New Year’s Eve crackdown takes aim at taxi and rideshare ‘rip-offs’ in Sydney

An unprecedented New Year’s Eve blitz will be run on cheating cabbies who refuse to use their meters and demand fixed prices from revellers.

Taxi drivers who flout the law by refusing to use their meters and demanding fixed prices from customers will be in the sights of the industry watchdog in an unprecedented New Year’s Eve blitz.

Spurred on by a landslide of complaints to a taxi industry hotline set up just a month ago, the Point to Point Commissioner, the NSW government’s taxi and rideshare regulator, will have the most officers in its history on the beat eyeing off any New Year’s Eve transgressions by drivers.

It comes after the 24-hour hotline, established by the commissioner to nab cheating cabbies, received 601 calls in just 23 days leading up to December 20.

Paul Nicolaou, executive director of Business Sydney, said it was on taxis and rideshares to “not take advantage of revellers by charging excessive prices and souring the night for many Sydneysiders who rely on their transport services”.

“Businesses in the hospitality, tourism and retail industries heavily rely on a transport system that is safe, reliable and cost effective to get Sydneysiders around our city,” he said.

“If the system fails on delivering this service then people will not come into the city, which in turn will have an adverse knock-on effect on other businesses as a result.”

Transport Minister David Elliott said he would be “disappointed” if there was any wrongdoing by individual cabbies on the night, particularly after the government had finally reached an agreement to pay for compensation for holders of taxi plates.

Point to Point officers will be checking up to make sure taxi drivers do the right thing. Picture: Toby Zerna

“After the very generous and hard-won concessions given to the taxi industry this year, I’d be very disappointed if the commissioner finds any cabbie doing the wrong thing on New Year’s Eve,” Mr Elliott said.

He urged commuters to instead use public transport to reach the CBD and fireworks vantage points.

Train, bus and light rail services are set to run into the early hours of the morning, but Circular Quay station will be closed after 5pm on New Year’s Eve when pedestrian traffic will be heaviest.

“The city is no place for cars, but thousands of extra transport services will be running throughout the night, to make it more attractive to leave the car at home and catch public transport instead,” Mr Elliott said.

Uber says ‘dynamic pricing’ will come into effect on NYE.

David Elliott advises people to use public transport.

On New Year’s Eve punters can expect a jump in cab prices of up to $60, with online booking sites showing a trip to The Rocks from Penrith will cost $179 to $220 — up from $158 to $194 as of Friday afternoon.

In past years, Uber’s Facebook page has been swamped with complaints after people were charged up to eight times the normal rate to travel home on New Year’s Eve.

An Uber spokeswoman would not confirm what price surging would be in place on New Year’s Eve in Sydney, but said “dynamic pricing” would come into place when demand exceeded drivers.

“Dynamic pricing — often referred to as surge — is a temporary way of ensuring passengers who want a ride can always get one, during periods of peak demand,” she said.

“By increasing the price, more driver partners are encouraged to go to an area, and people who don’t want to pay the higher price, and have time, can wait until more driver-partners are in the area or choose an alternative mode of transport.”

NSW Point to Point Transport Commissioner Anthony Wing said officers would be on the scene on the night to catch anyone doing the wrong thing.

“On New Year’s Eve I will have compliance officers out conducting operations. My officers will focus on compliance by taxi and rideshare passenger services,” he said.

Martin Rogers, chief executive of the NSW Taxi Council, said the surge in complaints to the Point to Point Commissioner’s hotline had led to “improvements” in the service.

“The reports are there definitely have been improvements …. but also the hotline gives an avenue for passengers to inform us as well (so we can) take appropriate action and investigation,” he said.

“(We’re) encouraging passengers if there is incorrect behaviour by drivers, there is an established hotline to report that to. People want to go out and we want to do that safely and reliably, and the way to do that is (for drivers not to) refuse fares and pay what’s on the meter.”

Labor’s transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said New Year’s Eve was “shaping up to be a big test” of the government’s transport management, and that passengers should not be “ripped off”.

“Passengers expect to pay a fair price on New Year’s Eve but there’s no room for price gouging from any operator. Passengers shouldn’t be ripped off,” she said.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]