Small-town cabbie sees no need for screens, cameras

DONNA WALSH

TOO MUCH: Bill Millar believes extra security would cripple small-town taxis.

Relevant offers

Bill Millar, a taxi driver in Otorohanga for 48 years, believes the Government should just leave him to do his job rather than looking at making him install security features.

Cabbies, particularly those in the larger cities, have been calling for tighter security since the death of Auckland taxi driver Hiren Mohini, who was stabbed by a passenger last week. Police are still hunting for his killer.

Drivers said they did not feel safe working at night and it was time for the authorities to make screens to protect drivers mandatory and to insist on more security cameras.

But Mr Millar, Otorohanga's sole taxi driver, disagrees with his big-city counterparts.

He recognises the need for beefed-up taxi cab security in highly populated areas such as Auckland, but believes compulsory regulation would be the death of small-town taxi businesses.

Mr Millar said the Government and Taxi Federation needed to remember taxi drivers found it tough enough making ends meet in a small town without having to pay to install and maintain security features. Screens have been estimated to cost $1000 per cab.

"I believe they have forgotten about us little country chaps, because we are certainly different breeds," he said. "We are struggling to service these small towns and all these regulations will kill us. It is time for these politicians to get off their hands and come and see us."

Mr Millar admitted that he had been involved in some uncomfortable situations but said he did not fear going out to do his job because, with fewer than 3000 people, Otorohanga was a small town where everybody knew each other.

"I am pretty sure that if something happened someone in this town would come to my aid," he said.

"I am more scared of driving through intersections than I am of someone attacking me while I drive them home."

- © Fairfax NZ News