‘The wheels have fallen off’: Neil Mitchell says the taxi industry is ‘badly broken’

Neil Mitchell has called for an overhaul of the taxi industry.

“I reckon it’s badly broken,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

“I reckon the drivers have become dangerous, many of them. I think the cabs are messy.

“The problems are back.

“All that effort by Jeff Kennett to fix it is gone.”

Neil said excessive advertising, drivers refusing to take fares because they’re too short, touting, dirty cabs and dangerous driving are bringing the industry down.

“The taxi industry is an unholy mess,” he said.

Transport Matters MP, Rod Barton, said the problems stem from poor industry regulation, which began when rideshare services were introduced.

“Things like touting have just gone crazy,” he said.

“There’s been no plan with the introduction of rideshare, the regulator was so enamored to get Uber into the marketplace.”

Mr Barton said “there is no doubt” the industry has gone backwards.

“We’ve got so many people in the industry who are just transiting through.

“I want it to become a profession again.

“There’s an oversupply in the marketplace, so people are absolutely struggling to survive. They’ve gone out and bought fancy cars and all those sorts of things and they have to tout to survive,” he said.

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