AN ALBURY tradie is in the final stages of developing a ride-sharing app for the Border, which is expected to be up and running next month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
My Country Taxi would operate similar to Uber, where the passenger enters their location into the app and a driver responds.
A map shows the car's movement and estimated time of arrival.
Creator Mitch Knorr said rates would be up to 25 per cent cheaper than a taxi fare.
“My brother did his back two years ago doing the job he loved, now he can't find work because that's all he knew,” he said.
“So, I thought I'd try to create a job for him.”
My Country Taxi, for the passenger, and My Country Driver, for the operator, will launch late next month
The announcement comes a day after a private member’s bill was introduced in Victorian Parliament to look at regulating ride-sharing.
A vote was adjourned after the government struck a deal with the Sex Party to work on a plan by August.
Mr Knorr said his business would operate cross-border.
“We have a safety feature where you can add your emergency contact,” he said.
“It also has a distress button, which calls triple-0 or sends GPS co-ordinates to your emergency contact.
“Instead of Uber, we are keeping the money local.
“I’ve had a mostly positive response, other than the people in the taxi industry, which is going to happen.”
While Amalgamated Taxis Wodonga chairman Scott Cowie raised concerns about illegitimate drivers, Mr Knorr said there was a vetting process.
“We don't do hailing, so no one can pretend to be a driver and they can't use the driver app until I have seen all their credentials and approved them,” he said.
“Safety checks are the same as what taxi drivers go through - criminal history, driver history and the RMS has requested medical certificates for some of my drivers.
“People know where the driver is and how long it will be until they are picked up – rather than possibly no one turning up at all.”
Mr Cowie told The Border Mail on Tuesday he feared ride sharing would put taxi driver's livelihoods at risk.
He also held concerns for passenger safety.
“He (Mr Knorr) can do whatever he wants as long as he plays by rules,” Mr Cowie said.
"It's not legal in Victoria yet, the legislation won’t go through until August.
“As soon as they cross river, there will be no TAC insurance – if you have an accident the passenger is in big trouble … people don’t realise the drawbacks, they just look at it being cheap.”
Albury Taxis president Robert Plummer declined to comment. For more information, visit myctaxi.com.
