Taxi wait times blow out to hours at Territory airports

It’s the peak of the Territory tourism season but eager holiday-makers and returning locals alike are being left fuming, with many having to wait ‘several hours’ for taxis when they arrive.

IT’S the peak of the Territory tourism season but eager holiday-makers — and returning locals alike — are being left fuming, with many having to wait “several hours” for taxis when they land at Darwin and Alice Springs airports.

One disgruntled caller to talkback radio said he had been forced to wait “three or four hours before giving up” on getting a cab when he flew in to Darwin on an early morning flight this week.

And one long-time Territory taxi driver told the NT News that the problem was expected to only get worse before it got better.

Darwin Radio Taxi is the largest taxi service in Darwin with a fleet of 87 cars.

Managing director Imran Nadeem said the lengthy wait times at the airport, in a nutshell, was caused by the dire worker shortage the industry continued to face.

Signs at the Darwin International Airport apologise for the delay in wait times. Picture: Floss Adams.

He said the shortages were due to a variety of reasons which were out of industry control like low immigrant arrival numbers in Darwin, a long backlog of applications with the Immigration Department, concerns over pay and the increasing rate of violence inflicted upon drivers.

“My taxi company at the moment, we are not getting more than 65 vehicles on the road at any given time,” Mr Nadeem said.

“If we were able to get these drivers back into the seat of the taxi and drive as a cab driver then these problems wouldn’t exist anymore.”

Travellers line up for a taxi at the Darwin International Airport on Friday at midday. Picture: Floss Adams.

Mr Nadeem said the increase in costs to run a vehicle had dramatically risen in the last six months but because the taxi industry was regulated by the government, the industry has not been allowed to increase fare charges.

“With recent increases in costs like fuel, parts etc, other businesses have been able to raise their prices … we haven’t had that luxury,” he said.

“Right now, I have 64 cars on the road – from 7pm onwards, that number will drop to about 40, then from there we get down to as low as five vehicles close to 4am or 5am.”

Mr Nadeem said he expected the industry standards to continue to decline with regulation changes to soon come into effect.

Tourism Top End general manager Glen Hingley said it was paramount that tourists visiting the Top End had certainty in receiving a ride to and from the airport.

Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler says the Territory Government is investing $12.8 million to fill critical skill shortages. Picture: Floss Adams.

“This is something that has got the taxi industry deeply concerned and they’re working with the airport to get solutions around an airport shuttle as an outcome and Blue Taxis (Blue Taxi Company) is providing that but that’s received real challenges from the regulators,” Mr Hingley said.

“We have heavy handed regulation on one hand and then we have no regulation on another. So that puts the regulated sector at a disadvantage.”

Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler said a review of the Commercial Passenger Vehicle industry was released in March, to examine the quality of services being delivered to the public.

“Work is underway to implement most of the recommendations of the Commercial Passenger Vehicle review,” Ms Lawler said.

“The review made recommendations aimed at ensuring the NT has a modern, customer-focused commercial passenger vehicle industry, with high quality services being delivered to the disability sector.”