What You Will Find In This Information Sheet

• 1. General Information
• 2. About The Vehicle
  - a. What can my Small Public Passenger Vehicle do?
  - b. What can my taxi do?
  - c. What can my Luxury Hire Car do?
  - d. Summary of operations
• 3.  Registration
  - How do I register my vehicle as a Small Public Passenger Vehicle?
• 4. Accreditation
  - As a Small Public Passenger Vehicle operator, do I need to be accredited?
• 5. Like Further Information?

1. General Information

This Information Sheet deals only with the operations of Small Public Passenger Vehicles. For information on Large Public Passenger Vehicles please refer to the Public Passenger Vehicles Information Sheet.

• A Small Public Passenger Vehicle is a motor vehicle with less than 13 seats, including the driver’s seat, that is used to carry passengers for reward.
• A taxi is a Small Public Passenger Vehicle operating under a Perpetual Taxi Licence, a Wheelchair-accessible Taxi Licence or a Temporary Taxi Licence authorising the vehicle to ply or stand for hire in a public street for the purpose of carrying passengers.
• A Luxury Hire Car is a Small Public Passenger Vehicle operating under a Luxury Hire Car licence.

a. What can my Small Public Passenger Vehicle do?

If your Small Public Passenger Vehicle is not licensed as either a taxi or a luxury hire car, it may only undertake Limited Passenger Services, or operate as a Hire and Drive (rental) vehicle - Limited Passenger Services are defined in Schedule 2 of the Passenger Transport Act 1997, see extract below.  Hire and Drive operations are described in a separate information bulletin - see the end of this bulletin.

A taxi or Luxury Hire Car is able to undertake additional services as described in sections 2b and 2c of this Information Sheet.

 It should be noted from Schedule 2 that:

• Small Public Passenger Vehicles are not able to undertake personalised point-to-point travel with the exception of:
• a motor cycle or a bus which may be hired out for general hire [items (b) and (c)], and
• a vehicle that is fitted with a wheelchair lift and is hired out to persons with disabilities [item (g)].
• under item (h), the Transport Commission is able to approve a "pseudo taxi" operation in parts of the State not serviced by a taxi licence.

Your taxi may undertake personal point-to-point travel that is either pre-booked, off a taxi zone, or hailed in the street. For these operations, the taxi must be fitted with an operating taxi sign and meter. Fares are regulated by a "standard fare" that cannot be exceeded. However, the actual charge made can be less than the standard fare (as shown on the taximeter) at the operator’s discretion.

If you want your taxi to undertake Limited Passenger Services as defined in Schedule 2, it must have:

• its top-light and any taxi signage removed; and
• the meter inoperative and covered over.

The Taxi Industry Regulations 1996 provide for further specific exemptions from the need to operate a taxi meter or display a top-light.

• when attending a wedding or funeral; or
• when operating under a contract or agreement between the licensee and another person and which is approved by the Transport Commission.

Note: Legislation requires the taxi meter to be operated only where the vehicle is hired for the carriage of passengers. A taxi undertaking a parcel delivery is not obliged to operate its meter.

Your Luxury Hire Car can undertake limited passenger services as shown in Schedule 2.

Your Luxury Hire Car may also undertake personal point-to-point travel provided such work is pre-booked

A Luxury Hire Car cannot:

• use taxi zones; or
• stand for the purpose of, or solicit trade in a public street or a public place.

For more information on Luxury Hire Cars, please refer to the Luxury Hire Cars Information Sheet.

The table below shows what operations each vehicle type is able to undertake.

How do I register my vehicle as a Small Public Passenger Vehicle?

The registration of your vehicle as a Small Public Passenger Vehicle is at your initiative, and is done by completing an application form available from any Service Tasmania shop.

For more information on registering your vehicle as a small public passenger vehicle, please refer to the Public Passenger Vehicles Information Sheet.

As a Small Public Passenger Vehicle operator, do I need to be accredited?

Yes, anyone who provides a public passenger vehicle service must be accredited.

For further information on Public Passenger Vehicle operator accreditation, please refer to the Public Passenger Vehicle Operator Accreditation Information Sheet.

This paper is one in a series of Information Sheets that provide further detail on a range of public passenger vehicle and accreditation matters. This information can be accessed from the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources’ public website at http://www.dier.tas.gov.au. Copies of the Information Sheets are available from Service Tasmania shops or by contacting the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources’ Telephone Enquiry Service on 1 300 851 225.  Other Information Sheets available are:

• Public Passenger Vehicles;
• Hire and Drive Operations;
• Luxury Hire Cars;
• Vehicle Inspection Scheme;
• Public Passenger Vehicle Operator Accreditation;
• Loading Zone Use; and
• Review of Decisions Under Passenger Transport Legislation.

More detailed information on the legislation relevant to Small Public Passenger Vehicles (listed below) can be found on the legislation website www.thelaw.tas.gov.au or you can obtain a copy from the Printing Authority.

• Taxi and Luxury Hire Car Industries Act 1995;
• Passenger Transport Act 1997;
• Passenger Transport Regulations 2000.