SYDNEY AIRPORT: Standard fee for taxi trips to Sydney City proposed
If I had a dollar for every time I, or someone I know, has been ripped off by a taxi driver, I would be a little richer! Sydney’s $100 taxi between the Airport and the city may be on the chopping block. An AU$95 meter shock on the way between Sydney Airport and Sydney CBD is not uncommon, resulting in low-level taxi driver abuse when you slam the taxi door. That could all be about to change.
The NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is proposing a fix to Sydney’s infamous airport taxi scam— a flat $60 fare from the airport to the CBD.
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Flat fare to the rescue
The proposal is for a two-year trial applying to standard taxis making the airport to CBD run. Larger maxi taxis (6+ seats) stuffed full of families and a mountain of Samsonites) would be capped at AU$80.
IPART says the capped fare ‘protects passengers who might not have the option to shop around. Think the panic at peak hour, trying to hail a ride at peak hour, 45 minutes out from boarding time.
Taxi Council’s surprise support
Surprise, the NSW Taxi Council. CEO Nick Abrahim has endorsed the proposal because it would provide ‘confidence and certainty’ for passengers and inhibit drivers from cherry-picking fares, preferring only the long, lucrative trips.
As a Newtown dweller, if I had a dollar every time a taxi driver has hrmphed at me for being told my destination, I would be an even richer man.
Short fare proposal
One fix put forward is a dedicated ‘queue for ‘short fare’ queue for drivers who want quick airport jobs. The drivers would then get priority access back on the taxi rank.
Sydney Airport and the taxi industry are in discusions over this. I can see that two queues plus the one for car-share rides could be problematic.
What’s not included
This is only a limited fix however, since IPART is not proposing flat-rate fares for other flagfall destinations like Parramatta, Manly, North Sydney etc. That may come if the trial is deemed successful.
Higher fares too
That’s the good news. The bad news is that iPART proposes increasing a range of rates and charges, which seems ridiculous given the competitive rates from most ride-share companies:
- Flagfall (hire charge): increase from AU$3.60 to $5.00
- Distance rate (day): increase from AU$2.29/km to AU$2.52/km (first 12km), then AU$ 2.29/km
- Distance rate (night): increase from AU$2.73/km to AU$3.00/km (first 12km), then AU$2.73/km
- Driver waiting time: from AU$58.68/hour to AU$65.52/hour
The upside of this recommendation is that Taxis would need to provide much more detailed receipts, including vehicle registration and driver ID – all of which should be mandatory now — all the better to evidence a dispute.
2PAXfly Takeout
Transport for NSW is reviewing the IPART recommendations, with any change after the end of the review on July 1.
These recommendations won’t solve the disgusting physical state of most taxis. Let alone the lack of geographic knowledge of most drivers, who increasingly rely solely on navigation apps.
This proposal will not return us to the position of mature cab drivers with decades of experience. Those who took pride in their vehicle interiors. The ones who knew which route was best at whatever time of day you were travelling. Instead, we will still get drivers talking to their relatives via earpieces across the world!
I know, I know, I sound like grumpy old man…
What would UBER run SYD to downtown?
Currently the estimated Taxi price should be around the AU$55 mark depending on tolls and time of day. Uber is about the same for Uber X, and more for Comfort etc. That’s travelling from Sydney Airport T1 (international) to Circular Quay.
However, I’ve paid a Taxi that price and more to my place from the airport, which is about half way to the city. So a AU$100 fare would not make me fall over.