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Home > Drivers > Coronavirus (COVID-19) > Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs > Keeping a digital record of passengers

Keeping a digital record of passengers

What is the change being made?

Owners of commercial passenger vehicles (CPVs) must now provide, where practicable, a digital record-keeping system, such as a QR code, which records:

  • passenger’s first name
  • phone number
  • date and time the passenger used the service
  • registration number of the vehicle.

In addition, owners will be required by Department of Health to keep records of:

  • payroll data
  • trip data

Victorian Government’s free and easy to use QR Code Service has a version specific for commercial passenger vehicles, which can be downloaded from - https://busreg.covid19.dhhs.vic.gov.au/vehicles/s/login/SelfRegister

This service is integrated with the Victorian Government’s contact tracing system to help contact tracers respond to outbreaks even faster.

Owners should work with drivers to ensure customers are encouraged to check in whenever using the service.

If vehicle owners choose to use another QR code system, it must be linked with the Victorian Government’s Visitation API (Application Program Interface).

Connected third parties can go to the Victorian Government Visitation API to check if the QR Code service they are using is connected to the Victorian Government Visitation API.

What is a QR code?

A QR code is a website link that a smartphone camera can recognise. If a user points their smartphone camera at a code, the weblink should open. In the case of record keeping sites, the user is taken to a form where they can provide their contact details. This allows business owners, including owners of commercial passenger vehicles, to keep visitor or passenger records for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes, helping us to stay safe and stay open.

What is an API?

An Application Programming Interface (API) allows two separate systems to talk to each other.

The Victorian Government Visitation API allows third-party operators of QR Code check-in or digital visitation record-keeping systems to connect to the Department of Health contact tracing system.

This means that in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19:

  • business owners simply provide the name of their QR code provider
  • Department of Health contact tracers will instantly access the information they need.

Information is only accessed in the event of a confirmed case being identified at a venue or in a vehicle.

The free Victorian Government QR Code Service is fully compatible with the Victorian Government Visitation API.

Why is this change being made now?

The Victorian Government has identified commercial passenger vehicles as high-risk environments for the spread of COVID-19. Record keeping using QR codes helps the Victorian Department of Health with contact tracing to limit the spread of COVID-19, allowing us to stay safe and stay open.

Which businesses will the change apply to?

The changes apply to anyone whose vehicle is registered as a commercial passenger vehicle (taxi, rideshare vehicle or hire car) with Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV). If your vehicle appears on the CPVV public register and is actively providing CPV services, you will need to make available a digital system (such as a QR code).

Where should vehicle owners display the QR code?

The QR code needs to be displayed inside the vehicle in an area that is easily accessible and visible to passengers, for example, on the back of a seat. The QR code will be useable for longer and will be easier to clean if it is laminated. Vehicle owners are responsible for printing out and laminating their own QR codes.

How will these changes be enforced? What is the penalty if a digital record keeping system is not made available in commercial passenger vehicles?

There is currently no penalty as the requirement applies where it is practicable, however we expect this to become a mandatory requirement soon. Penalties are likely to apply when this becomes mandatory.

What if a passenger doesn’t want to scan the QR code?

Drivers are not responsible for making sure passengers use the QR code, but drivers can refuse a trip if passengers choose not to use the digital record system.

Where can commercial passenger vehicle owners go for more information about the free Victorian Government QR Code Service?

Visit the Coronavirus Victoria website here.

How long does the Victorian Government QR Code Service keep passenger records for?

Services Victoria will store all passenger records for 28 days. Records are only provided to the Department of Health for contact tracing purposes if someone who has used a vehicle, or visited a venue, tests positive to COVID-19.

Can Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria use the data collected through QR code record-keeping services to fulfil booking service providers’ record-keeping requirements?

No. The passenger record data is collected by Service Victoria and can only be accessed by the Department of Health for COVID-19 contract tracing purposes.