DRIVE A2B November 2020

DRIVE 

Voice of the Australian Commercial Passenger Transport Industry 

NOVEMBER 2020 | EDITION 40 

Freedom 

is just around the corner! 

Be 

Safe. 

Help make 

COVID-19 

take a 

backseat. 

National 

Magazine 

Taxis, Hire Cars, 

Wedding cars, 

Limousines 

Owners, Drivers, 

Partners, Operators 

Suppliers, Networks, 

Booking Service 

Providers

AUSTRALIA’S 

ONLY MAGAZINE 

FOR THE 

Taxi, Hire Car, Limo 

and On-Demand 

Transport Industry 

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Drivers, Owners, Operators, Providers, 

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Commercial Passenger Transport Industry. 

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industry associations (TAA, NSW TC, SATC), 

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Editor 

Mrs Toni Peters 

Publisher 

Trade Promotions Pty Ltd 

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2 DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · November 2020

QR CODES 

FOR NSW TAXIS 

EDITION 40 

www.drivea2b.com.au 

DRIVEA2B 

@DRIVEA2Ba 

contact@drivea2b.com.au 

NATIONAL 

8 

6 Transport Alliance Australia report. 

18 Moving towards zero via a safe system. 

NSW 

8 QR codes are rolled out. 

11 NSW Industry statistics. 

12 WATS Train the Trainer. 

21 

14 Getting to know Leonie Kyriacou. 

VICTORIA 

22 #Let's Melbourne Again. 

24 Message from Rod Barton MP. 

26 New vehicle cleaning regulations. 

QUEENSLAND 

30 

Demand Responsive Transport for 

Gold Coast. 

COVID-19 INFO 

11 

How long COVID-19 can survive on 

different surfaces. 

13 NSW Sanitisation Stations' locations. 

31 Let's not undo all the good. 

32 

OVERSEAS 

38 

39 

London's taxi drivers must wear face 

coverings. 

10,000 tailgaters caught on camera in 

two weeks.

From our Editor 

The atmosphere in Melbourne is somewhat 

coming back to normal after being in a bleak 

lockdown for the past four months. People are 

starting to move around the State, eating at 

restaurants and cafes and visiting friends and 

family. It is wonderful to see lots of traffic on 

the roads again, knowing that people are being 

transported from A to B and that our industry is 

on the uptake. 

However, just as Victoria is recording daily zero 

cases, South Australia is in the grips of a COVID-19 

cluster outbreak. 

It goes to show that we cannot become 

complacent when in the company of others. The 

traditional handshake, hugs and kisses MUST be 

forgotten, at least until we have a vaccine. We 

must opt instead for the current greeting fashion 

- the bow, the nod or the wave. 

We must continue to be hygienic by washing our 

hands with soap often and regularly wiping down 

any surfaces that are frequently touched by others. 

Cleaning Regulations 

The Victorian Regulator (CPVV) has regulated 

mandatory rules for cleaning of a Commercial 

Passenger Vehicle (CPV) - see page 24. It is now 

mandatory to clean all registered CPVs after 

each trip, each driver, each shift, each day, and 

continue to keep a record of all such cleaning. 

Though, funnily enough CPVV takes no 

responsibility in instructing the drivers on this 

task - instead it has handballed this responsibility 

off to the Booking Service Providers (BSP). The 

BSPs have been directed to:- 

• provide drivers with hand sanitisers and 

cleaning products, and 

• audit the drivers' cleaning activities and 

records. 

The BSPs must also instruct drivers on the 

following:- 

• the correct manner of wearing and disposing 

of gloves and face masks, 


Tips for a 

GOOD 

NIGHT’S 

SLEEP 

• use of effective hand sanitisers, 

• use of effective disinfectants when cleaning a CPV, and 

• how to clean a CPV efficiently and effectively. 

To date Victoria is the only Australian State to mandate these 

cleaning rules. Failure to comply with the new regulations 

may incur a $3,300 fine. 

Contact Tracing 

There is movement around Australia with regards to 

collecting contact tracing information for those who travel 

in taxis, hire cars or ride share vehicles. NSW is currently 

trialling a QR code system that links back to Service NSW, 

Victoria is researching a system that will link to DHHS and 

13cabs has rolled out QR code check-ins using their own 

passenger registration technology. 

QR codes are currently also being used in Queensland, South 

Australia and ACT for businesses but not for taxis or ride 

share vehicles. Western Australia, Northern Territory and 

Tasmania do not appear to require record keeping in their 

health orders. 

Ultimately it appears that Australia is on the COVID-19 

road to recovery. Let's hope that this positive trend keeps 

continuing and quickly too. 

Until next month, stay safe and stay well. 


DRIVE A2B Editor 

According to a recent survey conducted 

by Beyond Blue partner A.H. Beard, mental 

health issues are the single biggest factor 

affecting the quality of sleep. More than 

half of the survey’s respondents reported 

poor-quality sleep due to issues such as 

work or financial stress (37%), anxiety 

(35%), and depression (22%). 

Fortunately, there are things you can do to 

improve your chances of a deep slumber. 

Here are a few to consider: 

• No caffeine after 7pm 

• Limit phone use 

• Read a book before bedtime 

• Listen to music 

• Spray lavender in the bedroom 

• Eat a high carb evening meal 

• Drink warm milk before bedtime 

• Darken the room 

• Turn off all noise 

• Breathing exercises 

• Meditate 

Beyond Blue online forums are a great way 

to connect with people online in a safe 

and anonymous environment. Discussion 

topics cover anxiety, depression, suicide, 

and a range of other life issues. 

Anyone in Australia can participate in 

discussions, connect with others and 

share their experiences with the on-line 

community. 

www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

get-support/online-forums 

DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · November 2020 

5

YOUR 

NATIONAL 

ASSOCIATION 

Looking 

after the 

interests of 

those 

in the 

Australian 

commercial 

passenger 

transport 

sector. 

Be COVID-safe 

CPVV has confirmed that the Victorian 

Government is developing a customer 

(passenger) check-in system to support 

rapid contact tracing within the CPV 

industry. 

This passenger check-in system (rapid 

contact tracing) will be mandatory 

for fleets of commercial passenger 

vehicles to apply to all their vehicles. 

The government is aware that 

some organisations have already 

implemented such systems and they 

would certainly be able to continue 

using their existing systems, so long 

as it is able to integrate with DHHS’s 

computer system. 

In NSW taxi companies are trialling 

an app utilising QR codes and linking 

back to the Service NSW Check-in app 

- see report on page 8. 

In Victoria, face masks are mandatory 

while other Australian states have 

made them an optional item for 

protection against COVID-19. 

In some States passengers are only 

allowed to sit in the back seat — other 

States have no such ruling. 

We recommend VERY STRONGLY that 

face masks be worn by all drivers, 

even when they are not transporting 

passengers. 

And remember that everyone MUST 

wear gloves and face masks when 

sanitising a vehicle, which must be 

done after every trip - as you just don't 

know who is carrying this very harmful, 

very contagious virus. 

Whilst ordinarily drivers should not 

refuse any fare, there are certain 

times when a driver may fear for his/ 

her safety and it is at these times that 

they definitely have the right to refuse 

transporting the passenger(s). This 

also applies to passengers who may 

refuse to wear a mask and cannot 

prove that they have an exemption to 

not wear one. 

If the driver feels that he/she would 

be at risk by taking this passenger(s) 

who won't wear a mask, then the 

driver should clearly convey this to the 

passenger(s) and may refuse the fare. 

Vehicle Survey 

We recently undertook a survey on the 

type, make and colour of vehicle that 

our members within the taxi, hire car 

and limousine industry prefer and had 

quite a resounding response. Here are 

the results. 

Top 5 vehicles 

that would be purchased for use in this 

industry. 

1. Toyota 41% 

2. Lexus 10% 

3. Hyundai 2% 

4. Holden 1% 

5. Ford 1% 


Colour of vehicle 

It was very close between white (35%) 

and black (33%) for the most preferred 

colour. Silver came third (16%). 

Fuel type preference 

Interesting to note that nearly 40% 

of the respondents indicated that 

they would purchase a Hybrid 

(petrol/electric) for their next car. 

For the material of the interior, 

leather won hands down with 

72%. 

42% said they would pay 

between $25,000 - $40,000 for a 

new vehicle, if they bought one 

today and 25% said they would 

spend $55,000 - $70,000. 

In summary the most likely 

vehicle to be purchased for use 

in the taxi and hire car industry 

is a white or black Toyota 

hybrid sedan with leather 

interior at a cost between 

$25,000 - $70,000. 

What's your next vehicle going 

to be? 

Operators' 

Forum 

Hygiene Practices 

Topics include: 

- Hygiene Safety Products 

- Cleaning Etiquette 

- State Requirements 

- Legal Consequences 

Register your interest in attending by sending 

an email to toni.peters@taa-national.com.au. 

