Taxi driver loses accreditation after string of customer complaints

She’s run red lights and asked a visually impaired passenger to look out for street numbers — this woman could be Victoria’s worst cabbie, and she wants to get back behind the wheel of a taxi.

Hawa Add has a horror record of 27 traffic offences. Picture: SBS Radio

A woman who could be Victoria’s worst cabbie has failed in her attempt to overturn a ban on her getting back behind the wheel of a taxi.

Hawa Add, 69, had already been banned from driving cabs twice.

She has a horror record of 27 traffic offences that landed her in court eight times. She was nabbed speeding 19 times, disobeyed traffic lights five times, failed to give way, failed to use headlights, and even failed to restrain a child.

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Among 21 complaints since she began driving cabs in 2004, passengers said she:

HAD insufficient knowledge of Melbourne roads;

REFUSED to assist a vulnerable passenger with luggage;

ASKED a visually impaired passenger to watch out for street numbers;

COULD not operate devices including a GPS;

TOOK too long to drive comparatively short distances;

REFUSED to accept cash and at other times refused to accept credit cards;

DROVE in a manner that led them to fear for their safety, and

WAS abusive.

On three occasions, complaints against her led to disciplinary action.

One passenger complained of being abused on a horror journey during which Ms Add ran two red lights and also abused other drivers.

Concerns about Ms Add’s driving and behaviour were so serious she was subjected to a VicRoads inquiry to determine whether she should even hold a licence.

Hawa Add’s bid to get back behind the wheel of her taxi has been rejected.

A psychiatrist recommended counselling or mentoring so she could “improve her ability to serve others”.

In 2013, her driver accreditation was suspended and she was ordered to do a taxi driving course and a customer service course.

After complaints against her continued, she was reprimanded in 2015, and was warned that more serious action would follow. In 2017, her accreditation was cancelled.

After Victoria's Commercial Passenger Vehicle Commission refused to reinstate her accreditation, Ms Add took her fight to drive to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, arguing she was “courteous and helpful to her customers”, and assisted them when it was reasonable.

She said she felt she had been unfairly treated by the commission and some passengers and should be able to keep her taxi accreditation.

The grandmother of 12, who owns her own taxi, said that since losing her accreditation she had been unable to find someone to drive for her, and had lost her income.

The tribunal heard Ms Add, who moved to Australia from Somalia 20 years ago, had used her income to support several of her seven children, as well as sending some money to her sister and friends in Somalia.

A character reference from the secretary of the Australian Muslim Social Services Agency, Adam Mohamed, said Ms Add was known to be good mannered, honest, responsible and of good character.

But VCAT senior member Anna Dea upheld the commission’s decision to refuse Ms Add accreditation.

“Even if I assume some aspects of the complaints might reflect misunderstandings or exaggerations, the volume and seriousness of the complaints indicate to me that Ms Add’s communication style is not satisfactory for many passengers, and that at least some passengers feel unsafe in her vehicle,” Ms Dea said.

“The similar nature and content of the complaints about Ms Add are of concern because they indicate Ms Add has unsettled passengers many times to the point they feel they need to contact the relevant regulator.”

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