Taxi enforcement team to raise industry standards

18 January 2007

Taxi enforcement team to raise industry standards

Land Transport NZ is looking for more than a few good men and women to help improve standards in the taxi industry.

Recruitment will begin this Saturday (20 January) for ten full-time enforcement officers, solely dedicated to the taxi industry. The officers will be part of a new Taxi Enforcement Team working to improve standards in the industry and ensure the safety and security of passengers.

The new Taxi Enforcement Officers will be responsible for monitoring companies and drivers, issuing infringement and offence notices, conducting investigations and following up on complaints. The officers will be based in Auckland and Wellington, where taxi numbers are highest, but will also carry out enforcement activities in other parts of the country.

Land Transport NZ National Manager for Commercial Road Transport John Doesburg said the establishment of the Taxi Enforcement Team was part of Land Transport’s drive to improve standards in the industry throughout the country.

“We’re committed to regulating the taxi industry fairly and firmly to protect people. We’ll work with those who are willing to improve their standards, and we’ll take action against those who won't in order to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public,” he said.

Land Transport NZ ordered Auckland’s second biggest cab company off the road in June last year. Economy Taxis’ operating licence was revoked after an investigation uncovered several serious breaches of the regulations applying to licensed passenger service providers.

Standards for those entering the taxi industry were also raised with the introduction of the Land Transport Amendment Act in January 2006, barring people with specified criminal convictions from holding passenger (P) endorsements.

ENDS

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