4 December 

Friday 

- 12noon 

10am 

A zoom link will be sent to you 2 days prior to 

the event. 

via Zoom 

DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · September 2020 

7

COVID-SAFE 

AND COVID-SMART 

QR codes 

rolled out 

Taxis continue to help 

healthy people stay 

healthy in NSW 

NSW News 

The NSW Taxi Council has been 

working with Service NSW and 

the Point to Point Transport 

Commission on a QR code solution 

for the NSW Taxi Industry. We are 

delighted to see two of the NSW 

Taxi Council member networks — 

Legion Cabs and Premier Cabs lead 

with a trial involving QR codes in 

Taxis to help with contact tracing. 

Following on from the QR code 

trial with Premier Cabs and Legion 

Cabs, this initiative is now being 

rolled out to all member networks 

of the NSW Taxi Council over the 

coming weeks. 

The NSW Minister for Customer 

Services — The Hon. Victor 

Dominello, MP, said, "I commend 

the Taxi industry for its leadership 

and putting the safety of drivers 

The Hon. Victor Dominello, MP, NSW Minister for Customer Services 

8 

DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · November 2020

and passengers first. Taxis have a 

large footprint across the State and 

the collaboration between the NSW 

Government and the NSW Taxi 

Council will give the community 

peace of mind that their safety is 

being prioritised." 

COVID-smart 

"This is a great example of being 

COVID-smart as well as COVIDsafe. 

The Service NSW check-in 

app is a powerful technology 

and any industry that is serious 

about safety should be using it," 

continued Mr Dominello. 

Representatives of the trial recently 

met with Minister Dominello at 

NSW Parliament to demonstrate 

the QR code stickers active in Taxis. 

The QR code technology has been 

adapted for enabling effective and 

efficient contact tracing specifically 

for Taxis providing Rank and Hail 

services in NSW. 

The check in by passengers 

is highly recommended for 

passengers every time they hop 

into a Taxi in NSW. Also, the data 

collected by the Service NSW app 

is deleted in 28 days. 

The Point to Point Transport 

Commission, while explaining the 

process and utility of QR codes 

in Taxis, states that, "Passengers 

are asked to scan the QR Code 

on the sticker or seat card with 

their mobile phone to checkin 

to the Service NSW app and 

provide their contact details before 

commencing, or during their trip." 

Furthermore, NSW health 

encourages commuters to sit in the 

back and wear a mask. 

The Commission further added, 

"The QR Code check-in keeps a 

record of the passenger's journey 

and this data is shared with NSW 

Health in a case where contact 

tracing is required". 

The use of QR codes in Taxis is 

voluntary, so if a passenger refuses 

to scan the QR code during their 

journey, a driver does not have the 

right to refuse the fare. 

Joining Minister Dominello were Martin Rogers – CEO, NSW Taxi Council; Nick Abrahim – Deputy CEO, NSW Taxi 

Council; Lee Furlong – Chairman NSW Taxi Council and Assistant General Manager, Legion Cabs; Stuart Palmer – 

Business Development Director, Transport Network Services (Premier Cabs) and other representatives from Legion 

and Premier Cabs who have been heavily involved in the trial activation. 


9

NEW SOUTH 

WALES 

QR codes continued from previous page... 

The NSW Taxi Council is grateful to 

the NSW Government for assisting 

the industry in putting various 

safety measures in place and 

ensuring that Taxis in NSW are 

COVID-safe and with the QR codes 

now rolled out, also COVID-smart. 

The NSW Point to Point Transport 

Commission along with the NSW 

Government has established 12 

government funded sanitisation 

stations across Greater Sydney 

as well as regional NSW where 

Taxis can get sanitised at no cost. 

There is also a privately funded 

sanitisation station at Sydney 

Airport, run by GM Cabs. 

Taxi drivers have also been given 

Clean-up Kits to ensure hygiene 

standards while they are providing 

services to passengers. 

Prevention is better 

than cure. 

The sanitisation stations, the clean 

up kits, the QR code technology for 

contact tracing via the Service NSW 

app and the COVID-safe guidelines 

working together would ensure 

that optimum safety measures are 

in place for not only a COVID-safe 

Taxi Industry but a COVID-smart 

one too. 

Martin Rogers – CEO, NSW Taxi 

Council stated that, "We are 

thankful for the collaborated 

efforts, co-operation, support 

and swift response from Minister 

Dominello, the Point to Point 

Transport Commission, the NSW 

Government as well as the Taxi 

Service Providers and their staff to 

ensure a COVID-safe Taxi ride for 

the passengers as well drivers in 

NSW". 

"Taxis are one of the most COVIDsafe 

forms of transport available 

for passengers and their loved 

ones in NSW." 

"The safety measures in place for 

Taxis are helping individuals in 

taking responsibility for the safety 

and care of themselves and others. 

Taxis continue to help Healthy 

People Stay Healthy in NSW," 

added Mr Rogers. 

10 


$250,000 

$200,000 

$210,000 

$180,000 

VALUES 

ARE 

UP 

Sydney Taxi Licence Plates 

Sydney Taxi Licence Plates 

average transfer value 

average value as at 31 October 2020 

NSW Industry 

Stats 

P2P Compliance Activities 

for September 2020 

Vehicle Inspections 

(safety standards compliance) 

Advisory Visits (involving P2P Commission staff 

providing advice to Authorised Service Providers) 

Taxis 

Hire 

cars 

235 99 

16 - 

Audits of Authorised Service Providers 4 5 

$150,000 

$100,000 

$50,000 

$- 

$99,167 $102,500 

$82,400 

$95,000 

$60,000 

Jan-17 Jan-18 Jan-19 Jan-20 Jun-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 

Number of Issued 

Passenger Transport 

(PT)Driver Licences 

as at 31 October 2020 

126,256 

All figures contained within these statistics are based on information supplied by rms.nsw.gov.au and pointtopoint.nsw.gov.au 

How long 

COVID-19 

can survive 

A CSIRO study has 

revealed how long the 

SARS-CoV-2 virus, which 

causes COVID-19, remains 

infectious on different 

surfaces at different 

temperatures. 

Results were obtained under laboratory conditions, with no 

exposure to UV light and humidity controlled at 50%. 

*a 10ul droplet of liquid containing SARS-CoV-2 was placed 

on multiple small test surfaces and left for up to 28 days. 

The virus was recovered and placed in tissue culture cells to 

observe if any infectious virus remained. 

** A single well of virus was recovered on days 14 and 21, 

99% of the virus was not infectious by day 7. 

SOURCE: CSIRO 


11

NEW SOUTH 

WALES 

Overflowingly 

Professional 

WATS Train the 

Trainer 

The NSW Taxi Council conducted 

the WATS (Wheelchair Accessible 

Taxi Services) – Train the Trainer 

programme for September-October 

2020 at the Kingsgrove RSL in 

Sydney. Nick Abrahim - Deputy CEO, 

NSW Taxi Council trained previously 

accredited and new WATS Assessors 

from its member networks from 

Regional NSW towns — Milton 

Ulladulla, Dubbo, Tamworth, Nowra 

and Cootamundra. 

The WATS Assessor Train the Trainer 

Program has been developed 

for Service Providers to meet the 

requirements of the Point to Point 

Transport Commission WAT Driver 

Competency Guidelines tool. The 

program helps previously accredited 

WATS Assessors undergo a refresher 

training to help with the training 

and assessing process through a 

consistent and up to date system. 

The NSW Taxi Council has adopted 

a robust and thorough COVID-19 

policy for any person undertaking 

this programme or any of its other 

Training Programs. In relation to 

the Train the Trainer WATS Assessor 

Program, it was ensured that COVID 

safe policies were adopted and 

social distancing measures were 

practiced throughout the training. 

Where social distancing may be 

difficult, NSW Taxi Council requires 

all attendees to wear face masks. 

12 


SANITISATION 

STATIONS - NSW 

This is in addition to keeping 

an attendance record for each 

person, sanitisation, and cleaning 

throughout the training, as well 

as regular cleaning of the training 

room. 

The NSW Taxi Council looks forward 

to continuing to roll out the WATS 

Assessor Train the Trainer Program 

for the remainder of 2020. 

To find out more, or to book for the 

next training session, please contact 

the NSW Taxi Council on (02) 8339 

4644. 

TESTIMONIAL... 

"This Training helps us in 

raising the standards of the 

WAT services in Regional NSW 

to the level of Sydney. It gives 

us a better understanding of 

disabiity needs. Challenging 

but Rewarding. 

TESTIMONIAL... 

"Overflowingly professional! 

Practice makes us perfect and 

this programme is extremely 

useful in keeping up to date 

and producing the best 

possible methods of training 

WATS drivers." 

Albury Station 

MON-FRI SAT funded by... 

