VIC Taxis - Removal of vehicle age limits

[baboon]

Only just realised that last year effective 29 July 2016, the Victorian Taxis and hire cars age limits no longer apply.

From: http://taxi.vic.gov.au/owners-and-op...cle-age-limits

Removal of vehicle age limits
Effective 29 July 2016, the Taxi Services Commission (TSC) has determined that taxi and hire car age limits will no longer apply.

Classification of Victorian vehicles as hire cars PDF, 237.2 KB

This determination is based on research undertaken by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to assess whether existing taxi and hire car age limits are appropriate and the implications between the age limits and vehicle safety.

MUARC's research found that there was no clear correlation between the age of a vehicle and its crash risk. Available evidence suggests that the link between roadworthiness and crash risk is weak.

The MUARC report also found that, while regular vehicle regeneration is critical to ensure that the taxi and hire car fleet has the most up-to-date safety features, imposing age limits may not be the most effective method to ensure this regeneration, as retirement of vehicles appears to be largely driven by economic factors (for example, increased maintenance costs as vehicles age), not age limits.

As a result, the TSC has removed age limits for all taxi-cabs and hire cars.

Despite removing age limits, taxi and hire car operators are responsible for ensuring that vehicles are maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition at all times. Vehicle safety continues to be a major focus of the TSC's compliance and enforcement program.

Nice change, maybe we'll see the BA/BF wagons on the roads much longer now. Might even see some older Falcons as taxis soon...

[Mechan1k]

Woo hoo

More AU's back on the road again

[Trump]

Cab operators pulled shifties regarding the roadworthiness of their cabs with the age restrictions in place; it will result in clapped out cabs being the norm.

They are handing the market to Uber...

[Jastel]

No the government is handing the market to uber...

It is pretty much the same in all states now, lots of "needless red tape" as uber puts it has been removed from Taxi laws to allow uber in.
I will tell you what Qld does but like I said all states are fairly similar
No age limits
Only one transport inspection per year now instead of two
Removal of driver training requirements
Removal of English speaking requirements
Removal of maximum fare prices...except from ranks.
Changing vehicle characteristics, not decided yet, eg air con, auto, crash ratings
Destroying License values...hence the ability to give a crap about your car...if your asset is now worthless, why give a crap about a safe car or having it on the road to service the public.
Removal of Service Contracts...ie working hours of the car.
Removal of Bailment..ie driver pay guarantees.

So yeah seeing a HQ Kingswood Taxi or a Tuk Tuk is a possibility.
The public want cheap uber fares that is why they are getting safety and training standards lowered.

[Sabantien]

There were requirements for a certain level of driving ability and english?

I'm guessing they were pretty damn low.

[Jastel]

They are now lower.

[baboon]

Well from what I've heard from general chit chat is that the boss of uber has stepped down or something along those lines, so ubers' not doing that well anymore... This may not be as bad for the Taxi industry as first thought???...

[amiers]

Originally Posted by Jastel

No the government is handing the market to uber...

It is pretty much the same in all states now, lots of "needless red tape" as uber puts it has been removed from Taxi laws to allow uber in.
I will tell you what Qld does but like I said all states are fairly similar
No age limits
Only one transport inspection per year now instead of two
Removal of driver training requirements
Removal of English speaking requirements
Removal of maximum fare prices...except from ranks.
Changing vehicle characteristics, not decided yet, eg air con, auto, crash ratings
Destroying License values...hence the ability to give a crap about your car...if your asset is now worthless, why give a crap about a safe car or having it on the road to service the public.
Removal of Service Contracts...ie working hours of the car.
Removal of Bailment..ie driver pay guarantees.

So yeah seeing a HQ Kingswood Taxi or a Tuk Tuk is a possibility.
The public want cheap uber fares that is why they are getting safety and training standards lowered.

am I the only person who thinks being able to speak English would be a no brainer? so if I get in a cab and the driver cant speak or read English how the hell do I get to where im going?

[Jastel]

They follow the app just like uber drivers do.

