FARES AND CHARGES
Transport for NSW sets the maximum fares for rank and hail Taxi services that operate in NSW.
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A new Taxi fares order came into effect on 15 December 2022.
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Fares for a Taxi caught from a Taxi rank or hailed from the street are regulated by the government. The Transport for NSW fares order (pdf 176KB) sets the maximum fare components such as flag fall, distance rates, peak time charge and waiting time. This means that Taxi service providers and drivers are not allowed to charge anyone who catches a Taxi from a Taxi rank, or who hails a Taxi from the street, more than the maximum fare.
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Taxi service providers must set fares for rank and hail services provided in the Taxis that make up their service. These fares cannot exceed the maximum authorised fare set out in the fares order.
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The information about a Taxi service provider’s fares will be displayed in the vehicle for your reference. You may request that the driver show you if you cannot locate the display in the taxi. Taxi service providers are also required to maintain information about the fares and charges on their website (if they have one).
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The information to be displayed includes:
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fares
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any additional tolls, fees and charges, and
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any differential pricing that may apply to journeys such as those taken at night or on public holidays
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The driver may charge you less than the maximum fare if they choose to do so. Once the rank and hail trip has commenced, a visible fare calculation device (such as a meter) must be turned on and running during your trip.
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Rank and hail Taxi fares are treated differently to booked fares. This is because unlike when booking a service, you do not have the luxury of time to review the rates and shop around to compare fares when hailing a taxi on the street or catching one from a Taxi rank. At this time, regulation of rank and hail Taxi fares is an important mechanism to protect customers from being charged excessive fares.
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Fares for Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme customers remain regulated. The fare calculation device must be used, and the fare charged must not exceed the regulated maximum fare set by Transport for NSW, for both booked and rank and hail Taxi trips.
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Remember: only Taxis have the necessary safety equipment to be hailed from the street or caught from a Taxi rank, and you cannot be charged more than the regulated maximum fare for a rank and hail Taxi service.
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Pre-payment scheme for Taxi Fares
(1) The pre-payment scheme does not apply to a hiring that results from a booking.
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(2)The driver of a taxi may, before a hiring starts or at any time during a hiring, require the hirer to pay a deposit of not more than an amount equal to the driver’s reasonable estimate of the authorised fare for the proposed journey or the agreed fare (if the driver and passenger have agreed the fare is to be less than the authorised fare).
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(3) A driver who receives payment of a deposit under this clause must, on the request of the hirer, give the hirer a receipt for the deposit. Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
(4) A driver who receives payment of a deposit based on an estimate of the authorised fare under this clause must, on the termination of the hiring (or on the hirer leaving the taxi in compliance with a direction to do so), refund to the hirer any amount by which the deposit exceeds the authorised fare for the journey. Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
(5) After the termination of a hiring (or on leaving the taxi in compliance with a direction to do so), a hirer who paid a deposit based on an estimate of the authorised fare under this clause must pay to the driver of the taxi the amount (if any) by which the authorised fare exceeds the deposit. Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
(6) This clause does not apply if the fare is subject to payment using the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme administered by TfNSW.