Geelong taxi drivers meet over Cabcharge fees, causing minor delays

A large number of Geelong taxi drivers parked their cars and went on strike in protest of unfair conditions and Cabcharge penalties, it can be revealed.

A meeting between taxi drivers in Geelong on Tuesday and Wednesday led to minor delays as they discussed issues affecting their work. More than 20 cars were parked in central Geelong on Wednesday (pictured). PHOTO: Supplied.

A large number of Geelong taxi drivers parked their cars and went on strike earlier this week in protest of unfair conditions and payment penalties.

More than 20 yellow cabs downed tools and refused to take passengers for periods on Tuesday and Wednesday before meeting with the Victorian Taxi Network.

One driver, who did not want to be named, said cabbies were upset about Cabcharge - Australia’s biggest taxi payment provider - slugging them with additional charges.

He claimed they had imposed an additional $40 a month to each cab whose transaction is below $2000, and that included only debit and credit cards.

“Taxi work is only surviving on Cabcharge and multi purpose taxi program (MPTP) cards, which they failed to include,” he said.

“Presently the majority of drivers cannot complete this condition as the work has decreased due to rising cost of living and this is putting more pressure on drivers.”

He said a number of taxis stopped operating on Tuesday.

“We wanted to negotiate with them,” he said.

Victorian Taxi Network chief executive, Peter Valentine, confirmed the strike and meetings.

“It was really about trying to get that transmission through to them at the time and working with them,” Mr Valentine said.

“There was nothing particularly unusual about anything.

“It did cause a few delays but they were of a minor nature and our customers are always our first priority,” he said.

He met and listened to a number of drivers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It’s about building relationships. Drivers and owners meet frequently or infrequently, depending on changes,” he said.

“If there’s a regulation change, they have to be updated to regulations that have been changed or rules that have been changed by a regulator.”

It comes as about 2500 taxi drivers across Sydney stopped picking up passengers at the city’s international airport in protest against a dedicated Uber zone.

Originally published as Geelong taxi drivers meet over Cabcharge fees, causing minor delays