Banding together in the wake of Uber’s launch last week, Bathurst Taxis launched a brand new campaign yesterday to reinforce the benefits of their service.
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The ‘Support Locally Owned Taxis’ [SLOT] campaign will aim to raise support for local taxi drivers in the Bathurst community.
A report from the NSW Independent Pricing and Reguatory Tribunal [IPART] earlier this year found that competition was sufficient enough in country NSW to deregulate maximum fares for rank and hail services.
Since the deregulation announcement, Bathurst Taxis has been more vocal than ever in campaigning for community support.
“The idea of the campaign is to make the public aware that we have been here for 50 years and we’re here to look after them,” Bathurst Taxis’ production development and marketing manager Paul Shanahan said.
“We run a 24 hour, 7 days a week service, and we want to maintain that coverage.”
With a fleet of 22 vehicles comprising sedans, maxis and wheelchair-accessible taxis, Bathurst Taxis are using the SLOT campaign to highlight the safety of their service.
“Every time you catch a Bathurst taxi, your driver will turn up in full uniform with both a National Police and a Working With Children check,” Mr Shanahan said.
“In addition, all our taxis are monitored by four video security cameras, GPS tracking and a back-to-base emergency alarm system.”
Another key factor that Bathurst Taxis is aiming to stress through the SLOT campaign is that their revenue stays local.
“All the monies that are paid in fares to Bathurst Taxis stay within the community,” Bathurst Taxis chairman Dean Shadbolt said.
“We have a turnover of about $4 million a year, and our vehicle repairs and general expenditures are spent among local businesses.”
Bathurst Taxis estimate that their yearly turnover creates about 60 local jobs.
State Member for Bathurst Paul Toole was on hand to help unveil the SLOT campaign, and has thrown his support behind local taxi drivers.
“Our taxi drivers live, breathe and work in this town, so the money that they make stays here locally,” Mr Toole said.
“This is an industry that has been around for a very long time, and we need to make sure that we continue to back our local taxi drivers.”
While some have questioned the cost of taxis, Mr Shanahan said the costs are necessary to ensure their vehicles stay on the road and are regularly serviced.
“We pay the dearest green slip fees of any motor vehicle in NSW,” he said.
“Running a 24 hour service costs money, but members of the community want it, and that’s why we do it.”
Mr Shanahan has been pleased with the support Bathurst Taxis has received following Uber’s launch.
“The locals have been sticking with us, and we’re happy with the way business is going,” he said.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
