A $60 flat rate will now apply to any taxi trip from Sydney Airport to the CBD in a bid to crack down on fare price gouging.
From November 3, Sydney will join the likes of major cities including Paris and New York as it begins a 12-month trial of a flat fare structure.
Minister for Transport John Graham said there was an influx of complaints that travellers arriving in Sydney were being “ripped off” for a fare to the city.
“This measure will crack down on that, it will mean that people travelling from the airport and into the CBD will have certainty,” he said.
“They’ll know they’re going to be charged $60 for that fare, there won’t be unwelcome additions.
Travellers outside of Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal. (Barrie Cassidy: Twitter)
“That’s a really welcome step, we know it will mean people will have a smoother, better experience as they arrive in Sydney for the first time or as they come back home having been away.”
Point to Point Transport Commissioner Anthony Wing said the move was about instilling trust and confidence in the state’s taxi system.
“We know that the vast majority of the state’s 15,000 taxi drivers do a great job,” he said.
“But unfortunately, we also know there are some who are out there ripping people off.
“Particularly, they tend to target the airport because they know there are people coming here that don’t know how much they should be paying or how the system works.”
“This trial will help us stop overcharging before it happens, and will complement the work of my on-street inspectors in helping make sure every ride is a safe ride in NSW.”
Taxis charging over $150 for fares
According to the commissioner, hotel concierges had reported guests were being charged more than $150 for the 13-kilometre trip.
Earlier in the year, a cab driver was fined $2,000 for charging an overseas family $188.76 for a trip from the international terminal to the CBD.
NSW Taxi Council chief executive Nick Abrahim welcomed the trial and said he hoped it would be embraced by the broader transport industry.
“This is such an important measure, particularly giving passengers certainty and confidence when using taxis,” he said.
“Pending the outcomes of this trial, we would love to see the set fares measure extended to other parts of Sydney, but also reciprocated to those trips coming back to the airport.”
In the lead-up to the trial, signage will be installed around the airport and inside cabs to inform passengers about pricing fees and meter refusal.
Road tolls and Sydney Airport access fees will not be added to the set fare or passed on to the customer.