Rogue ride-share and taxi drivers who rip off customers are being put on notice with tough new penalties.
The State Government has launched a crackdown on drivers who repeatedly refuse jobs or overcharge customers.
Those busted could face a loss of authorisation with the Department of Transport to begin suspending drivers on public interest grounds for repeat offenders.
The crackdown follows an increase in customer complaints and covert compliance operations.
More than 750 Penalty Infringement Notices (PIN) were issued to Taxi and Ride Share drivers between November 2022 and January 2023.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says the crackdown should serve as a real wake up call for dodgy drivers.
“My message to dodgy drivers that continue to break the law is clean up your act, stop ripping-off hard working people and leaving people with a disability on the side of the road or else your income will be at risk,” Minister Bailey says.
“In December 2022 we saw nearly 28% of intercepts by TMR staff ending with a penalty infringement notice. That fell to just 6.2% of intercepts in May this year, this is a clear sign that rogue drivers are getting the message,
“Every Queenslander deserves the right to a fair fare and to have the confidence that when they need a taxi or ride share service it will be there.”
The 750 PIN offences included charging above the maximum fare, refusing to provide service, stopping in non-designated areas, and failing to display correct authorisations.
The compliance activity continues, and more than 600 further infringement notices have been issued to June 2023.
