DRIVE A2B February 2021
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Australia's only Magazine for the Commercial Passenger Transport Industry. News and views for Drivers, Owners and Operators of Taxi, Hire Car, Limousine, Ride Share, Booked Hire Vehicles, Rank and Hail Cars.
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From our Editor<br />
I have been reporting on this industry for over<br />
30 years and it never ceases to amaze me how<br />
every State (and Territory) in Australia does things<br />
slightly, and sometimes majorly, different from<br />
the others.<br />
Just this year alone, the Victorian government has<br />
seen fit to grant Uber the right to transport our<br />
most vulnerable citizens — those who are MPTP<br />
(TSS) cardholders. Victoria is the only Australian<br />
State to do this. Moreover, it is the only place in<br />
the world where this has been done!<br />
In New South Wales, the NSW Taxi Council has<br />
started up a Disability Reference Group where<br />
industry stakeholders will come together, discuss<br />
and network with the NSW taxi industry and<br />
disability sector. This will help foster a more<br />
collaborative and consultative relationship with<br />
all stakeholders.<br />
NSW government has awarded Spinal Cord<br />
Injuries Australia the contract to provide a<br />
Centralised Booking Service (CBS) for people<br />
needing a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT).<br />
A central booking system for WATs has been tried<br />
in many places, many times before, and whilst it<br />
is not a new idea, it is certainly a great one. The<br />
NSW CBS for WATs will start on 1 March <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Then there's the issue regarding incentives<br />
for people purchasing electric vehicles. ACT<br />
government offers zero charges on new e-vehicle<br />
purchases, free vehicle registration and interestfree<br />
loans for purchases. Victoria offers a $100<br />
discount on registration and discounts on stamp<br />
duty for vehicles priced over $68,740. Queensland<br />
gives a slight discount on stamp duty.<br />
These subsidies do little to bring the entry-level<br />
pricing of e-vehicles to a more affordable value.<br />
What some States give with one hand, they take<br />
away with the other. South Australia, Victoria<br />
and NSW have voiced their plans to introduce<br />
a road user charge for electric vehicles. Whilst<br />
some international cities are looking at a similar<br />
scheme, they are only doing so now because of<br />
the volume of electric vehicles they already have<br />
on the road.<br />
6 <strong>DRIVE</strong> <strong>A2B</strong> magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · <strong>February</strong> <strong>2021</strong>
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