Two NSW affiliated taxi service providers - Great Sydney Taxi Transport Pty Ltd and Orient Ventures Capital Pty Ltd - have been convicted and fined for breaching their primary duty of care and specified safety obligations under NSW point to point transport law.
The affiliated providers did not ensure that a driver had been onboarded with their authorised service provider, and that the required checks on the driver’s criminal and driving history had been conducted.
Each provider has been convicted in the Downing Centre Local Court of the following offences: failing to ensure the health and safety of passengers; and failing to ensure compliance with a safety standard.
One provider was fined a total of $55,000 and the other $35,000.
Point to Point Transport Commissioner, Anthony Wing said he is committed to pursuing affiliated providers who put passenger safety in jeopardy by not ensuring that their drivers meet the standards required by law. ‘There are clear safety obligations on affiliated providers to ensure drivers are onboarded appropriately and that initial and ongoing criminal and driving history checks take place.
‘Providers have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of drivers, passengers and other people connected with their services.
‘That is why failures of this nature that expose members of the public to unacceptable safety risks must have consequences,’ Mr Wing said.
In acknowledging the seriousness of the breaches, the Magistrate noted the number of times that taxi services allowed the ineligible driver to drive, and the safety risks and impacts resulting from the driver providing passenger services.
Background on the Point to Point Transport Commissioner
The Point to Point Transport Commissioner, Anthony Wing, is the independent regulator for taxis, hire vehicles and rideshare, in NSW. The Commissioner's main role is to administer and enforce point to point transport law, including safety standards for the industry.
The Commissioner works with the point to point transport industry to ensure they have the knowledge and capability to implement systems for managing safety; focusing particularly on compliance through education and information, and undertaking advisory, audit and enforcement activities.
For more information on the Point to Point Transport Commissioner please visit the Commissioner’s website.