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24 Jul 2020

Funding support for commercial passenger vehicles

The Victorian Government is investing $22 million to support the commercial passenger vehicle industry and support jobs to ensure the safety of thousands of passengers and drivers relying on the service throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The $22 million package invests in a range of initiatives to boost the industry and support vulnerable Victorians who rely on the service and drivers who have lost work with the reduction in trips.

More than $6 million will be invested to subsidise the depot fees paid by vehicle owners to booking service providers to make sure wheelchair accessible vehicles are available for those who need them.

$1.7 million will be invested to double the wheelchair lifting fee for the next three months paid by Government for transporting wheelchair users to give providers further incentive to keep wheelchair accessible vehicles operating.

The Multi Purpose Taxi Program (MPTP) subsidy will be increased from 50 to 70 per cent per fare during the next three months to make rides more affordable for the people who need them the most.

The Government will provide relief from the $1 Service Levy owed for the 2019-20 June quarter, which will put more money into the pockets of drivers struggling during this period.

In addition to these subsidies, strict cleaning standards based on advice from the Department of Health and Human Services are being implemented for all commercial passenger vehicles.

To ensure the safety of all passengers and drivers, up to $3.5 million worth of grants will be made available to support increased cleaning and sanitation of vehicles across the state and assist the industry with the costs of procuring sanitisation resources.

These changes will support the industry to implement improved vehicle sanitation, noting the requirement for all Victorians to wear face mask as of 11:59pm on Wednesday 22 July.

In addition, $1 million will be invested to establish a regional essential service fund to support booking service providers in regional communities who may be struggling to survive. This will ensure that vulnerable Victorians in regional towns – including the elderly or people living with a disability – do not lose access to commercial passenger vehicle services.

This important investment will support the industry, drivers, and ensure this continues to be a safe option for the thousands of vulnerable Victorians who rely on commercial passenger vehicles each week to meet their essential transport needs.

The Department of Transport and Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria have worked closely with a Government Advisory Panel on these key initiatives to help industry recover from the impacts of Coronavirus and continue to support the running of a safe and efficient transport system.

The Department of Transport and Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria, in conjunction with the State Revenue Office, will begin rolling out the support package from early August 2020.

Further information on the industry assistance package will be published on our website once it is available.

01 Jul 2020

Changes to BSP registration criteria

A change to the regulations around who needs to register as a booking service provider (BSP) with Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) has been made.

A new rule was due to come into force today (1 July 2020), requiring anyone who had only one or two commercial passenger vehicles registered in their name, and only accepted bookings for those vehicles, to register as a booking service provider.

This would have brought them into line with operators who take bookings for three or more registered vehicles, who do have to register as BSPs. However, the expiry date on the exemption has now been removed.

This means commercial passenger vehicle service providers who take bookings for two or fewer vehicles do not have to register as BSPs.

Only those who take bookings for three or more registered vehicles need to be registered as BSPs with CPVV.

Anyone who has just one or two commercial passenger vehicles registered in their name, and only accepted bookings for those vehicles, is exempt and no longer needs to register as a BSP.

Even if you do not have to register as a BSP, you are still required by law to comply with the safety duties outlined in the Code of Practice.

For more information on BSP registration, including examples of how the BSP rules apply to different kinds of companies see What is a booking service provider?.

13 May 2020

Temporary changes to medical assessments for new applicants

Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) is taking steps to reduce pressure on the state’s health services during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

From 13 May 2020 until further notice, anyone applying for accreditation as a commercial passenger vehicle (CPV) or bus driver will not have to submit a medical report from a doctor.

Instead they can complete a medical self-assessment, on the basis that successful applicants will be asked to provide a full doctor’s report once restrictions relating to COVID-19 are lifted.

This is a temporary measure designed to minimise pressure on the Victorian health system. It takes into account industry feedback on difficulties drivers are experiencing in making appointments with their doctors. It will also make it easier for new drivers to enter the commercial passenger vehicle industry at a time when CPV services are essential.

Safeguards remain in place to protect the public.

All accredited drivers are required to notify CPVV within seven days of any changes to their health which may affect their fitness to provide commercial passenger vehicle or bus services.

Action will be taken against any new applicants who have their accreditation approved and are later found to have submitted false information on their medical self-assessment.

The move is part of a government-wide effort to find ways of reducing the burden that existing regulatory processes are putting on the health system during the pandemic.

Other agencies have introduced similar measures. For example, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has announced that some categories of heavy vehicle drivers may continue to drive with an expired medical until they can practicably obtain one.

And the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR), in collaboration with industry and the Commonwealth Government, is looking at how it can approve exemptions from medical requirements.

CPVV will be contacting currently accredited drivers who are due to submit a follow-up medical report with instructions on how these should be managed during the pandemic. In the meantime, these drivers can continue to provide CPV or bus services.

For more information see our pages on driver accreditation or maintaining driver accreditation.

28 Mar 2020

New arrangements to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)

New arrangements will come into place from midnight tonight where all international arrivals to Australia will be transferred to a hotel and placed in quarantine for 14 days.

All international passengers will be picked up by dedicated Skybus services and taken directly and securely to hotels. This means that there will be no international passenger pickups until further notice.

We understand this is tough for drivers. But this decision has been made in order to save lives.

The Victorian and Commonwealth Government are working on further support packages to help employees and businesses, including those in the commercial passenger vehicle sector.

05 Mar 2020

MPTP Expansion Program trial with Uber in Greater Geelong

More doors are opening for Victoria’s Multi Purpose Taxi Program (MPTP) members thanks to a new trial between Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) and Uber.

As part of CPVV’s MPTP Expansion Program, 500 Greater Geelong-based MPTP members will be sent invitations to participate in the Greater Geelong trial, with sign-ups limited to 100. Eligible MPTP members will be able to choose subsidised travel with Uber between Wednesday 25 March 2020 and Sunday 31 May 2020 (inclusive), in addition to their regular taxi services. At this stage, the trial does not involve wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The MPTP supports the transport needs of people with severe and permanent disabilities by subsidising commercial passenger vehicle fares. Usually, CPVV pays half the base cost of each trip taken by an MPTP member, up to $60. During the trial, Uber will pay half of the full cost of each trip, up to $60, rather than CPVV. This is standard for all MPTP Expansion trials.

CPVV is committed to expanding the program to all commercial passenger vehicles (which includes taxi and rideshare) to improve accessible transport options for MPTP members. Until now, members could only use unbooked (taxi) services, as these vehicles have the equipment to process the MPTP fares.

As well as offering MPTP members with accessibility needs more choice, the MPTP Expansion Program aims to increase competition and innovation in the accessibility point to point market.

Uber has developed the capability for their associated vehicles to offer MPTP services using the Uber app, and we have been working with them to ensure the technology is compatible with ours.

CPVV has been working with booking service providers (BSPs) and equipment suppliers to trial technology that may enable them to carry MPTP members, subject to strict controls.

Previously, CPVV worked with Net-Cabs (trading as Oiii), to successfully add another service provider for MPTP members. CPVV is also progressing discussions with other industry service providers to further expand the range of choices available to members.

Any BSP interested in offering subsidised services to MPTP members should visit this page.

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