Railway Place 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Alexandria 

9-13 O’Riordan Street 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Arncliffe 

6/13-15 Wollongong Road 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Central Coast Taxis 

7 Merinee Road, West Gosford 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Dubbo Buslines Depot 

33 White Street 7am - 7pm 7am - 4pm NSW gov't 

Leumeah 

Unit 7, No. 4 Grange Road 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Mascot 

Sydney Domestic Airport 

Taxi Holding Bay 

Newcastle 

7am - 7pm 

GM Cabs 

4a Metal Pit Drive, Mayfield West 7am - 7pm 8am - 5pm NSW gov't 

North Parramatta 

90 Victoria Road 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

Prestons 

Weld Street 7am - 7pm 8am - 5pm NSW gov't 

Seven Hills 

23/45 Powers Rd, Business Park 7am - 7pm NSW gov't 

St Peters 

28-30 Burrows Road 9am - 4pm Not open Zevra Taxis 

Tamworth Buslines 

21 Hume Street 7am - 7pm 8am - 4pm NSW gov't 

Tweed Heads 

Tweed City Shopping Centre 

Bus Stop 

7:35am - 5:45pm 

NSW gov't 


13

NEW SOUTH 

WALES 

GETTING 

TO KNOW 

Leonie 

Kyriacou 

Leonie Kyriacou is an equity partner at Pigott Stinson lawyers where she leads both the 

commercial law and workplace relations practice groups. Leonie has worked for the taxi 

industry for over 17 years. She has worked on the full range of legal matters impacting the 

industry and works for taxi networks throughout NSW, as well as in other States. 

Leonie does a lot of volunteer work. She is a member of the Public Gift Giving Board for 

WIRES and a board member of national charity, Endometriosis Australia. Leonie has two 

boys aged 8 and 10, and manages their sporting teams. She also volunteers as an ethics 

teacher for the local primary school. 

1. Do you have any skills or talents that 

most people don’t know about? 

I love making costumes. In fact, I get a bit 

obsessed about my childrens’ book week 

and Halloween costumes. One of my boys 

is very precise about what he wants to go 

as, so I have had my work cut out for me. 

I’ve made all sorts of wonderful creatures 

like a blue moon cicada (which is a rare 

colour morph of a green grocer), a praying 

mantis, a native stingless honey bee, and 

most recently a central bearded dragon! 

2. If you could be anywhere other than here, 

right this minute, where would you be? 

Cape Tribulation in the Daintree 

Rainforest. 

3. Flashback to when you were 10 years old. 

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

A ballet dancer. 

4. Finish this sentence. On Sunday 

mornings, you can usually find me... 

Sitting at the dining table with my 

boys (10 and 8) helping them with 

their homework whilst simultaneously 

folding the washing. Our Sunday 

mornings are always the same. I 

bake something (usually scones), 

my husband takes our giant rescue 

wolfhound cross to dog training and I 

sit with our boys and help them with 

their homework. 

5. How do you think your colleagues would 

describe you? 

Busy. 

6. What would be your personal motto? 

Help out and be kind. 

14 


DRIVE 

Voice of the Australian Commercial Passenger Transport Industry 

NOVEMBER 2020 | EDITION 40 

Freedom 

is just around the corner! 

PICK UP YOUR OWN COPY 

EVERY MONTH FROM THESE BUSINESSES 

National 

Magazine 

Taxis, Hire Cars, 

Wedding cars, 

Limousines 

QLD 

Owners, Drivers, 

Partners, Operators 

Be 

Safe. 

Help make 

COVID-19 

take a 

backseat. 

Suppliers, Networks, 

Booking Service 

Providers 

Albion 

Delta Taxi Management 

Taxicomms 

Brisbane Airport 

Black & White Cabs 

Eagle Farm 

Power Auto & Smash 

Repairs 

SA 

13cabs - Adelaide 

Adelaide Ind. Taxis 

Taxi Council of SA 

Helensvale 

13cabs Gold Coast 

Kelvin Grove 

KG Taxi Management 

Marcoola 

Suncoast Cabs 

Maryborough 


Southport 

Zevra 

TAS 

ACT 

Aerial Taxis 

Canberra Cabs 

Canberra Elite Taxis 

Casuarina 

Blue Taxis 

Launceston 

Taxi Combined Services 

PICK UP YOUR 

OWN COPY 

EVERY MONTH FROM THESE BUSINESSES 

NT 

Alice Springs Taxis 

Salisbury 

Crown Cabs 

Occhi's Business 

Class Taxis 

Toowoomba 


Virginia 

QLD Limo Action Group 

Wooloongabba 

13cabs Brisbane 

WA 

Victoria Park 

Swan Taxis Co-op Ltd 

Belmont 


(WA) 

Greenfields 

Mandurah Taxis 

Morley 

Crown Cabs 

Victoria Park 

ComfortDelGro (WA) 

NSW 

Alexandria 

13cabs, NSW Taxi Council 

Bankstown 

Mikhael & Co Mech Repairs 

Cromer 

Manly Warringah Cabs 

Granville 

Premier Cabs 

Dubbo 

Dubbo Bus Lines 

Kingsgrove 

St George Cabs 

Leumeah 

Sanitisation Station 

Mascot 

RSL Cabs, GM Cabs 

Newscastle 

13cabs 

North Parramatta 

Sanitisation Station 

Prestons 

13cabs Taxi Tech 

St Peters 

Zevra Taxi Base 

Tamworth 

Buslines Depot Sanitisation 

Station 

West Gosford 

Central Coast Taxis 

Wolli Creek 

Legion Cabs 

Wollongong 

lllawarra Taxi Network 

VIC 

Ascot Vale 

Westbourne Motors 

Ballarat Taxis 

Bendigo Taxis 

Brunswick East 

Platinum Taxis 

Campbellfield 

Taxi Hire Services 

Clayton South 

Schmidt Electronic Labs 

Coburg North 

Silver North Taxi M'ment 

Collingwood 

Silver Top Taxis 

Fitzroy 

Equity Transport Group 

Geelong Taxis 

Huntingdale 


P2P Transport 

Mentone 

Savid Taxis 

Mildura Taxis 

Moorabbin 

Eastmoor Taxis 

North Melbourne 

13cabs, Alex Taxis, Live Taxi 

Oakleigh 

13cabs 

Port Melbourne 

Melbourne Star, Oiii, 

Netcabs 

Reservoir 

Exclusive Cab M'ment 

Seaford 

Frankston Taxis 

Shepparton Taxis 

Thomastown 

13cabs, Southern Cross 

Chauffeurs 

Tullamarine 

All Cars, Crown Cabs 

Taxi Hire Services 

Vermont Autogas 

West Melbourne 

Embassy Café 

Wodonga Taxis

EVs IN 

AUSTRALIA 

SA becomes the only jurisdiction on the planet to 

Disincentivise 

electric 

vehicles 

with tax 


The South Australian Government 

will seize the dubious honour of 

becoming the only jurisdiction in the 

world to actively disincentivise the 

purchase of electric vehicles through 

tax if it goes through with measures 

announced early November by SA 

Treasurer Rob Lucas. 

"While governments around the 

world are using every means 

possible to incentivise the uptake 

of electric vehicles, South Australia 

reckons they have it all wrong," 

said Electric Vehicle Council chief 

executive Behyad Jafari. 

"If the revenue from fuel excise is 

falling because South Australians are 

burning less foreign oil, that should 

be considered a blessing." 

"Overall it's good for air quality, it's 

good for the health budget, it's good 

for carbon emissions, and it's great 

for economic sovereignty. The last 

thing any sane government would 

do is try to hit the brakes on this 

trend." 

"It's like responding to a drop in the 

tobacco tax take by slamming a new 

excise on nicotine gum." 

"There's no special bucket of money 

for roads. Roads need to be paid 

for from general revenue just like 

everything else. There is zero need 

for the SA Government to slap a big 

new tax on an emerging technology 

that delivers so much for the 

community,” added Mr Jafari. 

A recent analysis by EY showed 

that every driver who switches to 

an electric vehicle delivers a $1370 

boost to government coffers, and 

a $8,763 boost to the Australian 

economy. 

"Treasurer Rob Lucas has described 

his move as a 'no-brainer' – 

remarkable then that no other 

jurisdiction on the planet has come 

to his conclusion,” Mr Jafari said. 

“Unless every government in the 

world is missing something obvious 

that Mr Lucas uniquely understands, 

the Treasurer may want to reexamine 

the logic that brought him 

to this point. 

"South Australia can't hit its net 

zero targets with this kind of policy 

approach," said Mr Jafari. 

"The state is currently at 

less than one per cent 

electric vehicle uptake 

and now its wants to 

introduce the world's first 

EV tax." 

"There's little point spending $18 

million on charging infrastructure if 

you are actively discouraging people 

from buying the vehicles that can 

use it." 

Embassy 

Cafe 

WE’re open 

WE NEVER CLOSE 

OPEN 

FOR YOUR 

TAKE AWAY 

ORDERS 

547 Spencer Street 

West Melbourne 

VISIT US FOR THE BEST BURGERS IN TOWN 


17

Moving 

TOWARDS 

ZERO 

Via a 

SAFE 

SYSTEM 

Safe Roads 

Safe Vehicles 

Safe Speeds 

Safe People 


The Joint Select Committee on Road 

Safety has released its final report on 

the impact of trauma and death on 

Australia's roads and the steps that can 

be taken to reduce road accident rates. 

