Don't Get Rorted by Curry Cabbies

[Br.IanVonTurpie]

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/cabbie-capers-that-take-you-for-a-ride-territory-taxi-scams-exposed/story-fnk0b1zt-1227477738792


A FORMER taxi driver has lifted the lid on dirty tricks used by Territory cabbies to increase their earnings by rorting passengers, labelling the system "corrupt". 
 
Tony Hibbert, 59, said he witnessed a "number of dodgy tricks" used by other taxi drivers before retiring last year. He said he wanted to expose the scams because the issue was "out of control" and entrenched in the NT taxi industry.

"The drivers who turn up to work use various methods to handle affairs ... it's an incredibly corrupt system run by a small group of people," Mr Hibbert said.

"There are so many dirty, underhanded tricks for making money and some are downright illegal."

Mr Hibbert — who says he worked as a chauffeur for an ASIS boss and Commonwealth heads of government prior to becoming a cabbie — said "double dipping" was a common trick used by dodgy taxi drivers.


"Some drivers swipe the passenger's credit card — especially if the passenger is drunk — and they enter the fare and the same figure again where it says 'tip' so they're charged double," he said.

"They don't turn on the interior light, then pass back the card and they've got an extra fare they haven't earned.

"Someone just catching a taxi doesn't normally notice."

   

According to Mr Hibbert, some drivers switch the monitor from 'day' to night' rate settings to hike up fares even when the higher rates don't apply.

Mr Hibbert said "stacking jobs" was often the cause of delays in picking up passengers who pre-booked fares.

"The drivers accept jobs they can't possibly get to straight away then either turn up an hour later when they can get to them or give them out to their taxi mates if they can't make it," he said.

"They essentially remove the jobs from the pool of available jobs then do them at their leisure ... that's one of the reasons passengers can be left waiting a long time."

Mr Hibbert said "sharking fares" was a tactic used by some taxi drivers to increase earnings.

"If (one driver doesn't) have a fare, (they) pull up in front of hotel X, someone looks like they want a taxi, and they say 'taxi for Smith?' and (the passenger) says 'yes' and then (the driver) takes someone else's fare," he said.

"There's not a problem with taxi supply in Darwin — there's an under-utilisation of taxis because of the way they operate and the rorting that goes on ... everyone wants big fares.

"I think there should be coverage of everything that goes on in the taxi all the time."

Mr Hibbert said he has reported dozens of the incidents to various taxi companies and government departments, including the Department of Transport and Department of Disability Services, and ministers over recent years.

"But everyone seems to just want to sit on their hands," he said.

There have been 38 complaints — Darwin, 25, Alice Springs, 10 and Gove, 3 — made to the NT Department of Transport against taxi drivers in the Territory so far this year.

Sounds like typical, greedy ,curry behaviour to me!

[Br.IanVonTurpie]

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/transport-department-investigate-claims-of-racism-after-indigenous-passengers-allegedly-overlooked-in-darwin/news-story/8162d8594a93e05813c3bf561392a885

ALLEGATIONS of racial discrimination against two indigenous men by up to 15 taxis drivers at a Darwin cab rank are being investigated by the Transport Department.


Witnesses claimed they were forced to hail a taxi for the pair at the Knuckey St rank on Monday afternoon because taxi drivers refused to pick them up.

Territory police are also investigating claims a taxi driver assaulted a female tourist, aged in her 60s, when she attempted to intervene as the incident escalated.

Witnesses told the NT News a taxi driver became aggressive after he was approached by members of the public on behalf of the two men to take their fare. The two indigenous men reportedly became increasingly frustrated as separate taxi drivers repeatedly refused to pick them up.

Witness Amber Riordan said the two men were ignored by up to 15 taxis in what appeared to be a case of refusing service on the basis of race. She said taxi drivers took the fares of families waiting further down the queue and continually ignored the two men.

Ms Riordan, the tourist, and another man all stepped in to try and help the men get home
The woman was here on her holiday and she was just disgusted by this," she said.

"They had their money out saying 'we want to get a taxi'."


She said the taxi driver grabbed the woman by the arms then got back in his taxi and sped off.


She said the woman was shaken and visibly upset following the confrontation.

A spokesman from Darwin Radio Taxis did not want to comment on the incident.

A Transport Department spokesman confirmed the witness reports and said an investigation into the incident had begun but the taxi driver involved was not yet identified.

A police spokeswoman said the assault allegation was still under investigation and parties involved were yet to be identified.


Even the cunning Curries don't like the boongs and the trouble they cause for themselves and the business.