of the municipal Taxi Rules," the complaint states. "Uber's UberX transportation system preys parasitically on established taxi services without paying for them and without obeying the laws designed to protect taxi passengers."

The taxi companies contend that Uber controls an estimated 80 per cent of the low-cost, on-demand ride-hail market in their area.

Uber, famous for flouting regulations in order to expand faster than competitors or regulators can respond, has become a lawsuit magnet. This latest complaint is the sixth civil case filed against the company in US federal court during the month of February. It was the target of nine civil lawsuits in January and 11 in December.

Last week, Uber was hit with lawsuits alleging theft of trade secrets from Alphabet's Waymo and negligence and fraud for failing to protect a woman who claims an Uber driver tried to rape her.

In November, San Francisco taxi companies filed an antitrust lawsuit against Uber, making claims similar to the Boston taxi companies. There's another antitrust case against Uber in New York. And Uber's attempt to pay $100 million to settle a California lawsuit over its classification of drivers as independent contractors has been stalled as related cases elsewhere around the country work their way through the courts.

The Boston cab companies complain that "Uber profits by taking parasitic advantage of a transportation system in which all other players must comply with safety and consumer protections rules established by state and city laws."

But profits continue to elude Uber. As the taxi complaint states, "Uber has lost and continues to lose money on each and every UberX ride provided in the Boston ride-hail market."

Uber is estimated to have lost about $3 billion in 2016 as it trades profitability for market share. According to finance blog Naked Capitalism, Uber passengers pay only 41 per cent of the actual cost of their trips. The remainder of the cost is subsidized by Uber's investors, an arrangement that cannot continue indefinitely.

"In adopting this approach, Uber has deflated fares of UberX to prices below cost in an effort to drive competitors of UberX (all taxis) from the market in the hope of recouping its losses once Uber's competition has been destroyed," the complaint says. ...