TAXI Services Commission Graeme Samuel has moved quickly to dispel concerns among Victoria’s taxi drivers that a public register of their personal details will put their safety at risk.
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Concerns had been shared by Wod-onga drivers that the request for information including addresses and phone numbers, would expose them to disgruntled passengers.
Amalgamated Taxis Wodonga chairman Scott Cowie said the issue would worry those owner-operators who kept their cabs at home.
But while Mr Samuel initially told media the new system would make drivers’ home addresses public, he later said drivers could provide a business address or use a post office box or the address of their accountant.
While that will allay some fears, it doesn’t address the issue raised by Mr Cowie that previously, passengers unhappy with the service or a driver could contact the taxi operators or the commission itself.
It doesn’t seem appropriate to allow passengers to take up their grievances with individual drivers.
Surely passengers’ complaints should be addressed by the industry or the operators.