Too many taxis: Mayor wants cap
DAVE BURGESS
Celia Wade-Brow says "taxi management is a challenge" for Wellington City Council.
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There are too many taxis in Wellington and it is time to put a limit on them, the mayor says.
The taxi industry agrees and has called on the Government to introduce legislation to cap or reduce numbers in the city.
Celia Wade-Brown believes part of the problem stems from "overqualified" immigrants being funded by Work and Income into an industry that has hit saturation point.
"There seem to be too many for the city and they aren't getting a good living wage in some cases."
The New Zealand Transport Agency issues taxi licences, but legislation that deregulated the industry in 1989 does not allow the agency to set limits.
There are 1237 taxis licensed for Wellington City. About 400 were on the road before deregulation. This tripling of taxis in the past 20 years has led to overcrowded taxi stands and dubious parking practices as drivers clamour for business, especially in the late-night Courtenay Place party zone.
Ms Wade-Brown said cabs were an important and vital part of the city's transport network but "taxi management is a challenge" for Wellington City Council.
Work and Income assisting overqualified immigrants into the industry – instead of into jobs that better suited their overseas qualifications – compounded the problem, Ms Wade-Brown said.
"Limiting taxi numbers ... is an area for lobbying NZTA because we [city council] don't issue the licences."
Taxi Federation Wellington branch secretary George Tyler also said Work and Income had contributed to the taxi boom.
"Winz ... financed quite a lot of immigrants into the business. They helped them through the training systems ... which helped to create the oversupply."
Ecotaxi driver Bijai Kumar, 60, from Fiji, said there were too many cabs, and lots of immigrant drivers.
"There are all sort of rumours about how much they are paid by Winz to get into taxis."
Work and Income regional commissioner Louise Waaka said the organisation did not fund people to buy taxis in Wellington.
"[But] assistance may be made available to help the long-term unemployed for a range of passenger licences," she said.
Transport Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said the cost of setting up a taxi driver – which includes obtaining a passenger endorsement, transport services licence, area knowledge certificate and checking the applicant is a fit and proper person – would be more than $2000.
The existing legislation did not allow the transport agency to set taxi licence limits.
"[Our] primary focus is on passenger safety, which we target by monitoring driver behaviour and vehicle safety."
Mr Tyler said the only solution he could think of for Wellington's taxi congestion woes would be for the Government to introduce legislation to cap the number of taxis at current levels.
"It would mean they [NZTA] couldn't issue any more licences in Wellington until it could be demonstrated that there is a need for it."
A less palatable option would be to return to full government regulation, which would pre-set cab numbers.
"Then they would have to reintroduce fare fixing. If you are going to limit the supply, then you have to control the costs as well."
Kiwi Cabs general manager Ninos Zaya said there were too many taxis for a "small city like Wellington".
"They need to regulate to make the industry more professional, reduce the number of taxis, and tighten who can get a taxi licence."
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Horses instead of taxis Celia?? You wont last 3 years!! Start packing up your office boxes (Recycled ones of course) you are goneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I think the city council is just reinforcing monopoly for the "big" companies, by making them control the industry. It is a business if there is no demand no new taxi's will come and since there is a grow that means there is demand, stop the "nanny control" let ppl decide, isnt it enough that our public places are being sold to these companies, now you want to give them more power to suck the blood of the poor drivers? And by the way taxi Federation is a joke the are the "mafia" of the taxi industry.
Do you remember over 20 years ago before re regulation ! waiting for hours for a cab on the dixon,wet and cold,only to be declined by the taxi because he wasnt going your way,The Harvester machine is hard at work here,the wont be happy till they controll the stands and the prime buisnesses,once they get controll the prices will go up,they will bring in multible tarrifs,just like the old days,why dont we ask Celia why the taxi ranks in the city have been made smaller and in some cases removed and no relacement or space added to others to compensate,probably 50 percent less taxi stand space now compared to 20 years ago,and even taxi charge and total mobility uses will only be able to use harvesters only as they will be the only ones able to process there good for nothing cards, WAKE UP Wellingtonians
Enviroman #36
Calm down Enviroman. You sound hysterical. And you sure think that Celia has been busy don't you. She has been in office just over 100 days after years and years of Kerry.
Pretty much everything you list is the result of Kerry's time in office.
Well that's interesting when one considers Wellington Combined paid a fair price to get the prime taxi rank at the airport, surely they cannot be capped having paid for the priviledge? Fishy...the Mayor must consider this carefully before she stands acused of favouratism amongst Wellington's taxi companies. The whole deal with the Airport saw Snapper awarded to Wellington Combined after Infratil tendered for the Total Mobility Scheme and got it timely and before the Rugby World Cup.$$$$$$$$ Take your pick below....
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4200584/Combined-Taxis-braces-for-price-war
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3861175/Taxi-drivers-protest-airport-decision
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3934431/Price-war-in-the-taxi-ranks-after-airport-reshuffle
The only reason to regulate is safety, and I haven't heard of any safety concerns. If the number of taxis is limited, prices will rise, which means wages will rise for those few lucky enough to have a licence. But the rest will be forced out of the industry, perhaps to the dole. Regulation benefits no one. Let's leave the taxi industry alone.
Andy #31 All you need to do is find is find the one taxi driver desperate enough for a fare and then there you go. General rule is avoid Wgtn combined.
I think the mayor has far to many more important problems to deal with than this. But hey if she keeps this up she won't last longer than a term
Hahaha... you lot voted in this Green Hippie! Kerry was so much better, she was all about making this City a better place to live and work.. Wade-Brown, wants it different to everyone else, she wants more people on bikes, walking, public transport! Yet they put the bus fares up 100%, have a rail link is worse than a third world country.. and now going to put hundreds of immigrants out of work! Where else will these people be able to feed their families when English is their second language!
Next she will bring in a congestion charge, block off Courtney Place for traffic because they want young people to binge drink non stop for two days, put buses through our main CBD area which will ultimately close shops!.. oh yeah she has!
I still cannot beleive the amount of roadworks in this City! in the biggest tourist season, with twenty odd ships docking, and we dig up our roads! hmmm... take a walk down Willis St and ask the shops how they feel Celia and how the roadworks affected trade! or take a look on Trademe at businesses for sale!
She has stuffed up this City in just a few months! Bring back Kerry!
Not sure what the real problem is here. If it's taxis parking illegally then police it. If it's too many taxis the market will sort that out nicely thanks. Our new mayor would be better off concentrating on how the city can cut its ever-increasing debt burden.
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of course reduce the small co taxis,let only the best professional taxi cabe,corporate,combine,.all rest move avay,.some taxi from small comapny they dont know what they are doing,if you ask them they just know,anything the first questions from this less taxi company drivers is are you from welly,.because they want to drive you around around the oriental,to make you more to pay,.