Orange safety stickers give taxi drivers peace of mind

Photo / Herald on Sunday

Taxi owners are being encouraged to have their vehicles checked for safety before the Rugby World Cup.

The New Zealand Transport Agency and police are conducting free voluntary checks of Auckland's fleet, and will issue bright orange stickers to vehicles that pass.

The inspections are in addition to mandatory, six-monthly certificate of fitness checks - the commercial version of the warrant of fitness.

The agency's manager of access and use, Andy Thackwray said safety was important during the World Cup.

"The entire fleet needs to be up to standard for the World Cup so that tourists enjoy their experiences here," he said.

Sixteen of about 900 commercial vehicles failed in the first two weeks of inspections. These vehicles must have their defects repaired before going back on the road, and can then be rechecked by NZTA.

The manager of the Alert Taxi Group, Roger Van Heiningen, is having all his cars tested.

He considered it important at a time when much attention would be focused on the city.

"We have a lot of people and a lot of media coming from overseas, and I want my industry to be reflected as positively as possible."

North Harbour taxi driver Svetlana Dimkovska, who received her orange sticker last week, said the checks were a good idea, but were being conducted too soon.

"Anything can happen to the cars in three months."

Mr Thackwray said the inspections started this month because of the large number of taxis that need to be checked.

It is expected to take around two months to test all the vehicles.

"The advantage of carrying out these checks now is so that we won't be interfering with taxi drivers during the World Cup, and we won't be disrupting their opportunity to make good money while the tourists are here."

However, certificates of fitness on orange-stickered taxis are not allowed to expire within the next three months, so many taxi drivers will have to pay $50 for an extra CoF inspection.

Mrs Dimkovska had to renew her CoF, which was to expire in September - meaning she will pay for three CoF checks this year.