BENDIGO taxi drivers say they are losing work because of illegal ride-share operators who are using social media to offer rides to others around town for cash.
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These operators have also been touting for clients at the taxi rank queue at Bendigo station, the drivers say.
Bendigo taxis manager John Knee, who manages a fleet of 47 cabs and 150 drivers, said staff had complained of different Facebook pages being used to canvass rides for cash.
He said the operators were offering $10 "anytime, anywhere" rides in Bendigo on these pages.
"They’re even silly enough to put their phone number on it," he said.
"It’s taking work off legitimate drivers who do all the training and have all the right equipment in their cars.
"Drivers are losing money."
Mr Knee said a handful of these operators were known to pinch clients from Bendigo's main cab rank.
"They’re going to the taxi rank every Friday and Saturday night and picking up people," he said.
He said illegal ride-sharing was an issue of safety for passengers.
"If you’re a passenger and in an accident (in one of these cars), you’re not insured," he said.
"There are no cameras in these cars."
Mr Knee said driver complaints about one Facebook group called Bendigo Rides prompted him to report it to the Taxi Services Commission, the regulator of the Victorian taxi and hire car industry.
He said the TSC forced the page to shut down about two weeks ago.
"We've only just got that one taken off. It’s totally illegal."
But he said another Facebook page which offered the same services in Bendigo had only been brought to his attention this week.
One Bendigo taxi driver, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the new Facebook group was called Bendigo Lifts 4 Cash and had about 20 people actively offering rides on the page.
"Last week I started at 2am and there were 11 people offering lifts on this site at that time," he said.
He said some clients had told him these drivers were also stopping people on the streets and touting.
"Most Saturday nights I get a hail, and people tell me these people are driving around the streets offering (lifts for cash)," he said.
He said Bendigo taxi drivers were frustrated at the issue, which had been going on for "many months".
"In the last month we have been jumping up and down about it," he said.
"No-one seems to want to do anything about it."
The Taxi Services Commission said it was aware of the issue in Bendigo.
"The TSC is aware that illegal operators may be advertising taxi services in the Bendigo area via Facebook," a spokesperson said.
"The TSC recently issued an ‘unauthorised operating’ letter to the manager of Bendigo Rides. The TSC has also informed the local police of this matter."
Mr Knee said he wanted to see any new Facebook groups offering illegal services shut down and would raise the issue as a matter of priority with Victorian Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan this week.
"They’re probably doing it for a bit of cash... but sooner or later someone is going to have a major accident, someone’s going to get hurt," he said.
Ms Allan said she had not previously been made aware of the issue in Bendigo but was meeting with Mr Knee on Wednesday.
"The issue of ride sharing is an issue that will be considered by the newly-established Taxi and Hire Car Industry Ministerial Forum in April," she said.