TAA recently held a General Meeting via Zoom last month, and we had the pleasure of having the Leader of the Transport Matters Party (TMP), Rod Barton MP, join and share with us and attendees what he and TMP have been up to in the last several months.

After Mr Barton’s rundown of achievements and changes within the CPV (Commercial Passenger Vehicle) industry in the last six months, there was time for some questions and answers.

Financial assistance is here for the 4th COVID-19 Lockdown in Victoria.

Rod Barton MP, has been instrumental in securing financial assistance for the Victorian Taxi and Hire Car industry and what a great win this is.

Taxi and Hire Car Drivers and Operators can get $5000 assistance from the Victorian Circuit Breaker Business Costs Assistance Program.

Who is eligible?

Businesses that have incurred direct costs due to the current COVID-19 restrictions and the business cannot predominantly work remotely. 

This year has been a difficult one for many and especially the taxi and hire car industry. Despite these obstacles, I have not wavered in pursuing what is necessary for the taxi and hire car industry and its survival.

After six months of hard work and negotiations, I was part of the team who managed to get a $22 million package to support the industry.

A note from Rod Barton MLC...
Prior to this pandemic, the taxi and hire car industry had already been knocked down. COVID-19 was ultimately the nail in the coffin for individuals and families within the industry already struggling to survive. I need to point out again that there has been a major lack in economic support from the government for non-employing sole traders, whose livelihoods now depend on an effective recovery plan.

Late last month, I stood in Parliament to ask Minister Pulford, representative of the Minister of Transport, Ben Caroll, what the regulator, Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV), was planning to do to ensure the taxi and hire car industry could move forward as Victorians come out of lockdown.

There have been complaints from Victorian taxi drivers who claim that their Booking Service Provider (BSP) has collected the last quarter's $1 Trip Levy, but to date has not forwarded this onto the State Revenue Office (SRO), nor refunded the drivers. We have asked the SRO to advise how it is ensuring that BSPs are refunding the collected levy money to the drivers? The SRO has not responded.

On July 29, 2020 Department of Transport (DoT) representative Peter Bon, presented (online) the $22m CPV Industry Support package to industry stakeholders.

To date only 2 parts of the package have been implemented — the $1 Trip Levy refund (actioned by State Revenue Office) and the alterations to the MPTP scheme (actioned by CPVV).

Peter Bon advised at this meeting that the "DoT’s objective is to prioritise and facilitate these grants as soon as possible". He also stated "It is DoT’s intention to work with the industry in obtaining information to ensure quick delivery of the support programs."

Department of Transport (DoT) conducted a presentation on Wednesday 23 September for industry stakeholders, and we have questions. So many questions, that we have emailed them to DoT for answers, answers which we are yet to receive.

$3.5m Cleaning and Sanitisation grants for regional and metro BSPs -- 

-> How is giving money to BSPs to be used in the future, supporting the CPV industry during the COVID-19 crisis?

Department of Transport (DoT) conducted a presentation on Wednesday 23 September for industry stakeholders, and we have questions. So many questions, that we have emailed them to DoT for answers, answers which we are yet to receive. 

$3.5m Cleaning and Sanitisation grants for regional and metro BSPs --

1. What constitutes a Major BSP?
2. Do we presume correctly that the Major BSPs are 13cabs, Silver Top Taxis, Black & White Cabs, Crown Cabs, Ballarat Taxis, Bendigo Taxis, Geelong Taxis and Uber?

Many of the drivers/operators believe that they will be receiving funding assistance to the tune of $250 per operator and that they will be entitled to any extra funds – i.e. if the BSP was only charging $120 per month, the driver believes that he/she is entitled to be refunded $130 from the BSP.
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1. Is Department of Transport (DoT) going to inform the drivers and operators exactly how the Depot Fee subsidy will be working?
2. What constitutes a Large BSP?
3. Do we presume correctly that the Large BSPs are 13cabs, Silver Top Taxis, Black & White Cabs, Crown Cabs, Ballarat Taxis, Bendigo Taxis and Geelong Taxis?

Victoria's Department of Transport has announced the details of this subsidy which will provide grants to support regional BSPs in ensuring vulnerable regional Victorians, including the elderly or those with a disability, retain access to CPV services.

This funding will provide grants to support SMALL BSPs that primarily service regional areas.

Grants on offer will be between $3,000 to $12,000.

Payments will be scaled according to the size of the BSP and the circumstances in the regional area.