Recipe Book - Taupo District Council

68
Taupö District Safe Community
22. TAUPÖ TAXIS
A survey of the local taxi companies in Taupö revealed that the Management
and Drivers employed were safety conscious in making available a variety
of payment methods, and credit facilities for customers to use in settling of
fares when using Taxis to travel.
Of main concern was the safety of young women in the early hours of
the morning, when after a long night out fraternising the local hotels and
restaurants, they need a secure and safe means of travelling from their
destination to home. Parents were encouraged to take up the offers of the
Taxi Companies to run accounts for their children, using a pin number, or a
pre-paid chit service to ensure safe journey home.
Two of the Companies, when questioned, indicated that although the
drivers were normally the owners of the particular taxi, they would, to
ensure safety, deposit the passenger at their homes, and collect the fare
the following day, if the occasion warranted.
News Media publicity from the Project Manager – Safe Communities
(Local paper) and Council Newsletters including Town Centre Taupö, put
this message out to the parents and people of Taupö. Late shift workers
have taken advantage of the systems offered, as have many parents. We
received back very positive comments on the service on offer. The only
concern now is that at peak times, following the hotels and restaurants
closing, there are not enough taxis to service the patrons wanting to use
them as means of transport home. This is a different issue, and is being
looked at by Town Centre Taupö, The Licensing Accord (Group of Bar and
Restaurant Owners) with a view to providing a courtesy van for peak times.