DRIVE NOW August 2021
*** SCROLL DOWN TO SELECT ALTERNATIVE MAGAZINE EDITIONS *** 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.
*** SCROLL DOWN TO SELECT ALTERNATIVE MAGAZINE EDITIONS ***
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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is hopeful the government<br />
will accept many of the<br />
recommendations and therefore<br />
be able to transform many<br />
people’s lives.<br />
Another is the inquiry into the Free<br />
CBD Tram Zone. This inquiry had<br />
a mixed result, as the government<br />
initially didn’t listen when it was<br />
suggested to introduce some free<br />
periods or discounted fares, but<br />
in the end decided to bring these<br />
incentives in.<br />
Barton managed to secure<br />
amendments for the Road<br />
Toll inquiry and now he<br />
and his team are working<br />
in the Regional Bus inquiry.<br />
Taxi Fares<br />
Barton successfully achieved a<br />
taxi fare increase this year, which<br />
is the first one for 13 years. It<br />
wasn’t appropriate to have a<br />
massive increase in this current<br />
environment, but the highlight<br />
is that the Essential Services<br />
Commission (ESC) will no longer<br />
hold responsibility for setting<br />
the fares for rank and hail taxi<br />
services.<br />
Taxi fares will now be set by the<br />
Fair Work Commission each year<br />
around the Consumer Price Index.<br />
This doesn’t mean that taxis can’t<br />
get another increase before next<br />
year’s annual review. Barton<br />
added that taxi fare increases will<br />
be brought up with the Advisory<br />
Panel when addressing the repair<br />
of the taxi and hire car industry.<br />
Business Support<br />
Package<br />
The biggest piece of action Barton<br />
has taken this year is to convince<br />
the Victorian Treasurer to allow<br />
taxis and hire cars to be included<br />
in the Business Support Package.<br />
Steve Dimopoulos MP has played<br />
an integral role in keeping Barton<br />
in front of the right people. There<br />
was an initial $5,000 grant, then<br />
$2,000, and recently $2,800.<br />
There are part-time CPV drivers<br />
who do one job a month and have<br />
received the payment. The CPVV<br />
can’t identify who’s in the industry<br />
and who isn’t. This concern will<br />
be raised in the Advisory Panel, as<br />
it is definitely a misuse of public<br />
money.<br />
Picture: NONI HYETT<br />
SAY THANKS<br />
TO TMP<br />
There is no doubt that we owe<br />
thanks to Rod Barton, Transport<br />
Matters Party Leader, for all his<br />
efforts in standing up for our<br />
industry. You can show your<br />
thanks and support by becoming<br />
members of TMP for only $22.<br />
www.transportmatters.org.au<br />
www.drivenow-magazine.com.au<br />
<strong>August</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
15
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