The NSW Taxi Council has entered into a new relationship with Finlease to launch “Taxi Finance” to support NSW Taxi Networks, Operators and Drivers.

This new initiative utilises the NSW Taxi Council’s role as the recognised peak organisation for the NSW Taxi industry and the reputation of Finlease for providing a comprehensive range of financial solutions and specific tailored finance for business owners.

Finlease is a specialist business finance broking firm, with its Head Office in North Sydney NSW, which commenced in the 1980s and has now grown to a team of 70 located in all states across Australia.
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They arrange finance for business owners throughout Australia. This includes a single motor vehicle or piece of equipment through to major machinery and property, debt restructuring, working capital and debtor discounting facilities.

The old Holden Astra may have blossomed into a neat package with plug-in hybrid technology.
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Opel has lifted the sheet off its new Astra with plug-in hybrid power, and it’s a tech-packed offering in the popular small car segment. What a shame Holden isn’t around to secure this one although new Opel/Vauxhall parent company Stellantis may just do that in the future.

I strongly believe the report recently released by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO), that examines Victoria’s integrated transport planning, shows the Department of Transport (DoT) in a new light.

The audit report found that the documents provided by the DoT that were meant to proffer a view of its transport plan, fail to meet legislative requirements. In fact, it found a transport plan ABSENT.
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This lack of transparency is not good enough. Most of the documents referred to by the DoT are not publicly available nor accessible to other agencies or stakeholders.

Commercial Passenger Vehicles (CPVs) remain an essential service and can continue to operate in Victoria during this time, including during curfew hours.

Authorised Worker Permit

CPV drivers providing services in metropolitan Melbourne must carry an Authorised Worker Permit when working and when travelling to and from work.
If you are a sole trader, you can issue a work permit and sign the permit as both the employer and employee.

Get To Know: Bruce Maguire, Lead Policy Advisor, Vision Australia

My name is Bruce Maguire, and I am the Lead Policy Advisor with Vision Australia. In that role I develop the organisation’s public positions on issues that affect the blind and low vision community, and I also write submissions to government and industry inquiries. As I am blind, I use Taxis quite a bit, and I think that taxi drivers can play a really important part in helping to make us feel more independent and included in the community. I have two adult children and became a grandfather last year.

1. If you could be anywhere other than here, right this minute, where would you be? — A: Drinking coffee on a hotel balcony overlooking the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains. 

ENGLAND – The number of licensed taxi vehicles across England has dropped by a staggering 9,500 in the first twelve months since the Coronavirus pandemic first broke according to latest data released.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has released annual statistics covering the taxi and private hire industry across England.

Within the stats it shows a sharp decrease in the number of licensed cabs in the 12 months starting from 31 March 2020.

​In March 2020 the number of licensed taxis stood at 67,800, but has now dropped by 14% to just 58,300 vehicles in the 12 month period.

Last month the Victorian Regulator’s CEO, Aaron de Rozario, finished his time with Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) and moved into a position with the National Transport Commission.

​Six years ago Mr de Rozario took over the helm from the acting CEO James Holyman, and at that time said that he “was looking forward to meeting Victorian stakeholders and working with the industry to ensure a sustainable future”.

​But, how did that work out? It was surprisingly not so good for Victorian stakeholders!

A further $4800 Grant for Eligible CPV Entities impacted by COVID-19 Lockdowns = $9800

​It saddens me deeply to write again regarding the devastation our industry is experiencing because of this pandemic.

These past two lockdowns in Victoria have differed from previous restrictions and that is because this time, the commercial passenger vehicle sector has been financially supported.

We are very pleased that after initial discussions with Treasurer Tim Pallas, Minister Ben Carroll and Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier MP Steve Dimopoulos, we could ensure the Victorian taxi and hire car industry was eligible for the Business Support Package. We desperately needed it.

In the past five months there have been two separate incidents involving a passenger in a wheelchair sustaining fatal injuries during a trip in a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV).

Wheelchairs must be appropriately restrained when passengers are seated in them. Failure to do so may result in the wheelchair moving or falling whilst in transit, unseating the passenger which can result in serious or fatal injuries.

Contributing factors to WAV related incidents could include:

• ​Failing to ensure that the passenger’s wheelchair is of a type that is suitable to be appropriately restrained within the WAV. 
• Failing to have the wheelchair positioned with the occupant facing the front of the vehicle and the wheelchair located between the front and rear restraint attachment points on the floor of the vehicle.