Everyone had the opportunity to contribute 

to the review and many did. Noting that the 

Commonwealth has the lead responsibility for 

implementing legislative and regulatory changes to 

vehicle standards in Australia, the NSW Government 

expressed concern that the "timeframes for 

mandating safety features for vehicles entering 

Australia's market do not align with the world's best 

performing countries". It was argued that currently 

"the process in Australia to mandate critical vehicle 

safety features is so prolonged that technologies 

sometimes either become standard in most vehicles 

or are obsolete by the time regulatory changes are 

made to mandate them". 

The Victorian Government noted that it is 

encouraged by the work being undertaken by 

the Commonwealth to accelerate the mandatory 

introduction of AEB into passenger and light 

commercial vehicles. However, it argued that "more 

needs to be done to expedite new safety features 

that will become compulsory in new cars, trucks, 

vans and buses in Europe from 2022. 

ANCAP, along with the Electric Vehicle Council, 

outlined a range of new vehicle safety features 

and technologies which could play a significant 

role in reducing crashes and resultant injuries. 

These included lane assist, conditional speed 

limits, pedestrian avoidance, vehicle to vehicle and 

vehicle to infrastructure communication, blind spot 

monitoring and autonomous emergency braking. 

The Electric Vehicle Council argued that educating 

consumers about the developments in vehicle 

technology is necessary, and would allow them to 

make informed decisions when purchasing vehicles. 

It was submitted that: Given that approximately 

90% of crashes involve some form of human error, 

education on the driving and safety benefits of 

electrification and automation is necessary to 

advance road safety and driving behaviour. 

We have printed here the 22 recommendations the 

committee made after reviewing and analysing all 

the documentation and presentations tabled. 

Recommendation 1 

The committee supports the 

findings of the NRSS Inquiry Report 

which recommended that the 

Australian government commit 

more funding to road safety. 

The following recommendations 

were also made. 

The Committee recommends 

that... 


... the Australian Government work 

with the states and territories to 

develop a plan and timeline for the 

harmonisation of data, including 

definitions, relating to casualty 

crashes, road safety ratings, and 

speeding across the network. Such 

data should be published regularly. 


... the Australian Government review 

its Black Spot Program funding 

conditions and site eligibility, with a 

view to making it more effective in 

proactively detecting and treating 

deficiencies in road infrastructure. 


... the Australian Government 

increase funding to the Black 

Spot Program and increase the 

percentage allocated to regional 

and remote areas. 


... the Australian Government works 

with states and territories and 

local government to ensure that all 

existing road safety programs are 

designed to implement Safe System 

principles across all government 

policy areas, including health and 

education. 


... the commonwealth works with 

states and territories to ensure that 

funding avenues are identified that 

specifically support local councils 

to attract and retain the relevant 


19

Moving towards zero via a safe system 

ccntinued from previous page 

skills and expertise required for 

development of all aspects of road 

safety policy, infrastructure and 

maintenance. 


... the establishment of a 

Parliamentary Standing Committee 

on Road Safety. 



ensure all Commonwealth funded 

road projects incorporate Network 

Design for Road Safety principles. 



work with state, territory and local 

governments to collect accurate 

data on the current condition and 

rate of change of Australian roads. 


... Australian Government identify 

priority roads for dedicated and 

targeted road funding partnerships 

with the relevant jurisdictions to 

improve the star rating performance 

of road infrastructure for all road 

users. 



support and fund research into 

the effectiveness of varying road 

treatments in a wide range of 

circumstances, with a view to 

improving the road safety outcomes 

of infrastructure investment. 



establish a national consultative 

committee on motorcycle safety. 


... the Australian Government, 

state and territory, and local 

governments review their 

procurement practices to ensure 

that the safety of vehicles is a key 

criterion in purchasing decisions. 



review current timeframes for the 

mandatory introduction of safety 

features likely to have the greatest 

impact on reducing road trauma in 

Australia. 


... the Office of Road Safety assist 

in the facilitation of research to 

identify the incidence, frequency 

and type of driver distraction in 

crash data. 


... the Office of Road Safety work 

with states and territories to expand 

crash data collection and reporting 

on the incidence, frequency and 

type of driver distraction. 


... the Office of Road Safety works 

with states and territories to fund 

community awareness campaigns 

on the impact of driver distractions 

on road safety. 



continue to work with state and 

territory governments and police 

agencies to increase the number of 

point-to-point speed cameras and 

mobile phone detection cameras. 


... the Office of Road Safety 

liaise with the Transport and 

Infrastructure Council with a view to 

conducting further research into the 

potential benefits to be gained from 

various emerging driver assistance 

technologies. 



support future driver education 

campaigns with an emphasis on the 

development and demonstration of 

safe driving attitudes that address 

the following topics: 

• road sharing and pedestrian, 

motorcycle, bicycle and heavy 

vehicle awareness; 

• safe driving in different 

environments, with an 

emphasis on regional and rural 

roads; and 

• the dangers of distracted 

driving and the need to remain 

alert to the driving task. 


... Australian Government review 

funding for programs that reduce 

barriers to disadvantaged groups 

obtaining and retaining driver 

licences. 


... the Australian Government work 

with state and territory governments 

to introduce compulsory first aid 

training as a condition of receiving 

a learner's permit or renewing a 

driver’s licence. 


2020 Taxi and 

Ride-Hailing Digital 

Conference 

SMART 

PERSONAL 

RIDES 

2-3 December 2020 

Online 

The Taxi and Ride-hailing Digital Conference is an 

excellent opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge 

and learn about smart solutions with leading taxi 

experts from across the world. 

The next edition of the Taxi and Ride-Hailing Event 

will be jointly hosted by UITP and Messe Karlsruhe 

and is now a fully-digital experience, under the 

theme ‘Smart Personal Rides’. 

Learn the latest developments in taxi revolution at 

this upcoming event. 

As the only event of its kind to bring the taxi and 

ride-hailing sectors together to consider the 

future, you can hear from international speakers 

across two days’ worth of sessions as they discuss 

the latest developments in the taxi and app 

revolution. 

For more information visit www.uitp.org/events 

(UITP) The International Association of Public Transport works to enhance quality of life and economic well-being by supporting and promoting sustainable transport in urban areas 

worldwide. As a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility, UITP is internationally recognised for its work to advance the development of this critical policy agenda. 

With more than 1800 members in 100 countries, UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all 

sustainable transport modes.

MELBOURNE 

BUSINESSES' INCENTIVE 

Victoria News 

‘Let’s Melbourne Again’ is an 

initiative designed for Melbourne, by 

Melburnians, to reinvigorate the city 

and support its economic recovery 

from the pandemic. 

Businesses supporting ‘Let’s 

Melbourne Again’ will each be 

unveiling a series of initiatives over 

the coming weeks designed to bring 

joy to Melburnians and encourage 

the community to get out of their 

homes, back into the city, and to help 

Melbourne get back on its feet. 

‘Let’s Melbourne Again’ 

spokesperson, Jim Gall, said, "We’ve 

all seen firsthand the impacts of 

COVID-19 on our community and on 

the businesses and institutions that 

make Melbourne the incredible city 

it is. Through Let’s Melbourne Again 

we’re aiming to inspire, influence 

and most importantly, restore hope 

as well as support the economic 

recovery of our great city." 

"Over the coming weeks and months, 

the businesses supporting Let’s 

Melbourne Again will be creating 

brilliant acts and experiences 

designed to spark joy and support 

the city’s economy — stay tuned 

for the announcements of those 

initiatives and for further information 

about how Melburnians can 

participate.” 

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp 

says more than 150 events that 

would normally happen from March 

through August were cancelled. 

But now there's planning behind 

the scenes to allow major sporting 

events, including the Boxing Day Test 

cricket match, Australian Open tennis 

tournament and Grand Prix Formula 

1 car race, to take place over summer 

and next year. 

"For the Boxing Day Test, we would 

expect to have 70,000 people each 

day, but it's anticipated, and being 

planned for 20,000 people to attend 

that event," Ms Capp said. 

"With the Australian Open, normally 

800,000 people [attend] over the 

course of the tournament. Moving 

forward, the scenario planning is to 

welcome about 200,000 people." 

22 


It’s been a crazy year for us all and it’s no wonder 

Federation Square is flipping dining on its head and 

turning inside out! 

Fed Square is now open. Reconnect with your muchloved 

city in the heart of Melbourne and enjoy a colourful 

outdoor dining experience that’s never been done before 

in the square. 

We’re talking extra (ample) seating, roomy outdoor 

comfort zones, live bands on-stage, roving entertainers 

(yeah, those guys!) and some seriously good food and 

drink options from long-time favourites each offering a 

uniquely Melbourne experience that we’ve all missed so 

dearly, along with the views to match! 

PLUS WE’RE 

HOSTING TWO 

INCREDIBLE 

OUTDOOR 

ACTIVATIONS FOR 

YOU TO EXPLORE. 

