Most taxis and passenger services in central and eastern NSW will be required to pay a levy to the state government’s Point to Point Commission as of February 1, including drivers using the ride sharing app Uber. 

The passenger service levy is a requirement of authorisation as a taxi, ride sharing or hire car service in NSW, and will go towards funding a state government assistance package aimed at assisting businesses to adapt to disruptions in the industry. 

Only services that conduct 600 passenger transactions per year are required to pay the $1 levy (plus GST), which will cease after five years. 

Vicki Walsh, the manager of Lithgow City Radio Cabs said the co-op has had to perform some restructuring to fulfill the new ‘Point to Point’ requirements. The co-op has decided to pass the cost of the levy onto passengers.

“Since November 1 last year our taxi network has had to undergo a lot of change to be compliant with new regulations, we’ve got so much we’re trying to get done,” she said. 

“From February 1 we will be charging all passengers an extra $1.10 levy, required by businesses covered under the Point to Point Transport Act.

“The cost will be paid for by passengers for every trip, and will go to the Point to Point Commissioner the state government implemented under the new legislation.”

The levy is being introduced at the same time as a review of regional transport fares by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). 

The first of three hearings was held in Sydney on Tuesday, with two more sessions to follow at Coffs Harbour on Thursday and Dubbo next Tuesday, January 6.

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