Growing city, growing transport options


Released 18/09/2018 - Joint media release

The ACT Government has today released its evaluation report on the nation-leading 2015 reforms that enabled rideshare services like Uber to legally operate in the Territory.

The ACT Government has accepted most of the evaluation’s recommendations, and has launched further public consultation on:

  • The possibility of further lifting or removing the cap on taxi licences
  • possible environmental conditions on future on-demand transport vehicles
  • deregulation of booked taxi fares
  • determining the annual increase in regulated taxi fares.

The evaluation looked at a range of issues including the quality of passengers’ experiences, safety, accessibility and potential changes in the competitive structure of the industry in the years following the reforms.

“The ACT Government is committed to making Canberra an accessible, inclusive city,” Minister for Business and Regulatory Services Gordon Ramsay said.

“By broadening consumer choices of travel we can take advantage of emerging, alternative technologies and travel business models,” Minister for Road Safety Shane Rattenbury said.

“It is important we have on-demand transport options readily available to connect our growing city and ensure our community can travel safely from A to B.

“We are working with the industry to ensure on-demand transport needs are being met no matter where Canberrans live, or what their accessibility needs are.”

The ACT Government has agreed to increase the regulated cap on standard taxi licences (from 358 to 500) and releasing 80 government-issued taxi licences by March 2019.

“We need to have services readily available to meet the needs of our growing population and visitors from interstate and around the world,” Minister Ramsay said.

Between 2011 and 2017 our population increased by 12 per cent, to more than 410,000. At the same time, the number of visitors to ACT grew 36 per cent, to more than 4,944,000.  Increasing the supply of taxi licences at this time will address longstanding issues with supply, and balance consumer and industry outcomes.

We will continue to examine the on-demand transport market to ensure greater consumer choice, service quality and accessibility in our growing city.

The ACT Government welcomes industry stakeholders and all Canberrans who use taxis, hire cars or rideshare services to have their say as part of the consultation process.

The discussion paper and further information about the consultation can be found on YourSay: www.yoursay.act.gov.au/on-demand-transport-reform

- Statement ends -

Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Shane Rattenbury, MLA | Media Releases

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