Taxi driver plays the 'Kiwi-born' card

By ANGELA GREGORY

An Auckland taxi driver is trying to lure customers with large stickers on his car declaring himself New Zealand born.

Rex Walker, who was born in Auckland, has put a sticker across the top of his front windscreen "NZ-Born Kiwi Driver" and smaller versions around his car.

The 50-year-old, of Maori-Italian heritage, said that in the competitive taxi market he had wanted to attract tourists who wanted a driver with local knowledge.

Mr Walker denied he was playing the race card, and said it was an attempt to survive in the highly competitive Auckland taxi market.

He had permission from taxi company Compass Cabs, he said.

But Mr Walker admitted he also expected to cash in on passengers who felt foreign-born drivers were more likely to get lost or take longer than necessary routes.

"Those are things a lot of passengers complain about."

Although no one has figures on the number of overseas-born taxi drivers, a recent Herald story found whole ranks of cab drivers who were not just overseas born but were also highly qualified, including former civil engineers, doctors or lecturers.

Mr Walker said he had had a good response from customers since he put the stickers on two days ago. "It's getting a lot of people talking, and smiling.

"I've had a few people approach me," he said winking, "and say 'good on you'."

Mr Walker said at least three customers had picked out his car in taxi ranks despite his being further back in the queue.

He did not believe many other drivers would copy him - they "won't be brave enough".

Mr Walker had considered other ways of marketing his taxi, like offering a free can of soft drink for every fare over $10, but decided on the stickers and a daily newspaper in the back seat instead.

Mr Walker said his number plate, I REX I, also helped business. "Some people hop in the cab and say 'I chose you because my name's Rex too'."

Mr Walker also believed his smiling face on his taxi driver identification card helped.

The chief executive of the New Zealand Taxi Federation, Tim Reddish, said he thought the stickers were in poor taste and played to people's racial prejudices.

The owner of Alert Taxis, Robert van Heiningen, said it was an unfortunate move with racist overtones that had in part come about because of the oversupply of taxis in Auckland.

He said Auckland had more than 3000 taxis for every million people, while Melbourne had about 1000 taxis for every million people.

Although customers at times faced problems with language barriers and drivers who got lost, Dutch-born Mr van Heiningen did not see that as a racial issue.

He blamed the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) for not demanding high enough standards for drivers.

LTSA communications manager Liz Reid said changes had been made recently to improve the standards of taxi drivers through new area knowledge tests.

She said the LTSA had no comment to make on Mr Walker's advertising because it was his business.