Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky today congratulated Dandenong Taxis for being the first company to achieve accreditation as a network service provider (NSP) under the State Government’s tough new taxi accreditation scheme.

Network Service Providers, like Dandenong Taxis, are the corporate face of the taxi industry, with their affiliated cabs displaying their brand and their call centres operating taxi booking and dispatch systems.

“Accredited NSPs are legally bound to report on their progress against minimum business and service standards, and are now part of the chain of responsibility for the quality of the drivers and the safety of the vehicles affiliated with their network,” said Ms Kosky.

 The Victorian taxi industry is in the midst of the strongest legislative and policy reform of the last 20 years.

Industry participants at every step in the process of taking a taxi are now accountable to new reporting requirements that strongly focus on customer service and safety.

“The new accreditation scheme has been brought in to improve business and service standards and safety,” Ms Kosky said.

“The Government, through the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD), has widely consulted with the taxi industry to develop an accreditation scheme that will ensure a better, safer taxi service for Victoria.”

Up until now it has been challenging for the Government to effectively monitor the taxi industry’s performance and plan for its future. 

This new scheme will lead to far greater transparency and will enable the Government to plan for taxi services that better meet customers’ needs.

“To ensure a smooth transition to the new accreditation scheme, the VTD has been given significant additional resources to work with the taxi industry to implement the scheme and lift standards,” Ms Kosky said.

“The VTD can use a wide range of compliance and enforcement powers to deal with organisations that are not meeting the accreditation standards, particularly those that let safety standards fall.

“I am confident that the taxi community will embrace this new accreditation regime and that Victorians can look forward to safer, better taxis.”