Perth taxi drivers: Police sting operation reveals dodgy taxi and rideshare drivers are plaguing the city
A police operation has found dangerous taxi and rideshare drivers are hitting Perth’s roads, with one in five cars labeled as unroadworthy and drivers refusing to show ID and ripping off customers with over-the-meter charges.
The Department for Transport and Major Infrastructure carried out an undercover operation last week after Western Australia raised concerns about the behavior of some taxi drivers.
More than 100 vehicles were targeted in the four-hour operation carried out by DTMI, Perth Airport, WA Police and Australian Federal Police.
Authorities issued seven warnings and 13 improvement notices for violations such as failure to display driver identification and fare schedules.
Most worryingly, 19 vehicles were taken off the road as too dangerous to drive. Most of the defects are related to bald tires.
Assisting Transport Minister Jessica Stojkovski, he said more random operations were on the agenda.
“Taxi or rideshare passengers should expect that when they board a vehicle, it will be roadworthy and compliant and that their drivers will be authorized and present identification in accordance with regulations,” he said.
The operation was launched after Western Australia’s own research suggested there was an increase in the number of dangerous taxi drivers on the roads.
Three of 10 taxis stopped at random in Northbridge one night last month did not have ID cards on their dashboards and drivers refused to produce them when asked.
It was determined that taxi drivers who picked up passengers at the airport drove without the meter working and charged twice the normal fare at the destination.
Master taxi driver Jonathan Masih said that the result of the airport operation was the tip of the iceberg and that the authorities were caught off guard.
He claimed that authorities had known for two years that illegal drivers were rioting at the airport but did nothing.
“This situation represents not only a failure of implementation, but also a failure to protect public safety and maintain lawful operations,” Mr. Masih wrote in a complaint to the State Government this week.
“Airport security confirmed that a large number of complaints had been forwarded internally to management, but no effective or sustained enforcement was taken.
“As a result, illegal operators continue to bypass the designated taxi queue system, charge illegal fares and operate without consequences.”
For more quotes and details, read the full article: West.
