Queensland’s peak motoring body RACQ has called on the state government to speed up a decision on regulating ride sharing apps so that companies like Uber can secure proper insurance cover, reported
AAP.
This was following a taskforce report on how to regulate the industry has been submitted to the Government.
Paul Turner, RACQ spokesman, said the debate on ride-sharing services had been going on for months in Queensland and that it was time to move on.
"Let's make it legal so that companies like RACQ can provide proper insurance cover and that the government can properly regulate this industry into the future," he said.
Stirling Hinchliffe, transport minister, said last week that the report would be made public “very soon,” after the government had prepared a response.
Turner said there is room for both ride-sharing and taxi services in Queensland.
“Consumers will still choose to use a taxi. Taxis, we believe, will still have the ability to rank and to be hailed, which ride-sharing vehicles will not," said Turner.
Tensions have flared between the taxi industry and Uber, with cabbies charging Uber drivers of undercutting them by having the unfair advantage of not having to pay thousands in license fees, said
AAP.
With laws cracking down on Uber since April, its drivers have been fined $786,405 the following month. The legislation has also increased fines for drivers by more than $900 to $2356 and has granted transport inspectors more power to investigate, said
AAP.
Related stories:
Difficult to see an ‘Uber of insurance’
NSW unveils insurance pricing plan for ride-sharing
