The Commissioner’s Driver Vehicle Dashboard (DVD) has been updated to enhance driver management and visibility of taxi driver fare-related offences. These enhancements are now live.
The new enhancements mean that all service providers, before onboarding a driver, can check that the driver has not previously been fined or prosecuted for a fare-related offence, such as overcharging, not using the meter or refusing a fare while providing rank and hail passenger services.
They can also check that a driver has not been issued a fare-related fine while driving for another service provider.
What changes have been made to the DVD
In summary:
1. Under All Drivers, a number will now display in the Fares and Refusals column under the Driver Details tab for drivers who have been issued a penalty notice and/or were required to attend court for a taxi fare-related offence.
2. The Fare and Refusal Offences tab will list drivers who have been issued penalty notices or were required to attend court for a fare-related offence, with additional details relating to their offence. Note: only drivers with one or more fare-related offences will be listed in the Fare and Refusal Offences tab.
3. The Last Checked By column has been removed from the Driver Details tab. This data is still available through an exported report.
A fare-related offence recorded in the DVD can show either that a fare-related penalty was issued, or that a driver was required to attend court for a fare-related offence (the DVD does not distinguish between these two scenarios).
For detailed information, step by step instructions and visual images of the changes, please read our Quick Guide which can be found on the Commissioner’s website.
What the changes mean for service providers
Service providers should use the information about a driver’s taxi fare-related offences which is now available in the DVD:
- to assess the suitability of those applying to become drivers
- for the ongoing training and management of existing drivers.
This new information can assist with driver management but should not be used to assess driver eligibility.
To assess a driver’s eligibility, service providers should refer to the DVD’s traffic light indicators and/or their own additional driver checks. A red light in the DVD is an indicator that the service provider should take immediate steps to assess the driver’s ongoing eligibility to drive a taxi or hire vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples of fare-related offences?
Fare-related offences relate specifically to taxi drivers providing rank and hail services, examples include:
- not using the meter
- overcharging
- refusing a passenger if only going a short distance
- demanding or trying to negotiate a fare (other than the one displayed on the meter)
- adding an extra surcharge
- using the maxi-taxi tariff when transporting less than 5 passengers.
What should I do if a driver has a number listed in the Fares and Refusal column?
Service providers should continue to run DVD checks as per normal and utilise the P2P Eligibility light as an indicator to assess driver eligibility.
Service providers should also monitor driver offences in the DVD, paying close attention to the Fare and Refusals column. If a number is displayed in the Driver Details table under the Fare and Refusal column, the service provider should check the Fare and Refusal Offences tab and use this information for driver training and management.
Service providers should also ensure their drivers fully understand their safety obligations.
Do multiple offences displayed in the Fare and Refusal column indicate that a driver is disqualified?
No. The update to the DVD will show all fare-related offences recorded in Point to Point Transport Commissioner’s systems for a driver including offences that occurred prior to the legislation coming into effect on 6 December 2024.
For example, a driver may have a “2” in the Fares and Refusals column indicating that multiple fare-related offences have been committed. It’s important to keep the following in mind:
a) any offence committed before 6 December 2024, does not count towards a driver being disqualified.
b) this number includes both fare-related penalties and if a driver was required to attend court for a fare-related offence.
How can I tell if a driver has been disqualified following two convictions for fare-related offences?
As with all disqualifying offences, service providers should refer to the DVD’s traffic light indicators and/or their own additional driver checks. A red light in the DVD is an indicator that the service provider should take immediate steps to assess the driver’s ongoing eligibility to drive a taxi or hire vehicle.
I am not a taxi service provider, how is the DVD enhancement relevant to me?
The new enhancements mean that all service providers, before onboarding a driver, can check that the driver has not previously been fined or prosecuted for a fare-related offence, such as overcharging, not using the meter or refusing a fare while providing rank and hail passenger services. They can also check that a driver has not been issued a fare-related fine while driving for another service provider.
Where do I go if I have questions or require further information?
Our new Quick Guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to best use this latest DVD enhancement.
See the Minister's media release on this announcement.
If you have any questions or need further information, please call the Industry Contact Centre on 131 727.