SKY CASTLE BY ENESS 

A kaleidoscopic fever dream – the Sky 

Castle, a creative partnership between 

Fed Square and ENESS, is breezing into 

Fed Square to celebrate blue skies ahead 

and it launches on Sunday 14 November. 

THE GREENHOUSE BY JOOST 

Greenhouse by Joost has been quietly 

making its roots in Fed Square since July. 

This November, celeb foodies Matt Stone 

and Jo Barrett are about to go off the grid 

and are moving in for a 100% sustainable, 

home-grown-food-producing six month 

stint.

VICTORIA 

NEWS 

What does 

CPVV HAVE 

PLANNED 

for the 

FUTURE? 

Prior to this pandemic, the taxi and hire car industry had 

already been knocked down. COVID-19 was ultimately 

the nail in the coffin for individuals and families within 

the industry already struggling to survive. I need to point out 

again that there has been a major lack in economic support 

from the government for non-employing sole traders, whose 

livelihoods now depend on an effective recovery plan. 

Late last month, I stood in Parliament to ask Minister Pulford, 

representative of the Minister of Transport, Ben Caroll, what the 

regulator, Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV), was 

planning to do to ensure the taxi and hire car industry could 

move forward as Victorians come out of lockdown. 

Rod Barton MLC 

Leader, Transport Matters Party 

Currently there is no news on any plan for the re-launch of the 

industry from CPVV, which, to remind ourselves, has a statutory 

responsibility for the 110,000 taxi and hire car drivers in Victoria. 

I continue to urgently seek answers regarding any kind of 

roadmap and the role CPVV will play in the recovery of the taxi 

and hire car industry. 

Model Litigant 

As many would know, I fight for fairness. 

To shed light on the legal matter being pursued by the 

association Victorian Taxi and Hire-Car Families (VTHF) against 

CPVV, the VTHF represents and supports hundreds of ex taxi 

and hire car licence owners who suffered a significant loss in 

income and value of their taxi and hire car licences, due to 

the unlawful operation of rideshare prior to the 2017 industry 

reforms. 

24 


The reforms in 2017 resulted in 

revocation of all licences for a 

fraction of their worth through 

a transition assistance scheme, 

which provided arbitrary monetary 

payments for only some licences, 

not all. 

Now, this is unjust. And there are 

claims that the CPVV hadn’t done 

its job in practicing its expected 

obligations in monitoring and 

enforcing licencing requirements. 

VTHF has requested that CPVV 

supply documentation which may 

assist in it making a decision as to 

whether to initiate proceedings for 

the damages sustained. 

As a freedom of information 

request, this matter should have 

easily been resolved, yet CPVV 

has tied this up in court for over 

three years, fighting tooth and 

nail against those who simply 

invested in their future through the 

lawful purchase of taxi and hire car 

licences. 

What are the documents 

that have been requested 

that CPVV wishes to hide? 

Why is it fighting so hard? 

I have urged Ben Carroll to take a 

good look at CPVV’s court dealings 

and ensure that it is acting fairly and 

in accordance to the model litigant 

rules, as should be the case! 

Workers Screening Bill 

In the last sitting week of 

October, I also had the honour to 

express my favour of the Workers 

Screening Bill 2020. It may or 

may not impact the taxi and hire 

car industry in the future, so 

it’s important that the industry 

understands it. 

This bill will deliver critical 

improvements to the current 

Working With Children Check 

(WWCC) and National Disability 

Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 

It would streamline processes, 

align our NDIS check with the 

nationally agreed approach and 

improve the standard that applies 

to those who work with children. 

Disability support workers would 

be able to work across Australia, 

and this in turn would assist 

people with disability in having 

access to all the services they 

need to thrive in society. 

With COVID-19 present, it is 

especially vital we focus on 

protecting the most vulnerable 

in our community and our young 

people. The Workers Screening 

Bill is focused on doing just that, 

which is why I support it. 

We have worked hard to keep multipurpose 

taxi drivers on the road 

during the pandemic, to provide 

essential services to the elderly and 

people with disability, and we must 

strive to keep doing more for an allround 

inclusive Victoria. 

Until next month, stay safe and 

stay well. 

Rod Barton MP 

Leader, Transport Matters Party 


25

VICTORIA 

NEWS 

NEW Vehicle 

CLEANING 

REGULATIONS 

will be enforced 

As of 18 November 2020 the 

following NEW regulations will be 

in place. 

Failure to meet these regulations 

attracts a 20 penalty points fine, 

which today equals $3300. 

CLEANING RECORDS 

BSPs and independent drivers/operators, need to keep records of all cleaning 

activities for a CPV that's been allocated bookings. These records must be kept 

for 12 months. Full details of information required can be found on the CPVV 

website under FAQs. 

BSPS MUST support drivers when driving a CPV by: 

• Providing drivers with hand sanitisers and cleaning products where possible 

• Auditing a driver’s cleaning activities and records 

• Providing training and resources to drivers on cleaning requirements and 

methods 

• Providing training and education on the new cleaning regulations which 

take effect from 18 November 2020. 

SPECIFICALLY BSPS MUST provide information or 

instruction to drivers about: 

• Wearing gloves and face masks when cleaning a CPV 

• The type of approved disinfectants and approved hand sanitisers to use 

• Safely disposing of used cleaning products, gloves and masks 

• How to clean a CPV efficiently and effectively. 


DRIVERS MUST... 

• Wear a face mask at all times 

• Make approved hand sanitisers 

available to passengers 

• Before the first CPV trip of 

the day - Clean all Driver and 

Passenger Proximate surfaces 

of a CPV, with an approved 

disinfectant 

• After each CPV trip - Clean all 

surfaces likely to be touched 

by passengers (including 

Passenger Proximate surfaces) 

• Between drivers - Clean all 

surfaces (including Driver 

Proximate surfaces) 

• At the end of a shift - Clean 

all surfaces (including Driver 

Proximate surfaces) 

• After private use of a CPV - 

Clean all surfaces 

BSPs must take reasonable steps to 

make sure that drivers they allocate 

bookings to, comply with the 

cleaning regulations. 

PASSENGER 

PROXIMATE 

SURFACES 

• any hand held payment 

device; 

• centre console; 

• external and internal door 

handles, including the 

boot handle; 

• heat and air conditioner 

controls; 

• seat belt clips; 

• visors; 

• wheelchair hoists (if 

applicable); 

• wheelchair restraints (if 

applicable); 

• windows, window controls 

and window handles. 

APPROVED 

DISINFECTANTS 

are those that have antibacterial 

or anti-viral properties. 

APPROVED HAND 

SANITISER 

must have a minimum of 60% 

alcohol. 

DRIVER 

PROXIMATE 

SURFACES 

• any hand held payment 

device; 

• centre console; 

• external and internal 

door handles, including 

the boot handle; 

• gear stick; 

• glove box; 

• handbrake; 

• heat and air conditioner 

controls; 

• navigation and radio 

controls; 

• radio mouthpiece; 

• rear view mirror; 

• seat belt clips; 

• steering wheel, 

including any buttons 

on the steering wheel; 

• transmission control; 

• visors; 

• wheelchair hoists (if 

applicable); 

• wheelchair restraints (if 

applicable); 

• windows, window 

controls and window 

handles. 

H I R E C A R B U S I N E S S O N L I N E D I R E C T O R Y 

Get listed for FREE! Here are the steps: 

1. Anyone can join – just email through your details. 

2. Check if your business is listed; if it is and you need 

anything updated, advise us via email. 

3. If it's not listed, send your details asap. 

4. Get ready for the surge of business now that the 

country is getting back to a Covid normal. 

For contact details, go to www.backseatdriver.online. 


27

OUR 

MINDS 

Take time to run a 

THOUGHT 

experiment 

by Bill Faeth 

When he was 16, Albert Einstein 

mused over what would happen if 

he could observe light by running 

as fast as it. He knew this was 

beyond the scope of his body. 

But imagine how this scenario 

would lay the foundations for 

what became the special theory of 

relativity, a decade later. 

Nikola Tesla also used his 

imagination as his laboratory. He 

devoted hours to planning out 

his inventions mentally before 

sketching them. 

His mind was the first testing 

ground for his alternating-current 

system, which we benefit from 

every day. Neither he nor Einstein 

would have achieved their 

incredible breakthroughs if their 

lives had been cluttered with 

business. 

Creativity needs time and space. 

That’s why so many modern 

workplaces are so uncreative. 

Most of us are trapped in a cycle of 

self-propagating work. Every email 

we send results in another email, 

which we feel compelled to answer 

immediately. 


We’re under so much pressure 

to get results and deliver that 

there’s little scope for curiosity and 

exploration. Before we know it, 

we’ve forgotten that we were once 

children who loved discovery, who 

kept asking questions about the 

world. 

But that childlike sense of wonder 

and openness is essential if you 

want to find innovative solutions 

for problems. Luckily, it’s not hard 

to reconnect with your inner sevenyear-old. 

