2003

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

ROAD TRANSPORT (PUBLIC PASSENGER SERVICES)
APPROVAL OF TAXI NETWORK PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Circulated by authority of

Bill Wood MLA
Minister for Urban Services

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

ROAD TRANSPORT (PUBLIC PASSENGER SERVICES) 
APPROVAL OF TAXI NETWORK PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 2003 (No 1)

DISALLOWABLE INSTRUMENT - DI 2003 -298

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Overview

The Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Act 2001 and regulations made under it permit the Road Transport Authority to approve Standards for the performance of taxi services pursuant to sub-regulation 81(1) of the Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regulations 2002.

Details

The Standards set the minimum performance levels that must be consistently maintained by all Accredited Taxi Network Providers for the waiting times experienced by hirers.  The Performance Standards do not apply to taxi hirings that occur through hailings or taxi ranks.

Determination No 12 of 2002 dated 25 February 2002 is revoked by this instrument.  This instrument amends the periods to which peak performance measures apply to standard taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis.  The new peak periods are based on analysis of the statistical data provided by the network over a twelve month period.  

The required reporting forms have been amended to reflect actual peak periods and better align with the reporting times for performance measures.  For ease of auditing and reconciliation, the forms provided at Annexure B to the Standards have been amended so peak period data on taxi hirings is reported separately to “all other times” data.

The compliance date for equivalent access for wheelchair hirings has been changed from May 2005 to December 2007.  The requirement for equivalent access to be provided by industry within 5 years is contained in the Disability Discrimination Act Standards which were promulgated in December 2002.

With the introduction of the lift fee in 2003, wheelchair accessible taxi drivers are unable to engage their taximeter on arrival and this results in the arrival time recorded being about 10 minutes after the actual arrival time.  Therefore, a ten minute downward time allowance for arrival times for wheelchair hirings has been provided.  

No alterations have been made to the performance standards that must be attained.  Performance measures attained and reports submitted to the Road Transport Authority continue to be subject to an annual independent audit that must be reconciled with the reports submitted to the Authority.