You can always write the address down or have it on your phone.
I agree it is better if the driver speaks your language and shares your hygiene standards as well....lol

Seriously though most operators would not employ someone who cant speak basic english. The point is before they needed to pay $$$ to do a TAFE course which was over the top for conversational level english...while uber drivers had NO rules. The government is levelling the playing field, their words, down to uber level.

I have caught taxis all over the world and got to where I wanted to go despite not talking Japanese, Chinese, Norwegian, Spanish, German etc...I may have been taken the long way, I dont know, (remembering the long way can sometimes be the cheaper/quicker way in big cities) but these days you can use google maps and check yourself. If you have been ripped of complain in writing to the cab company and Transport, not on facebook...if you are ripped off by uber.....well, you can always one star him.

[Trump]

It's a mad race to the bottom...

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by baboon

Well from what I've heard from general chit chat is that the boss of uber has stepped down or something along those lines, so ubers' not doing that well anymore... This may not be as bad for the Taxi industry as first thought???...

Several high ranking executives have voluntarily abandoned ship in the last few weeks as the number of scandals deepened. One was sacked.
It is no longer "cool" to work for uber in Silicon Valley.

They are being sued by google for stealing self driving car tech, their self driving cars have had several accidents, ran red lights etc, they are getting sued by cities and councils for Transport Act breaches, sued by drivers who suddenly realise they are working for free, being deleted by women and anti Trump protestors, they suspended their self driving car program and thats not mentioning the hundreds of passengers that have been bashed, raped, molested and murdered by the drivers.

The Boss, Travis Kalanick, is still there but.

"Taxi vs Uber" Facebook site has many reports from around the world if you are interested.

[zipping]

I have a senior role at Silvertop Taxis.

As it is as long as they are roadworthy they can stay in the fleet for the time being but once the new legislation becomes operational and we can see its effect, company policy will then be decided.

Obviously, we will be looking to accommodate the needs of operators while presenting to the public serviceable fleet.

There will be incentives coming to ensure operators update their cars.

[zipping]

Originally Posted by Trump

It's a mad race to the bottom...

No it will not be

[zipping]

Originally Posted by Trump

Cab operators pulled shifties regarding the roadworthiness of their cabs with the age restrictions in place; it will result in clapped out cabs being the norm.

They are handing the market to Uber...

They pull swiftie's lol
not at Silvertop or Premier

Do you not think that NSP's take note of compliance plates?

In addition, any complaint regarding roadworthiness from the public is investigated immediately (within 3 working days) and resolved.

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by zipping

No it will not be

I think it already has been...

I admire your positivity but if the act says the rule is X then the company cant really say NO it's Y, without losing members or buying them out or however you do it in Victoria.

I agree nobody will put on a HQ, (it's a Holden for a start) but older cars will be the norm, so long as they are well maintained and keep going I will keep using them. At 500000kms they are pretty stuffed and need replacing but...that wont change no matter what the compliance plate says.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by zipping

They pull swiftie's lol
not at Silvertop or Premier

Do you not think that NSP's take note of compliance plates?

In addition, any complaint regarding roadworthiness from the public is investigated immediately (within 3 working days) and resolved.

Have you seen the state of some of the cabs wearing your companies livery...?

[zipping]

Originally Posted by Trump

Have you seen the state of some of the cabs wearing your companies livery...?

I don't deny that there are vehicles below an acceptable standard in a fleet of 1700.

However, considering the economic pressures that have arrived in our industry I'm confidant that our standard is better that our competitions and overall is holding up better than I expected.

This may not be acceptable to some but its a far cry from the accusation you were happy to throw out there in your earlier post.

Care to provide some evidence that there is a culture of operators gaming the system to as you say pull swifties?

Yes a very small minority try but overall the culture is pretty good.

[vbvbvb088]

I remember remember getting into EF EL sedan with 488,00 and the spanner clock. With AU’s they went forever…

[vbvbvb088]

I remember remember getting into EF EL sedan with 488,00 and the spanner clock. With AU’s they went forever…