Taxi reforms in Victoria will make tourism more competitive

Reforms to Victoria’s taxi industry announced by the State Government yesterday will provide better services for tourists and help make the State a more competitive destination for visitors to Australia.
 
“These measures, which will improve the quality, capacity and price of taxi services in Victoria, are a welcome move for Australia’s tourism industry,” ATEC Managing Director, Felicia Mariani said today.
 
“Measures such as requiring new drivers to undertake a knowledge exam will help ensure Victoria is able to offer a quality taxi service for both its local, domestic and international travellers.
 
Ms Mariani said the cost and reliability of public transport, including taxi services, were significant factors in a visitor’s experience and satisfaction with a destination.
 
“A visitor’s experience with a city’s taxi service has an incredible influence on their overall impression of the destination – and initiatives that will improve the quality and reliability of the taxi service provided to these visitors are a welcome reform from ATEC’s perspective.
 
“Measures that remove some of the cost impediments will undoubtedly help encourage more people to choose a taxi when they are moving around a city and ATEC certainly welcomes the decision to restrict fees for credit card payments.
 
“Opening up the number of new taxi licenses and removing the impediments to car hire services will also help increase availability in peak times and ensure the visitor experience is more enjoyable overall.
 
“ATEC commends the Victorian Government for their foresight and commitment in this initiative and calls on other State Governments across the country to follow the lead of Victoria in seeking to improve the delivery and capacity of the taxi industry in Australia.”

Sourced: TravelDailyNews