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Dodgy drivers face ban under Victoria’s new taxi and ride-share laws

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Representative image: Ride-share (Source: CANVA)

The Allan Labor Government is moving to reform Victoria’s taxi and ride-share industry, introducing legislation to ban unsafe and non-compliant drivers from operating.

Minister for Transport and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams announced today that the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 will make it easier for passengers to report driver misconduct and deliver tougher penalties for rule-breakers.

“These new laws will help make the community safer,” Minister Williams said.

“The vast majority of drivers are doing the right thing, but these reforms give passengers extra protections so they can always book services with confidence.”

The reforms will give Safe Transport Victoria greater powers to remove dodgy drivers while boosting passenger confidence when booking services. Security cameras in unbooked commercial CPVs will now be permitted to record audio from approved devices, with footage and audio accessible to regulators and Victoria Police for investigations, under strict safeguards to prevent misuse.

A new ‘two strikes and out’ law will allow driver accreditation to be cancelled if a driver is found guilty of a specified offence twice within 10 years. Offences include overcharging, refusing to use the meter, and denying service to passengers with assistance animals. Safe Transport Victoria will also publish disciplinary actions on its public register to signal that illegal behaviour will not be tolerated.

The legislation continues the Government’s efforts to enhance passenger rights and safety. In 2023, regulations were updated to prevent drivers from negotiating fares above the maximum and require meter use for trips from ranks or street hails.

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