Published September, 23 2003.
Taxi drivers have voiced concerns that the New Zealand taxi industry is in crisis and they want major changes.
Drivers say there are too many new drivers and many lack the skills they need to be good taxi drivers.
The Taxi Federation says New Zealand has more cabs per head of population than any other country in the developed world, and it is getting more difficult to make a living.
Changes to the New Zealand taxi industry began 14 years ago when the industry was deregulated.
Since then cabs in Auckland have increased threefold. In Wellington 500 taxis have mushroomed to 1200 and in Christchurch the number of taxis on the road has more than trebled to around 1000.
After the Europeans and Americans deregulated their taxi industries in the 70s and 80s, they are now returning to some regulations, says the president of the Taxi Federation John Taylor.
Drivers also say standards of service provided by some taxi drivers have declined.
Taylor says there are unsafe cars on the road, some drivers do not know where they are going and can not speak English. “In the end it is the public that suffers.”
The federation says it is alot easier now to get a taxi license. Many drivers want a return to the days when a license could only be held by someone who has lived in the country for at least two years.
The government’s new Land Transport Act will ban murderers and sex offenders from driving cabs and the federation also wants a ban on all new licenses.
The executive-director of the Taxi Federation Tim Reddish says if changes are not implemented then the viability of the industry is seriously threatened. “Standards will erode, vehicles will get older and the public will be worse off.”
Drivers will be discussing the issues at the Taxi Federation’s annual general meeting in Invercargill which represents more than half of the country’s 6000 taxi drivers.
