Document reveals holes in policing of ride-sharing since Uber legalised

Transport officials have been accused of putting public safety at risk after a new document revealed alleged holes in policing the ride share industry since Uber was legalised.

TRANSPORT officials have been accused of putting public safety at risk after a new document revealed alleged holes in policing the ride share industry since Uber was legalised.

The document released under Right to Information laws revealed that in a 26-month span to November this year only one driver was fined for soliciting or touting for an illegal fare.

The Transport Department list of nearly 1600 infringement notices dished out to booked-hire license drivers also revealed more than 350 had been fined for illegally using taxi zones.

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Authorities issued 283 infringement notices for driving defective vehicles, 19 for driving uninsured vehicles and cancelled the licenses of 315 drivers.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive Blair Davies said the lack of enforcement of illegal touts was a “huge public safety concern” as the practice had become widespread after ride share was legalised.

“Our cabbies are seeing booked-hire drivers are on the streets of Brisbane brazenly touting for cash jobs every day and yet the enforcement officers could only find one over a two-year period,” he said.

“It’s like they all need to go to Specsavers or something.”

Mr Davies said passengers were at risk if they jumped into a vehicle with no meter running because there would be no record of the trip, no tax paid and no safety protections.

“The government needs to be stamping out rogue and unsafe practices by booked-hire drivers and the latest RTI shows that’s simply not happening” he said.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport and Main Roads said 16 extra compliance officers had been added since ride share was legalised to ensure compliance with the transport reforms.

A Brisbane City Council spokesman said the State Government regulated taxi zones but changes were being made to loading zone rules.