AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE CAR REGULATIONS

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 2 of 1956

	These regulations set out in detail the conditions which will govern the operation of taxis and private hire cars.  Many of the provisions of the Motor Hire Car Regulations, which will be repealed by the above, have been retained, and, with the addition of new provisions, covers most of those contained in the N.SW. Regulations regarding taxis and private hire cars.

	The main provisions of the regulations are :–

1).	to require a taxi driver to accept any hiring unless it involves a journey to a place outside the Territory.

2).	to provide for the installation of taximeters in all taxis in order to allow the public to check fares charged against the meter.  The Registrar may, exempt a taxi licensee from the necessity of having a taximeter installed, and issue a fare card instead.  The Registrar may use this discretion in such cases as the changing over from hire car to taxi operations or where a meter is out of order.

3).	to provide a scale of fares which may be charged according to the following rates :–

(a)	Within the City Area:			
		 (i) flag fall	1/6	
		(ii) mileage rate	1/6 per mile	
	A booking fee of 1-6 where a taxi is required to travel to a specified place in order to pick up the hirer	
		
(b)	Outside the City Area (where the fare will not be recorded on the taximeter):	
	1/3 per mile from the rank nearest the point of hiring and back to the rank nearest to the place at which the hiring terminates.	
		
(c)	Jervis Bay (where there are no taxi ranks):	
	1/3 per mile from the place where the taxi is usually garaged and back to that point.	

Waiting time	1/-	for each 5 minutes.	
			
Luggage	6d.	for every 56 lbs. or part thereof in excess of 56 lbs. but the maximum charge shall not exceed 2/-.	
			
Minimum fare for a journey	2/6.		

4).	to allow private hire car fares to be arrived at by mutual agreement.

5).	to provide that the rate of fare (i.e. flag fall and mileage rate) be displayed, as prescribed, in a taxi and to prohibit the display of unauthorised signs.

6).	to prohibit multiple hiring except from Canberra Railway Station.  A similar exemption exists under the N.S.W. regulations in respect of Central Station Sydney.  This exemption is expected to conduce to the better servicing of Canberra Railway Station particularly the 5 a.m. train of week days and the Sunday midnight train.