Victoria’s peak body representing taxi drivers would welcome reforms to stop airport fare gouging and refusals

Victoria’s peak taxi association says it would “absolutely support” fixed fares to stop customers being ripped off or refused rides from cabbies at Melbourne Airport, after similar reforms were recommended interstate.

Victoria’s peak taxi association says it would welcome fixed fares to stop airport fare gouging and taxi refusals after reforms were recommended interstate.

NSW’s pricing regulator has recommended fixed fares be introduced for trips between Sydney Airport and the CBD to stop taxi rank rip-offs and refusals for short trips.

The plan would see a two-year trial of a $60 cap for passengers travelling in standard cabs between the CBD and airport, and $80 for maxi taxis.

It was one of seven recommendations made by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal to overhaul Sydney’s taxi sector amid mounting complaints about price gouging.

The president of Victoria’s peak body representing taxi drivers would “absolutely” welcome fixed fares. Picture: Jason Edwards

In Victoria last year, the state’s taxi watchdog Safe Transport Victoria received nearly 1300 complaints from people who said they were refused fares.

Passengers also made formal complaints about being slammed with exorbitant fares or being refused proper receipts.

Stephen Armstrong the President of the Victorian Taxi Association said he “would absolutely support” the introduction of set fares in the state to stamp out “the minority” of drivers engaging in illegal behaviour.

“It would provide clarity and absolute certainty for customers in the knowledge that they are not being discriminated against and being charged fairly,” Mr Armstrong said.

“This would alleviate bad customer service currently practised by a small minority of drivers.”

He said the introduction would have “no detrimental effect” on drivers and give customers “certainty and confidence”.

But reforms would not be welcomed by everyone; Emily McMillan the national assistant secretary for the Transport Workers Union pointed the finger at under-regulation in the gig economy as the real problem.

Recent reforms have made it compulsory for drivers to use their metre for unbooked trips. Picture: Jason Edwards

“Fare caps to and from our airports don’t get to the root issue which is a complete lack of any minimum standards in this industry for any participants,” Ms McMillan said.

A spokesman for Melbourne Airport said it would be open to exploring “any measures” to help give passengers and drivers more certainty.

“We’ve recently reconfigured our arrivals kerbside area to put ride choices closer to more passengers, and we are currently looking at other initiatives to help improve the experience for travellers,” the spokesman said.

The state government introduced regulations in 2023 to make it mandatory for drivers to turn their metre on for any unbooked trips hailed from the street or a taxi rank in an effort to clamp down on dodgy behaviour following the industry’s deregulation in 2017.

Further reforms were announced in May this year, including the “two-strike rule” which allows regulators to cancel the accreditations of drivers with two fare-related convictions.

QR codes were also mandated in taxi and ride-share cars providing information on how to report complaints.

Originally published as Victoria’s peak body representing taxi drivers would welcome reforms to stop airport fare gouging and refusals