FARE GO: Neil Comer says more fares, not fare increases, are needed to keep Yarra Valley taxis on the road.By KATH GANNAWAY
THE Yarra Valley could be without a local taxi service within a year if patronage continues to fall.
Yarra Valley Taxis general manager Neil Comer made the dire prediction last week following an announcement by Transport Minister Peter Batchelor of an eight per cent increase in fares.
Mr Comer said real incentives for people to use taxis, not increased fares, are needed to ensure the survival of local taxi services in regional areas.
The company has nine plates (licences) which allows five cars to work out of Healesville covering an area from Christmas Hills and Glenburn through to Narbethong and Marysville, and four working out of Yarra Junction covering the Warburton Highway and outlying areas as far as McMahon’s Creek.
“Right now we have two cars off the road because there’s just not enough work, and I know of two other owners who are going to remove their cars within the next four or five months when their leases expire,” Mr Comer said.
He said while the accepted return rate per kilometre was $1.06, Healesville earnings were currently between 80 and 90 cents and Warburton Highway was way below on about 55 cents.
Drivers who were earning $13 to $14 dollars an hour 10 months ago are now earning just $9, he said.
“A typical Friday afternoon can be a call to Wandin for a $7 fare to the shops, then back to Warburton for another $8 trip down to the shops. From a fare to Yarra Glen your next call might be to Narbethong; they’re huge distances to cover.
Mr Comer said falling patronage was due to a number of factors, including metropolitan taxis coming into the area, organisations such as Veteran Affairs, Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) and the RACV contracting exclusively to metropolitan taxi services, and the $550 annual limit for subsidised taxi use for people medically assessed as being unable to use public transport.
While the cap on taxi cards is to be lifted to $1000, Mr Comer said he believed that alone would have very little impact.
“When the limit was brought in we found older and infirm people were reluctant to use the card. They’re fearful they won’t have it (card credit) when they need it and that mindset will still be there while there is any limit.”
Mr Comer said there were a number of initiatives which could make a difference, including a scheme being trialed in Castlemaine where taxis with a higher seating capacity act as a “mini bus service”, picking up three or four people at a time for a set fee of say $20 with each person paying a percentage.
Yarra Valley operators will write to the Transport Minister requesting government departments and instrumentalities give preference to regional taxi companies when letting tenders.
Mr Comer said Yarra Valley residents could play a role in ensuring taxi services remain local. “If you need a taxi, call us first. Just give us a go; whether it’s just down the road, or a pick up from the city, we are very happy to provide the service.”