All you need to do is run a 

thought experiment. 

Thought experiments offer us 

the space to consider a specific 

question in a parallel world where 

reality works differently. This frees 

you from limitations like skills, 

access to resources, or even – like 

in Einstein’s case – physical reality. 

The point isn’t necessarily to hit on 

the right answer but to gain insight 

by forcing yourself out of stale 

thinking patterns. 

Adding unoccupied time into 

your schedule encourages 

thought experiments. When your 

mind is permitted to drift, the 

areas of your brain responsible 

for creativity come to life. This 

is why many authors, like J. K. 

Rowling, champion boredom. In 

1990, before smartphones were 

invented, Rowling’s train from 

Manchester to London was delayed 

by four hours. The story of Harry 

Potter emerged in her mind while 

she was stuck at the station with 

nothing to do. Imagine what your 

mind might gift you if you allowed 

it time to wander. 

My challenge to all of you this 

month is to add a few minutes 

of unoccupied time into your 

schedule and let your mind 

wander. 

Most of the time, our minds are 

the most significant obstacle 

between us and the goal we want 

to achieve. 


29

QLD GOLD COAST 

Demand Responsive 

Transport for 

Gold Coast 

by Dominic Cansdale 

Queensland News 

A $2 million trial of the 'public transport 

version of Uber' on the Gold Coast is 

a step towards giving outer suburban 

residents a reliable alternative to cars, 

says a Griffith University researcher. 

Griffith's Cities Research Institute's 

Benjamin Kaufman said demand 

responsive transport (DRT), or ondemand 

transit, provided options for 

people in outer suburbs who did not 

have regular bus routes. 

"For most people, the bus stops aren't 

very convenient to get to and that 

means everyone really just wanted to 

drive their car," he said. 

"The on-demand transit services that 

are planned now, they'll been feeding 

into … the major train lines or bus 

stations you might imagine being the 

backbone of the network." 

Has it worked before? 

Mr Kaufman said "you can imagine it 

[DRT] as a public transport version of 

Uber" with around 30 trials conducted 

nationally, including one in Logan. 

Logan's DRT trial had been operating for 

three years and had delivered almost 

110,000 trips, according to a Transport 

and Main Roads spokesperson. 

While destinations are fixed, routes and 

pick-up times vary depending on who 

books the service. 

While some trials in NSW used small 

buses, Logan's trial has used 50 regular 

cabs or maxi-cabs across three separate 

areas with customers charged between 

$1.50 and $3.00 per trip. 

Mr Kaufman said using traditional 

cabs had been a "good way to test out 

a service" but that there were "some 

limitations". 

"There's a lack of visibility, on-demand 

services already don't have any fixed 

stops so you lack advertising for a 

service like that," he said. 

"If the vehicles aren't branded, then it 

may be that people in the community 

don't actually know the services are 

available." 

Car ownership essential 

to outer suburbs 

The outer suburbs are the domain of 

cars, with residents disadvantaged by a 

lack of public transport. 

30 


"We need to allow them to still go 

shopping, still gain access to the 

medical attention they need, and still 

be members of society." 

Mr Kaufman said the Gold Coast trial 

sites were "well placed" for DRT. 

"It might take you 10 or 15 minutes 

to drive to your destination, to catch 

a bus might take you 45 [minutes]," 

he said. 

Is DRT needed? 

Mr Kaufman said emerging 

alternatives to traditional public 

transport were needed to reduce 

congestion, with an over-reliance 

on cars putting additional funding 

pressure on governments to widen 

or duplicate highways. 

"People, for now, have a strong 

connection to the car because we've 

put so much into making it the 

easiest way to get around," he said. 

"We've continued pouring millions 

and millions of dollars into road 

expansions, which inevitably leads 

to more congestion in the future, but 

it's kind of a stop gap." 

Mr Kaufman said governments 

must "re-evaluate the underlining 

assumptions" about how transport 

could change when committing to 

future infrastructure projects. 

"There is definitely going to be 

increased competition in this 

market," he said. 

"There could be a constriction 

of operational viability for taxi 

companies and Uber." 


31

COMING 

SOON 

Hyundai 

cars 

that can 

WALK 

just like in Star Wars 

by Will Trinkwon 

The Hyundai New Horizons Studio, in Silicon 

Valley, California, will develop products for 

customers “who have a need for travel in 

unconventional and off-road terrain”. 

Hyundai said that the studio, led by vice president 

and former head of Hyundai’s Cradle robotics arm 

Dr. John Suh and autonomous vehicle expert Dr. 

Ernestine Fu, advances the company’s “vision to 

shape the future of mobility and onboard forwardthinking, 

innovative leadership from Silicon Valley 

and other innovation hubs”. 

The studio’s first task is the development of the 

Hyundai Elevate, a car-cum-walker that was 

revealed at 2019’s CES. 

The vehicle is designed to be used by rescue 

services in emergencies and natural disasters, 

making use of four moveable legs to traverse 

terrain inaccessible to traditional off-road vehicles. 

Suh said: "Current rescue vehicles can only 

deliver responders to the edge of the debris field. 

They have to go the rest of the way by foot. [The] 

Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over 

flood debris or crumbled concrete.” 

At 2019’s CES, Hyundai also hinted that the 

Elevate could be modified to serve as a city taxi. 

Its legs would allow it to walk up steps dropping 

and collecting passengers directly at their doors, 

a feature which would help older or disabled 

passengers. 

The Elevate’s legs extend from a modular 

electric vehicle platform and are capped with 

independently-powered wheels. Alongside a 15- 

foot track width, these allow the Elevate to move 

with what Hyundai describes as “mammalian and 

reptilian” strides. 

A separate drive mode sees the legs fold up into 

traditional wheels and allows the Elevate to reach 

speeds of up to at least 70mph (112 km/h) while 

driving like a normal car. 


MEMBERSHIP IS 

ONLY 

$22 PER YEAR 

We all know just how important the transport industry is in our daily lives – especially for 

the young, old and vulnerable who rely on it, and for those who work in the networks. 

It is clear there is still much to be done to ensure the industry has a more positive, 

efficient and sustainable environment. 

Transport Matters Party’s Leader Rod Barton MP, Executive Board, staff and volunteers 

have been active during the last 18 months doing just that – improving the industry. 

In fact, the latest success we’ve seen is the COVID-19 financial support package for the 

CPV industry, thanks to Mr. Barton’s recommendations on the panel being approved. 

Thank you to everyone who has 

supported Transport Matters Party in 

the past – we would not be where we 

are without you. 

To retain our registration as a political 

party with the Victorian Electoral 

Commission we are required to 

demonstrate an ongoing member base. 

Be part of a movement that matters.... 

www.transportmatters.org.au/join 

We ask that you please consider 

renewing or joining today for a fee of 

only $22 per year.

UBER MUST HANDOVER 

in-house legal team's emails 

The Maurice Blackburn class 

action against Uber Technologies 

(Uber) was instigated by Rod 

Barton MP and Transport Alliance 

Director, André Baruch on behalf of 

Melbourne, Sydney and Perth taxi 

and hire car licence owners. 

There is also a lawsuit filed against 

Uber by the Sydney based company 

behind ride-booking platform 

GoCatch, Taxi Apps. 

Both the class action and lawsuit 

have accused Uber of conspiring 

to illegally operate UberX in NSW, 

Queensland and Western Australia 

since April 2014, and in Victoria 

since it was regulated in 2017. 

Taxi Apps also claims that Uber’s 

alleged illegal operation gave it 

an unfair advantage when it first 

appeared in the market, and that it 

attempted to damage GoCatch by 

using a spy software called Surfcam 

to steal its data and drivers. Taxi 

Apps is seeking compensation for 

damages and loss to GoCatch as 

well as GoCar, its own car service, a 

direct competitor to UberX. 

Uber has denied these allegations, 

insisting Taxi Apps’ revenues were 

already dropping before UberX 

came into the market and any 

other financial loss was caused by 

changes in legislation. 

The lead plaintiff of the class action 

and lawsuit, Nicos Andrianakis 

and Taxi Apps respectively, wanted 

discovery (the court process of 

providing the other side documents 

relevant to the case) from Uber 

illustrating the strategy it created 

and actioned to establish itself in 

Australia and demonstrating how 

lawful or unlawful its actions have 

been. 

In a hearing on Wednesday 4 

November in the Victoria Supreme 

Court, Andrianakis' barrister Melanie 

Szydzik of Maurice Blackburn, 

voiced that these documents 

were crucial, as they would hugely 

support the allegations brought in 

the class action proceedings. 

Taxi Apps barrister Tony Bannon of 

Corrs Chambers Westgarth, pointed 

out that there was no question 

lawyers played a considerable part 

in deciding Uber’s strategy and the 

four members of the in-house legal 

team were holding documents that 

would be significant in this case. 

Uber lost its bid to keep its legal 

team from handing over documents 

as Justice Cameron Macaulay 

ordered the email accounts of Uber’s 

four senior lawyers be searched, 

with relevant documents to go to 

Andrianakis and Taxi Apps. 


