TAXI INSPECTIONS IN REGIONAL TOWNS
In late March 2014, the TSC conducted inspections in over 79 regional and country towns. Taxi booking companies (formerly network service providers) in these towns were advised beforehand of the inspections, allowing them time to ensure vehicles were in a clean and safe condition.
Overall the TSC conducted 318 inspections over a two-week period and is pleased to report that the taxis in country zones have received the highest median Taxi Quality Rating (TQR) in Victoria:
• Country – TQR* 2.25
• Urban – TQR 2.75
• Metro – TQR 2.95
*Ratings range between 1 and 7, where 1 = highest quality taxis and 7 = poorest quality taxis.
The TSC would like to congratulate all permit holders (formerly operators) on the conditions of your taxis and encourage you to keep up the good work. Please report any issues you may have directly to the TSC —the more information we have, the better placed we will be to shape future operations.
During the regional visits, the most common defects were taxis being overdue for their annual inspections. While the TSC no longer issues permit holders a reminder notice when a vehicle is approaching the due date for its next inspection, the requirement to have a vehicle inspected, and to display a current inspection label (where applicable), remains unchanged.