Taxi driver sacked for abusing Ali Clarke could drive for another company

The taxi driver who abused media personality Ali Clarke could be back behind a taxi despite being fired.

The taxi driver who verbally abused SA media personality Ali Clarke could return to the ranks driving for another company.

The driver was sacked from previous employer 13cabsfollowing an incident on Friday morning that saw him refuse Clarke’s fare and verbally abuse her, telling her to get out of his cab and that her “p**** smells”.

Now, The Advertiser has learned there’s a chance the driver could return to the taxi ranks as a rideshare driver, or for a competing taxi company.

There’s a chance the driver who verbally abused SA media personality Ali Clarke could drive for another company. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Taxi Council president John Trainer said that even though the driver had been expelled from the 13cabs network, this would not prevent him from joining another taxi or rideshare company such as Uber, as the driver still holds a taxi accreditation in South Australia.

“There’s an outside chance that if he’s working for an owner who has cabs in more than one company, that he might be able to transfer to another company,” he said.

Mr Trainer said that many third party taxi operators often have cars driving for multiple different taxi networks.

Transport minister Tom Koutsantonis said investigators from the transport department had been in contact with Clarke and 13cabs, and were reviewing the driver’s accreditation moving forward.

“Under current legislation, a decision about this driver’s ongoing accreditation will be determined by the Passenger Transport Standards Committee,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

Mr Koutsantonis said the committee will “convene shortly” to consider the evidence from the on-board camera footage.

The Advertiser also understands that new legislation currently before the state parliament would give the transport department authority to immediately revoke an accreditation in circumstances like this.

Originally published as Taxi driver sacked for abusing Ali Clarke could drive for another company