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• Flush Floor & Polyflor Non Slip Floor Coverings 

• Reverse Triple or 4 Seater, Crash Frame, Seat Belts & Head Rests 

• Large Metal Lockable Restraint Storage Box at Rear 

• 3 x Child Restraint Anchor Points & Fixings 

49 Fennell St, Port Melbourne Vic 3207 | 1636 Sydney Rd, Campbellfield Vic 3061 

23 Armada Place, Banyo QLD 4014 | 54 - 60 Industry Dve, Tweed Heads NSW 2486 

Limousine, Taxi, Hire Car, Ride Share 

COVID-19 Hygiene Awareness 

for Passenger Transport 

Drivers 

1300 133 353 

www.avagroup.net.au 

23 Lessons | $49.00 

22 Lessons | $ FREE 


35

ON-LINE 

MUSIC 

Melbourne Ensemble Photo: Theo Moustakas 

Hamer Hall is lighting up with 

MDCH collaboration 

Arts Centre Melbourne is partnering 

with Melbourne Digital Concert Hall 

for MDCH's Hamer Hall Series – 

presenting two days of world class 

performances on November 25-26. 

Four concerts over two days will 

be broadcast live from the iconic 

Hamer Hall, featuring a stellar lineup 

that includes Ensemble Liaison, 

the Melbourne Ensemble with 

MSO Concertmaster Dale Barltrop, 

violinist Wilma Smith and Friends, 

plus MSO Concertmaster Sophie 

Rowell and pianist Kristian Chong. 

“It’s an incredible feeling to welcome 

musicians back to our Hamer Hall 

stage made even more poignant 

as we mark 38 years since this 

magnificent venue opened. This 

collaboration with Melbourne Digital 

Concert Hall will provide inspiration 

to our state and sector as we take 

each considered step towards reopening,” 

said Arts Centre Melbourne 

CEO, Claire Spencer AM. 

“We’re thrilled to support 

Melbourne Digital Concert Hall 

who have assembled a world 

class line-up and we hope the reintroduction 

of events like this will 

be a pre-cursor for many more to 

come,” added Spencer. 

The MDCH Hamer Hall Series will 

be streamed live across four onehour 

concerts on Wednesday 25 

and Thursday 26 November 2020 — 

7pm and 8:30pm. 

“The MDCH Hamer Hall Series 

is going to be four very special 

concerts,” said Melbourne Digital 

Concert Hall’s Co-Director Chris 

Howlett. 

Four-concert passes are $85, of 

which $80 goes straight to the 

artists and a $5 booking fee helps 

cover transaction and streaming 

costs. Single tickets are $24, 

including a $4 booking fee. 


OVERSEAS 

news 

RANK DEAL: Taxi drivers must wear 

face coverings at ALL TIMES 

by Perry Richardson | www.taxi-point.co.uk 

London’s taxi and private hire drivers should wear face 

coverings AT ALL TIMES or face ‘licensing action’ if they 

fail to comply, confirms the capital’s regulator. 

The UK’s biggest taxi and private hire authority, Transport 

for London (TfL), sent out a notice to drivers on Friday 

25 September stating that they were ‘expected’ to wear 

face coverings whilst working. Drivers found not to be 

complying were to face ‘licensing action’. 

TfL has since confirmed that drivers must wear face 

coverings even when no passengers are travelling in the 

vehicle or when a taxi is waiting for a fare on a cab rank. 

The threat of licensing action comes despite the 

Department for Transport (DfT) confirming that like all 

transport workers, taxi drivers are not legally required to 

wear a face covering while in their workplace. The DfT 

did however strongly advise drivers to wear face masks 

where possible. 

Graham Robinson, TfL Taxi and Private Hire General 

Manager, wrote in September: “The aim is to achieve high 

rates of compliance with wearing face coverings, rather 

than high rates of enforcement. 

“We are pleased that the majority of drivers are already 

complying with these clear instructions and Compliance 

Officers will continue to engage with both drivers and 

passengers. 

“However, if a driver fails to comply, without a valid 

exemption, it may result in licensing action.” 

The threat of licensing action goes against the decision 

taken by another major UK city. Liverpool City Council 

confirmed that taxi drivers remain exempt from the legal 

requirement after growing confusion within the industry. 

Liverpool City Council (LCC) Licensing Manager, Kevin 

Johnson, said: “For the avoidance of doubt this legal 

requirement does not apply to the driver of the Hackney 

Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle - the current Government 

Guidance is that face covering should be worn by drivers 

but this is advisory only and not a legal requirement.” 

LCC Licensing were also quick to release a statement 

stating that drivers will not be liable of an offence should 

they carry a passenger not wearing a face mask. 

For passengers the use of face coverings is now 

mandatory. Relevant exemptions will continue to apply 

for those with health, disability or other reasons in line 

with the current face coverings on public transport 

regulations. 

The penalty for passengers failing to wear a face covering 

will be £200 for a first offence, doubling each time to a 

maximum fine of £6,400. This is in line with penalties for 

breaking the rule of six. 


Caught on camera – 

10,000 tailgaters spotted in 

just two weeks 

Almost 10,000 vehicles were caught 

tailgating in the first two weeks of 

new cameras being tested to clamp 

down on the offence. 

Highways England and police have 

joined forces to tackle the offence 

which is a factor in around one 

in eight casualties on England’s 

motorways and major A roads. 

Soon, motorists caught tailgating 

can expect to receive letters advising 

them they were too close to another 

vehicle and highlighting the dangers 

of not leaving safe braking distances. 

The clear message – stay safe, stay 

back! – comes as new footage shows 

the reality of tailgating. 

Highways England’s Head of Road 

Safety Jeremy Philips said, "These 

new cameras have, sadly, highlighted 

just how many people are driving too 

close on our roads". 

"We understand that most tailgating 

is unintentional by drivers who are 

simply unaware they are dangerously 

invading someone else’s space. But 

not leaving enough space between 

you and the vehicle in front can be 

very frightening and intimidating – it 

could also prove fatal." 

"We are trialling the new cameras 

to make drivers aware of their 

behaviour and encourage better 

driving. We are also using the Space 

Invader video game character as a 

quick reminder to drivers of the risks 

of tailgating." 

Our message is simple – Don’t be a 

Space Invader, Stay safe, stay back. 

A survey for Highways England found 

that while more than a quarter of 

drivers admitted to tailgating, nearly 

nine in 10 people said they have 

either been tailgated or seen it. 

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said, 

"When people think of the causes of 

road accidents, tailgating probably 

isn’t one of them, but it’s one that 

can have dangerous repercussions. 

Highways England’s innovative plans 

are already showing how serious 

and reckless this behaviour is, and 

through this campaign I hope we see 

tailgating drop, making our roads, 

already some of the safest in the 

world, safer still." 


39

WANT WORK? 

WANT A DRIVER? 

DRIVER JOBS 

CANBERRA 

CANBERRA ELITE TAXIS 

Due to increased demand Canberra Elite Taxis is seeking more 

drivers for Canberra’s biggest and most experienced taxi fleet. 

Day, night and weekend shifts available. If you don’t already 

have a valid ACT “T” condition on your licence we can help 

you through the process quickly and efficiently. For more 

information please email feedback@aerialcg.com or call our 

Office on (02) 6126 1500. 

OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS AS A TAXI OPERATOR 

Are you a taxi driver looking to become your own boss and 

work for yourself? If you are, talk to us about leasing a taxi 

plate and working with Canberra’s biggest taxi fleet. We will 

help you through the process of becoming an accredited 

taxi operator and starting out in your own business. Contact 

fleet@aerialcg.com or call our Office (02) 6126 1500. 

NEW SOUTH WALES 

DRIVERS WANTED - WOLLONGONG 

LOOKING FOR A CAREER CHANGE? 

This could be an opportunity for you to join the team at the 

Illawarra Taxi Network. Become your own boss, working 

flexible hours, full time, part time or casual. Full training and 

assistance with your application is available. Must have a full 

NSW Driver's Licence for 12 months. Call (02) 4254 2120 or 

email john.megas@illawarrataxinetwork.com.au for details. 

TAXI DRIVER - WILEY PARK 

13cabs Toyota Camry Hybrid. Taxi has full comp insurance, 

leather seats, rubber mats and weather-shield. Very well 

maintained. Change over in Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Lakemba 

or Belmore. Day/Night/Weekend/Semi/weekly. Full time, part 

time or casual. Immediate Start. Reasonable pay in. Drive for 

us regularly for 6 months, we service your private car for FREE. 

Text or call 0418 612 692. 

TAXI DRIVER - BALLINA TAXIS 

Pick your own shifts, on the job training provided for suitable 

applicants. Email: ballinataxis@bigpond.com - send your 

resume and contact details. For more info call 0419 862 290. 

