KEY POINTS:
Tighter rules for taxi drivers are among a raft of changes which will take effect in October, says the Government.
The new rules cover the commercial transport industry and Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven said they would affect passenger and goods services, vehicle recovery and car rentals.
"Many of the changes are aimed at strengthening the responsibilities for taxi companies and tightening requirements for taxi drivers," he said.
"There have been strong calls from the public and the taxi industry for companies to be accountable for their members and drivers in order to improve the quality of taxi services."
New legal responsibilities for taxi companies include:
* Ensuring drivers have current taxi licences and an identification card;
* Recording drivers' log-on and log-off times;
* Reporting serious complaints, and the names of drivers whose employment has been terminated due to improper behaviour, to the Director of Land Transport;
* Requiring people setting up a new taxi company to pass a new proficiency test to show they have sufficient skill and knowledge to operate it responsibly;
* Requiring new taxi companies to have unique signage and a consistent fare schedule;
* Requiring all taxis to have an interior sign in braille, displaying relevant information, by October 2008;
* Drivers working in Auckland and Wellington with less than a year's experience at October 1 will need to sit and pass area knowledge certificates for the entire metropolitan area. They may also have to sit an English test.
Other sectors will be affected by changes to the process for calculating and recording hours worked, measures to improve identification and driver performance, and tougher requirements for entering the transport industry.
The Road Transport Forum said the rules would make it easier for truck drivers to track the hours they worked.
"The new rules will lessen the risk of pressure on the driver or the company owner to break the law," said chief executive Tony Friedlander.
He said the new rules would reduce the risk of drivers accidentally exceeding their work time limits.
- NZPA
