If you catch a taxi home this Saturday night be prepared to pay the fare upfront.
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From this Saturday in the Illawarra and other regional and country areas, taxi drivers can choose to ask passengers to pay in advance.
It’s a new government regulation – and a driver can tell a passenger to leave the taxi if they refuse to pay.
“Whether a customer is asked to pre-pay their fare is entirely up to the driver,” a Transport for NSW spokesman said.
“However, it’s important that customers in regional NSW are aware that if the driver does ask them to pre-pay their fare, they will be obliged to do so.”
In the Sydney CBD and Central Coast pre-paid fares are already in operation on Friday and Saturday nights – and the night before a public holiday – from 10pm to 5am.
However, in Wollongong and other regional areas, taxi drivers will be able to ask passengers to pre-pay at any time.
The Transport for NSW spokesman said the move was brought in to prevent fare evasion – colloquially known as “doing a runner”.
A pre-paid fare would see a driver calculate an estimated fare before starting the trip – the meter still needs to be turned on when the trip begins.
On arrival at the destination the difference is either paid by or refunded to the passenger.
The NSW Taxi Council supported the regional introduction of pre-paid fares.
“It is there in part to protect drivers,” acting deputy CEO Nick Abrahim said.
“Unfortunately it is the nature of our industry that we do get those cases where drivers are vulnerable to fare evasion.”
Mr Abrahim said he expected most requests for pre-paid fares would happen during “the more vulnerable times” of Friday and Saturday night.
“The time of day could be one influencing factor, it could be the distance or it could be one particular passenger that the driver may question their ability to pay,” he said
Illawarra residents were in favour of pre-paid fares reducing the risk of runners.
“It’s good for the safety of the taxi driver, to stop them being ripped off,” Marion Irwin said.
She also felt it could be helpful for passengers to know how much the fare was before they started the trip.
Grahame Pallett also felt it was a good idea.
“It’s the only way they’re going to keep them safe,” Mr Pallett said of the taxi drivers.