Premium service taxis

What is a Premium Service Taxi?

A premium service taxi refers to a taxi that is of a higher quality than the average taxi fleet in terms of presentation and comfort (currently more luxurious long wheelbase type vehicles).

Who sets the requirements for a premium service taxi?

Network Service Providers (NSPs) are responsible for developing premium service taxi requirements.

Applications by taxi operators for a premium service permit must be endorsed by the NSP as satisfying its premium service requirements and must nominate each taxi to be covered by a permit.

Alternatively, the NSP may supply a list of its endorsed premium service taxis to the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD) for permits to be issued.

Permits are generally issued for a 12 month period and cost $23.00 (as at February 2012).

What happens once requirements are met?

Where the vehicle and the driver/s meet the affiliated NSP requirements for provision of premium service, the taxi operator may apply to the VTD for a temporary permit to authorise the driver to apply a premium service surcharge of $11.00 (including GST) in addition to the total metered fare.

The premium service surcharge may only be applied when all of the following conditions are met:

• the hiring has been pre-booked through the approved NSP and the hirer has specifically requested the NSPs premium service
• at the time of making the booking, the NSP has advised the hirer of the surcharge payable for the premium service and the hirer agrees to pay the surcharge
• the taxi-cab vehicle supplied for the hiring meets the NSP standard for provision of a premium service, and
• the driver of the taxi-cab is, at the time of the hiring, authorised by the NSP to provide that premium service.

The premium service surcharge must not be added to, or otherwise included in any fare calculation for the purposes of subsidised taxi fares under the Multi Purpose Taxi Program.

The $11 fee is not calculated on the taximeter – instead drivers are authorised to ask the customer for this amount as an off-meter charge.

It is an offence under the Transport (Taxi-Cabs) Regulations 2005 to charge any amount in addition to the metered fare for the provision of a premium service taxi unless authorised by a permit issued by the VTD and/or if the requirements of the permit are not met at the time any additional fare is charged.