Driver Accreditation Conditions

Holders of Driver Accreditation are required to abide by the conditions of Driver Accreditation, pursuant to section 169A of the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983 (Vic).

The below changes have been made to the Driver Accreditation Conditions.

New conditions on your driver accreditation:

• You must comply with all requirements imposed by the Secretary or specified under the Act and associated regulations.
• You must not operate a commercial passenger vehicle classified as a taxi-cab licensed to operate in the metropolitan taxi-cab zone, outer suburban taxi-cab zone or at Geelong, Ballarat or Bendigo, unless you are logged onto the dispatch system of the network service provider with whom the taxi cab you are driving is affiliated.  You must only log on to the dispatch system using the personal identification number (PIN) issued to you by the relevant NSP and you must log off at the end of the shift.
• You must not allow another person to use your 'smartcard', driver accreditation or taxi-cab photo ID card.
• You must ensure that correct fees, tariffs and charging are applied to the taxi-cab meter and that all multi purpose taxi program transactions are processed in accordance with the requirements outlined in the 'Correct Charging of Fares for the Multi Purpose Taxi Program’ publication'.

If you are driving a wheelchair accessible taxi-cab you must ensure that:

• the wheelchair is properly secured to the wheelchair accessible taxi-cab by using at least four tie-down points with approved wheelchair restraints.
• any passenger carried in a wheelchair is properly restrained by the wheelchair occupant restraint fittings attached to or carried within the wheelchair accessible taxi-cab.
• all unoccupied wheelchairs and mobility scooters carried in the wheelchair accessible taxi-cab are adequately secure.
• you do not allow lifting equipment attached to the wheelchair accessible taxi-cab to be operated by any other person.

If you are driving a wheelchair accessible taxi-cab, you must carry a mobility scooter if:

• it is not more than 1200mm in length and 700mm in width (or if it is larger in size but can be safely carried and adequately secured).
• it has suitable anchor points to enable it to be adequately secured.
• the combined weight of the mobility scooter and passenger is not greater than 300kgs.

You must not allow passengers to remain seated on mobility scooters when being carried in a wheelchair accessible taxi-cab.

Amended conditions on your driver accreditation:

• If you become aware of any changes to your medical condition that may affect your fitness to drive a commercial passenger vehicle or private bus you must notify the Secretary within seven days.
• You must log on to the approved electronic transaction terminal compatible to process multi purpose taxi program payments by only using the Victorian Taxi Directorate issued 'smartcard' that bears your name, driver licence number and the card number incorporating your driver accreditation number. You must log on at the start of your shift and remain logged on at all times during your shift, and log off at the completion of your shift.
• You must not drive a wheelchair accessible taxi-cab unless the condition code “W” is endorsed on your certificate.

All of the conditions are detailed in the Driver Accreditation Conditions flyer (PDF, 60 KB, 2 pp.)

Definitions:

Electronic transaction terminal means the electronic transaction terminal that the Victorian Taxi Directorate ('VTD') requires to be fitted in the taxi-cab to process multi purpose taxi program payments or any other terminal approved by the VTD to be used in conjunction with the provision of taxi services. If more than one terminal is fitted or used, it means each terminal.

Smartcard means the card issued to the drivers of taxi-cabs to log on to the electronic transaction terminal approved to process multi purpose taxi programme payments.

NSP means Network Service Provider.