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Commercial passenger vehicle owner responsibilities

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The requirements for a commercial passenger vehicle owner are contained in the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Act 2017, the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Regulations 2018 and CPV registration conditions. These requirements are outlined below.

Safety

An owner of a commercial passenger vehicle must ensure that commercial passenger vehicle services provided by that vehicle are provided safely. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • maintaining the vehicle in a fit, serviceable and safe condition
  • providing or maintaining any equipment or systems used in the vehicle in accordance with the regulations
  • permitting the vehicle to be used to provide services to wheelchair users only if it meets wheelchair accessible vehicle specifications
  • providing sufficient information or instruction to the driver of the vehicle who is using it, so the driver can provide commercial passenger vehicle services safely.

Annual vehicle inspection

CPV registration conditions contain requirements relating to annual inspections for commercial passenger vehicles.

Vehicle owners are required to have their vehicle pass a roadworthy inspection or alternative inspection process, that is approved by us annually. Vehicle owners must be able to provide evidence of this.

Consumer protections

The Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry regulations set out responsibilities for owners in relation to:

  • the display inside and outside the vehicle of fare information for unbooked services
  • testing and examination of fare calculation devices.

Multi Purpose Taxi Program

Standard commercial passenger vehicle registration conditions require that registered vehicles that can provide unbooked services must be able to provide services for the Multi Purpose Taxi Program. Owners are responsible for providing the required equipment.

Equipment or livery for unbooked services

Commercial passenger vehicles providing unbooked services (taxis) must be fitted with:

  • tactile registration number signs fitted to the outside of passenger doors
  • a compliant fare calculation device (taximeter) and an electronic transaction terminal to allow the processing of Multi Purpose Taxi Program (MPTP) trips.
  • a CPVV approved security camera if the vehicle is operating in the metropolitan,  urban or  large regional zone (camera labels on the interior and exterior of the vehicle are required from a privacy perspective to alert passengers
  • fare information notices, with one notice being fixed to the outside of the vehicle so that it’s clearly visible from the left side, and a second being placed inside the vehicle, so that it can be read clearly by passengers in all seating positions.

Vehicle identification

The CPVI regulations and standard vehicle conditions set out responsibilities for vehicle owners in relation to:

  • not allowing the vehicle to be used to provide commercial passenger vehicle services unless it meets the vehicle identification requirements (from 1 September 2018)
  • the use of the word ’taxi’ in the vehicle livery and providing unbooked services
  • the use of tactile signs
  • the use of taxi plates, issued by VicRoads, for vehicles that can provide unbooked services.

For details of how to replace lost, stolen and damaged unbooked (taxi) plates see Replacing unbooked (taxi) plates.

Note that standard taxi markings are no longer required. There may be other signage requirements under privacy or consumer legislation.

Records and reporting

The CPVI regulations set out the responsibilities for owners to notify us of certain incidents (from 1 March 2019).

Commercial passenger vehicle registration conditions require that owners must notify us of changes:

  • of ownership or permission to use the vehicle as a commercial passenger vehicle
  • to certain details provided at registration, including whether the vehicle is intended to provide unbooked services.

Where an owner employs the driver of an unbooked commercial passenger vehicle service, the CPVI regulations set out the following responsibilities for owners:

  • investigating and keeping certain records on complaints
  • keeping certain records on services provided, including information on fares.

Driver agreement

Where a vehicle owner engages a driver to provide commercial passenger services using their registered vehicle, the driver agreement implied conditions may apply. For more information see driver agreement.

Levy

The CPVI Act 2018 sets out the requirements for service providers to pay the $1.05 per trip levy. The State Revenue Office is responsible for the collection of the levy. Please visit the $1.05 per trip levy page for more information.

For more information see:

Equipment, livery or decals no longer required

Commercial passenger vehicles providing unbooked services (taxis) are no longer required to have:

  • a roof sign (dome), but they may be fitted by the vehicle owner
  • a Driver Protection Screen
  • a  yellow paint scheme – unbooked commercial passenger vehicles (taxis) can now be painted any colour
  • rear door and in-car passenger feedback signage (however, Booking Service Providers and/or vehicle owners may wish to retain this signage and to attach the signage to new vehicles as part of their obligations under legislation)
  • chequered strips/bonnet decals/pre-paid fare decals.