Answers to Questions

Ride-share Vehicles

140 The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (5 June 2019). Can the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government advise:

1. How many ride-share vehicles are currently operating in South Australia, and how many ride-share vehicles were accredited to operate in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19?

2. Is the government enforcing on-road vehicle inspections for ride-share vehicles, and if so, how are those vehicles being identified, how many ride-share vehicles have been inspected, and how many were found noncompliant?

3. Is the government enforcing all driver accreditation conditions, including child-related employment screening clearances and a national criminal history check, for ride-share vehicle drivers, and if so, how many ride-share vehicle drivers have been found compliant and how many have been found noncompliant?

4. Given the flexibility of ride-share vehicle identification, how is the government enforcing the requirement for ride-share drivers to not have any alcohol/illicit drugs in their system, how many ride-share drivers have been tested in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and of those tested how many ride-share drivers have been found to breach that condition in each of those years?

5. How is the government enforcing vehicle identification requirements for ride-share vehicles, and how many ride-share vehicles have been found to be noncompliant with those requirements?

6. Is the minister aware of ridesharing vehicles using taxi ranks and if so:

(a) What is the fine for a ridesharing vehicle using a taxi rank?

(b) What is the nature of enforcement in relation to vehicles using taxi ranks without an appropriate taxi licence?

(c) How many ride-share vehicles have been detected using taxi ranks illegally?

(d) How many ride-share vehicles have actually been fined for using taxi ranks?

7. Have all ridesharing companies complied with collecting the $1 surcharge, how much has been collected via the $1 surcharge directly from ridesharing companies, and how much has been collected in total?

8. Has any spending been allocated against the money collected via the $1 surcharge, or has that money been returned to consolidated revenue?

9. Has the government been asked to use some of the funding collected via the $1 surcharge to operate managed taxi ranks and concierge services, and will the government commit to doing so?

10. Under the new CTP arrangements, why have taxis been allocated to class 5 with CTP premiums between $3,220.12 and $3,630.41 while ride-share operators have been allocated to newly created class 48 with CTP premiums between $570.87 and $639.98, and does the government believe this fee structure establishes a level playing field?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment): The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government has received this advice:

1. The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) is not aware of the number of ride-share vehicles actively operating at any point of time as it varies.

The number of vehicles accredited to operate ride-share services since 2015 are:

at 1 July 2015, the Passenger Transport Regulations 2009 did not allow for ride-share services to operate as they do now;

at 1 July 2016, zero vehicles were accredited to provide ride-share services;

at 1 July 2017, one vehicle was accredited to provide ride-share services;

at 1 July 2018, 483 vehicles were accredited to provide ride-share services;

at 1 June 2019, 3 880 vehicles were accredited to provide ride-share services.

Note these numbers relate only to vehicles specifically accredited to provide ride-share services only. Metropolitan chauffeur vehicles have been able to provide ride-share services with their accredited chauffeur vehicle throughout these periods, including in 2015.

2. The DPTI Compliance Unit conducts on-road compliance activities relating to all passenger transport vehicles. Statistics are not kept by accreditation type.

For the 2018-19 financial year up to 12 June 2019, a total of 11,857 taxi and small passenger vehicles (includes chauffeur and ride share) have been checked through on-road compliance activities. Of these, 1,102 were found to be noncompliant with either roadworthy standards or requirements under the Passenger Transport Act 1994.

For the 2018-19 financial year to 12 June 2019, a total of 44 vehicles (taxis and small passenger) were found to be operating without a current vehicle inspection.

3. The criteria for all categories of driver accreditation includes a child-related employment screening and a national criminal history check. This is required prior to approval. Applicants who do not pass or complete a child-related employment screening and a national criminal history check are not issued with driver accreditation.

4. Only police officers are authorised to conduct tests to determine if a driver of a motor vehicle is under the influence of alcohol/illicit drugs.

5. Ride-share vehicle identification requirements are enforced by the DPTI Compliance Unit through on-road compliance. On-road compliance is focused in areas where use of passenger transport services is high, including at public events as well as other areas around the city and suburbs.

DPTI compliance officers have discretion as to how a particular matter of non-compliance with relevant legislation is handled. This can range from roadside education, an informal warning, formal caution, an expiation or referral to the Passenger Transport Standards Committee (for breaches of the Passenger Transport Act 1994).

Given the use of education and informal warnings, statistics are not kept in relation to the total number of ride-share vehicles that have been detected as not complying with identification requirements.

6. DPTI Compliance Officers have identified some non-taxi vehicles, including ride-share and private vehicles, in taxi zones.

(a) The expiation amount for a vehicle that is not a taxi stopping in a taxi zone is $130 plus a $60 victim of crime levy.

(b) DPTI compliance officers have discretion as to how a particular matter of noncompliance with relevant legislation is handled. This can range from roadside education, an informal warning, formal caution, an expiation or referral to the Passenger Transport Standards Committee (for breaches of the Passenger Transport Act 1994).

(c) Statistics are not kept in relation to the total number of ride-share vehicles detected stopping in taxis zones, due to the use of education and informal warnings and in some instances drivers of private vehicles are found stopping in taxi zones.

(d) For the 2018/19 financial year to 12 June 2019, a total of 176 drivers have been expiated by DPTI for stopping in a taxi zone by its compliance officers. Note some of these drivers include drivers of private vehicles. Separate statistics are not kept.

Note these answers are provided on information maintained by DPTI. However, it should be noted that parking zones and parking matters are primarily the responsibility of councils.

7. All centralised booking services have been complying with the collection and reporting of the $1 point to point service transaction levy. Since commencement of the levy to 31 May 2019, the total raised through the levy is $19.4m.

DPTI cannot accurately report because some relevant providers operate more than one service.

8. The levy is being used to fund industry assistance packages paid to eligible taxi licence owners and lessees (total paid $32m), decreased fees to industry (including free driver accreditation), and a lifting fee paid to drivers for the loading and unloading of wheelchair or scooter bound passengers.

9. The levy has been approved to be used for the items outlined in the previous answer.

10. CTP insurance premiums is a matter for the independent CTP Insurance Regulator.