Melbourne Chaos a National Concern

Written by: David Fitzgerald

Many business people may or may not be aware that on the 28^th of March 2011 the Victorian State Government announced a major independent inquiry into the Victorian Taxi and Hire Car Industry.

So significant was the report and required reform that noted Professor Alan Fels AO was appointed to chair this crucial inquiry (most would remember Professor Fels as the inaugural and outspoken Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from its inception in 1995 until mid-2003).

As a business person or frequent traveller you may think “well so what, why should this report concern me?” the recommendations, outcomes and changes implemented or not as a result of this report will affect everyone that travels as Melbourne is our second largest city and other states will be looking closely at the reforms that are implemented as they will need to adapt and remain competitive with change.  The report is aptly titled “Customer First; Service, Safety, Choice” which should be on the forefront of all Governments that want to ensure a safe, efficient and cost effective environment for all people that work and travel within their state.

Last week’s mass blockade by taxi drivers at Melbourne Airport is a timely reminder that reforms are required as a matter of urgency; further fuelled by the fact that Melbourne cabbies have called for a new and more extensive blockade this week.

So what caused this blockade and major inconvenience for travellers wanting to catch a Taxi at Melbourne Airport?  The Airport Authority axed the “short-fare queue,” which allowed taxi drivers to bypass the taxi holding yard and go directly to the terminal taxi ranks so they could service passengers on short term trips (short fare, no waiting, cost effective for passenger and driver).

The airport authority axed the “short-fare queue” following evidence that it was being regularly rorted by taxi drivers; taxi drivers fear that the increased wait time will not make it viable for them to take passengers on short term trips; there appears to be no quick fix in sight.

Professor Fels final report was provided to the Victorian Government on the 28^th of September 2012 however the government is yet to take reform of the industry into the next phase.  Hopefully they will act soon as at Melbourne Airport “Customer First” seems to have been ignored by all parties.

The customer should always come first and as a national business that provides transfers for passengers all over Australia we know firsthand how difficult Airports, Governments and Road Authorities have made it for "The Customer”.  Airports and roads have been privatised and allowed to change policies and infrastructures at will; and charge “The Customer” whatever they like and put the price up whenever they want with no regard for passengers, drivers or businesses that have to use their services.

It took 18 months to prepare this report and now the report is a further 8 months old; by the time these reforms are implemented it will be time to start preparing a new report.  Just like the M1 in Brisbane; it took 10 years to make a decision, another 10 years to build (it’s still not finished) and now there is talk of a new review as the M1 has now been outgrown by Brisbane’s population increase.

Like it or not we are all passengers and customers of these services; we fly on aeroplanes, drive cars and use various service transportations.  An airline will soon go broke if they don’t provide good service, airport transfer companies like BCT would also go broke if our service wasn’t better than just good; so why can’t the government and the airports lift their game as well; we are all their customers and have a right to good service, safety and choice.

Travel safe and lets all keep an eye on Melbourne and Professor Fels’s report.

The taxi queueing system at Melbourne Airport is at the centre of a heated protest and blockade by drivers. Photo: Ken Irwin

Many passengers were left to find other means of transport. Photo: Ken Irwin