The Allan Labor Government is taking action to reform the taxi and ride share industry, introducing new legislation into the Victorian Parliament to ban dodgy taxi and ride-share drivers from operating.
Minister for Transport and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams today announced the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 will be introduced to make it easier for passengers to report driver misconduct and deliver harsher penalties for non-compliance.
The legislation will give greater powers to Safe Transport Victoria to remove dodgy drivers from operating, while giving passengers confidence when booking these services.
As part of the reforms, the safety of both drivers and passengers will be boosted with security cameras in unbooked commercial CPVs permitted to record audio from approved devices. The footage and audio able to be accessed by the regulator and Victoria Police to broaden the tools available for compliance and investigations.
The Bill will ensure that the access, use and disclosure of security camera and audio data will be subject to strict safeguards to ensure that the data is protected from misuse.
The legislation will also introduce a 'two strikes and out' law, which will allow the cancellation of a driver's accreditation if they are found guilty of a specified offence on two separate occasions within a 10-year period.
Specified offences will include overcharging on fares, failing to use the meter, and refusing service to a passenger with an assistance animal, among others.
Safe Transport Victoria will also be required to publish any disciplinary action taken on its public register in a clear signal that unwanted and illegal behaviour will not be tolerated.
This continues the Labor Government's program of reforms to increase passenger rights and safety in Commercial Passenger Vehicles.
In 2023, the Government updated the regulations so that drivers can no longer negotiate a price with customers above the regulated maximum fare and must use their meters for trips from ranks or when hailed on the streets.
As stated by Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams
"We have listened to the concerns of Victorian passengers and drivers, and these new laws will help make the community safer."
"The vast majority of drivers and operators are doing the right thing, but these reforms will add extra protections for passengers to allow them to always book these services with confidence."