QUEENSLAND 

SUNCOAST CAB DRIVERS 

Covering from Noosa to Caloundra & Hinterland. Main 

duty is passenger pick up & drop off. Suncoast Cabs 

service 250+ account clients which may involve delivery 

of items. Experience is gained on the job. A 3-day 

training session is mandatory. Call Glenn 0438 517 500. 

WANTED URGENTLY - MAXI WEEKEND DRIVERS 

Over the last 6 weeks, we have had very few maxi vehicles 

out during the Weekend days and this has put a huge 

strain on the guys who are out there. If you can help out 

contact Kel at Suncoast Cabs on (07) 5441 8888. 

DAY AND NIGHT DRIVERS - BUNDABERG 

Must have held an Australian Driver's Licence for 3 years 

minimum. Must be able to pass a medical test, a 5 year 

criminal and Licence check. Must be able to acquire 

an Authorised Licence. Full time/part time Commission 

- good rates - training provided. Day and night shifts 

available. Email your resume to jrider3710@gmail.com 

or text/call - 0421 761 805 for more details. 

BRISBANE CROWN CABS www.crowncabs.com.au 

All shifts available - 7 days per week. Please phone Tuna 

Guclu - 0419 484 666. 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 

CROWN CABS 

Drivers wanted full time or part time in Morley and Perth. 

Contact Tuna Guclu on 0419 484 666. 

PERTH DRIVER - BLACK & WHITE CABS 

Day Shifts (5-7 days). Please call Georgina on (08) 9230 

0400. 

MANDURAH TAXIS DRIVERS 

All shifts available, especially nights, weekends and 

wheelchair bus drivers. Flexible hours - work to suit your 

lifestyle. Good income and all training provided free. 

Call (08) 9581 8999. 


ONLY 

$120 

Membership 

Price) 

and Yearly 

half-yearly 

payment 

options 

Alliance Australia is a peak 

Transport 

for owners, drivers, operators and 

body 

of the Australian 

stakeholders 

passenger transport sector. 

commercial 

is a non-profit body run by members, 

TAA 

members. Become part of an industry 

for 

owners, operators & drivers 

ADVERTISE HERE FREE 

Send details (word limit=70) of your DRIVER or JOB advertisement to 

contact@drivea2b.com.au or sms 0400 137 866 and we will print your 

advert here for 3 months. 

VICTORIA 

CROWN CABS DRIVERS WANTED 

Shepparton - Ballarat - Mansfield - Sunbury - Wallan - 

Kilmore. Day and night shifts. Phone (03) 9310 5422. 

DRIVERS - BAYSIDE TAXI SERVICE 

Sick of driving an old Ford? CHEAP is EXPENSIVE. Great 

set price deals with our 50 series hybrids on lpg. Bayside 

Taxi Service, 313 Bay Road, Cheltenham. For more info 

call (03) 9555 1155 or 0414 566 779. 

LOOKING FOR A TREECHANGE? 

Do you want to get out of the rat race? 

Less stress? Less traffic? Cheaper living? Why not drive 

a taxi in Wodonga? We have permanent day shift, night 

shift, sedans and WAT vehicles. Great takings and easier 

driving! Contact Wodonga Taxis on 02 6024 3839. 

MELTON DRIVERS REQUIRED 

Night/Day/Weekend shifts are available. Ring Zafar on 

0425 844 884. 

SILVER TOP TAXI DRIVERS 

Has to be over 25 years old. At least 3 years experience. 

East Doncaster changeover. Call or SMS Tony on 0413 

393 594 or email tonysursock@gmail.com. 

TAXI DRIVING OPPORTUNITIES 

Want to try regional living? 

Wodonga Taxis on the Victoria/NSW border have weekly 

and weekend shifts available. To find out more please 

contact Scott Cowie on 0412 691 371. 

NORTHERN TERRITORY 

TAXI/MINIBUS DRIVER - PALMERSTON CITY 

Immediate vacancy is available for a Minibus Taxi 

Driver. Daytime/weekends shifts available. NT Driver's 

Licence with 'H' endorsement is enough to start the 

job. If not, we can help you get the 'H' endorsement. 

Great income with flexible work hours. Please contact 

Gihan on 0469 828 307. 

Valid from Now for 12 Months 

JOIN TAA OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP! 

YEARLY 

(Individual 

group working for a better industry. 

available! 

www.taa-national.com.au • info@taa-national.com.au 

TAA advocates for the betterment of the Australian personal passenger transport sector. 


41

Only $ 35 for 

50 words 

Payment details are 

listed on page 2 

ADVERTISE HERE! 

• meters for sale and installation 

• cars for sale & for lease 

• businesses for sale 

• taxi camera service 

• security cameras 

• mobile phones 

• bluetooth speakers 

• vehicle repairs 

Basically anything that can be used with, in or 

for a taxi, hire car, limousine. 

SEEKING 

Taxi Equipment Installer 

Port Melbourne,Victoria 

Netcabs Oiii - a taxi network & technology company, 

are looking for a reliable person with experience 

with vehicle electrical systems, wire splicing, 

soldering & basic computer knowledge. Flexible 

hours & good hourly rate. All tools & equipment are 

supplied. Australian citizenship or perm residency 

is preferable. Email to dennis@netcabs.com.au. 

Leases Wanted - Brisbane 

We are expanding in Brisbane. If you have 

assignments to lease we will pay $100. Call into 

our office in Salisbury and ask for Tuna Guclu or call 

0419 484 666 to discuss price and terms. 

Business For Sale 

Once in a Lifetime … 

Incredible business opportunity in the Whitsundays 

due to owner's retirement. Est. Wedding Limousines, 

with work til October 2021. Location is idyllic, 

lifestyle is unbelievable and best of all … the price is 

right. Call 0408 425 431. 

Taxi Cameras - Low Cost 

G5 Taximeters – rent or buy 

Fed up with paying depot fees? Then go 

“independent” with a low-cost Taxi Camera and G5 

Taximeter. Save thousands of dollars every year! 

Professional installation services for roof lights, 

racks, EFTPOS etc. Call 0421 046 015 or visit our 

website www.schmidt.com.au 

Looking for a Treechange? 

Do you want to get out of the rat race? 

Less stress? Less traffic? Cheaper living? Why not 

drive a taxi in Wodonga? We have permanent, day 

shift, night shift, sedans and WAT vehicles. Great 

takings and easier driving! Contact Wodonga Taxis 

on 02 6024 3839. 

Business Opportunity 

We are expanding in Brisbane. If you have 

assignments to lease we will pay $100. Call into 

our office in Salisbury and ask for Tuna Guclu or call 

0419 484 666 to discuss price and terms. 

Approved CPV 

Taxi Security Camera 

• Compliant in VIC – NSW – ACT 

• Compliant Taxi Braille / Tactile Numbering and 

CCTV Stickers 

• CabCharge Approved Installer 

• STOP paying Monthly Fees – 

GO Independent in 4 Easy Steps! 

• Master Mechanic 30 YEARS Qualified 

Automotive Mechanic / Technician 

For more info visit www.taxiservices.com.au 

or call 0434 423 423. 

Business Opportunity 

Lease or buy a share in Wodonga Taxis. Great 

takings and great return on investment in 

Wodonga's Premier Taxi Company. Call Scott on 

0412 691 371 for details. 


Our New Website has launched! 

Featuring relevant COVID-19 information for the industry and NEW 

Ad Directory, Classifieds and Drivers Wanted pages. 

CLICK HERE 

TO VISIT OUR 

WEBSITE 

Now, advertisers get more value for their money, being advertised 

on our website and via Facebook & Instagram at no extra cost: 

For any advertising enquiries, email contact@drivea2b.com.au 

or SMS/call 0400 137 866. 

Advertisers’ 

Directory 

AMS Ivanhoe Lawyers.................. 25 

AVA Group...................................... 35 

Back Seat Driver............................. 27 

DRIVEA2B website........................ 43 

DRVR Training................................ 35 

Embassy Cafe................................ 17 

Fed Square ..................................... 23 

Health Direct................................... 37 

Melway............................................ 29 

Schmidt Elec. Labs........................ 35 

Stop the Spread............................. 31 

Toyota.............................................. 44 

Transport Alliance Australia.... 35, 41 

Transport Matters Party............... 33 

UITP.................................................. 21

LEAD THE DRIVE FOR 

YOUR BUSINESS 

Think Hybrid. Think Toyota. 

Corolla Sedan SX Hybrid, RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid 

and Camry Ascent Sport Hybrid shown 

The age of hybrid has come. 

More businesses than ever are choosing our electrified vehicle 

ranges for their fleet. It’s making an impact on emission 

reductions, creating a brighter outlook for the world while making 

perfect business sense. Australian businesses are already saving 

thousands across the year, benefiting from the impressive fuel 

efficiency and irresistible drive of hybrid vehicles. 

Ready to re-energise your fleet and take your driving experience 

to the next level? 

To find out more, visit your Toyota Fleet Dealer or call 1800 444 847 

toyota.com.au/hybrid 

*Excluding Special Edition Models 

T2020-015427 DRIVE A2B 09/20

DRIVE A2B November 2020

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