Published by The Border Watch by Charlotte Varcoe
MEMBER for Mount Gambier Troy Bell has said it was "inevitable" for rideshare services such as Uber be open to the regions.
It comes following the state government releasing its review into the Passenger Transport Act 1994 which highlighted a number of recommendations to support both the taxi industry and future rideshare businesses.
The report's focus was on point-to-point transport which includes any service in a vehicle with 12 seats or less and is able to take customers on the route they choose, at a time which suits them and for a fare.
This includes taxis, chauffeur vehicles and rideshare.
The report is a result of public consultation undertaken in the second half of 2022 along with ongoing engagement with the sector.
It identified the need for a system which transitions the taxi industry into a "modern, fit for purpose regulatory service" as well as focusing on the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users, supports better services and protects customers.
It also addressed long standing service availability issues for users of access taxis through a range of recommendations.
These recommendations include consistent vehicle inspection requirements with annual inspections until a vehicle is five years old with six-monthly inspections thereafter.
Other recommendations included removing barriers for service delivery in regional South Australia and city fringe areas, which would allow metropolitan taxis, chauffeur and rideshare vehicles to operate statewide.
Mr Bell said he was mindful taxi operators had spent money in a "very regulated market" to buy licence plates and their livelihood was dependent on that.
"I think that this does strike a pretty good balance in the two-dollar surcharge for Ubers which will be there to help compensate the taxi industry," Mr Bell said.
"I always like a level and even playing field so some of the other recommendations in terms of Ubers needing to have an inspection of their car as well as recorders for safety reasons evens that playing field."
He said he was supportive of the recommendations but was also mindful he was aware of peak hours in Mount Gambier/Berrin on Friday and Saturday nights where youth were waiting hours for a taxi.
"There is a peak time in Mount Gambier where we need those services or we need more taxis on the road," Mr Bell said.
"One of the other recommendations is around issuing more taxi plates.
"I do not care where the service comes from, as long as those who need to get home can get home safely and they are not tempted to get in the car and drive or walk home and put themselves at risk."
He said he appreciated the concerns of the taxi industry but remained adamant the need was there during peak hours.
Mr Bell said he was not concerned about the future of the taxi industry within the region, believing the two could co-exist with the population of Mount Gambier/Berrin strong enough to sustain both taxis and Ubers.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis said there were profound challenges facing the taxi industry across the state.
"This holistic departmental review of pointto-point services highlights the urgent need to transition the taxi industry into a modern, fit for purpose regulatory structure with a focus on the safety of drivers and all passengers," Mr Koutsantonis said.
"The Government intends to adopt all recommendations of this landmark review, but we will consult with stakeholders before legislating."
Uber said in a statement it had "long known" access to transport was an important factor in social mobility with ridesharing going a long way.
"We are delighted to see the proposed changes to the accreditation conditions to allow taxi and rideshare vehicles to operate statewide, allowing locals in the regional area to have the same opportunities to choose rideshare as people in Adelaide" the statement said.
"We believe this change will increase access to transport services for regional South Australians while creating additional earnings opportunities for our driver partners."