The Taxi Industry Inquiry or the Fels Inquiry was an inquiry commissioned in 2011 into the taxi industry and taxi services in Victoria, Australia, by the Taxi Services Commission. The inquiry was headed by Professor Allan Fels assisted by Dr David Cousins.
Announcement.
The Inquiry was announced on 28 March 2011 by the Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu. According to Bailleu, the key problems with the Victorian taxi industry were:
Inquiry scope.
Baillieu announced that Professor Fels would investigate every aspect of the current industry.
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;"It is obvious that the current industry structure and regulation has failed. It has entrenched a lack of accountability for on-the-ground taxi services by the major industry participants. These issues are long-standing and deep-rooted and the Coalition Government has a responsibility to improve the level of service to customers who utilise the taxi industry."
The Premier indicated that reforming the Victorian taxi industry would occur in two stages. In the first stage, the Fels Inquiry completed a comprehensive inquiry into the service, safety and competition issues in the Victorian taxi industry. In the second stage, a Taxi Services Commission will take over the role of industry regulator, giving it the powers and tools necessary to reform the taxi industry.
The Premier indicated that the current taxi industry regulator, the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD), will operate as normal until the commission was established. During the second stage staff and resources from the VTD will move to the new body as it assumes the ongoing role of regulator.
Terms of reference.
The terms of reference issued for the Inquiry were to review the sector and its performance against the following principles:
The overall aim of the inquiry was to instigate major and enduring improvements to service, safety and competition to Victoria's taxi and hire car industry. The inquiry should be wide-ranging and consider all point to point transport services including taxis, hire cars and other demand responsive services with a particular focus on service outcomes.
The inquiry should conduct broad ranging consultation to determine the views at all levels, including consultation with the general public and expert industry and other key stakeholders.
The inquiry will report regularly to the Minister for Public Transport and make a final report and recommendations focusing in particular on the following:
State of the industry.
The Inquiry issued an issues paper on 12 May 2011 called "Setting the Scene". The paper set out the background to the Inquiry and raised a number of issues about the performance and state of Victoria's taxi industry. The Inquiry called for public submissions in response to the paper by 24 June 2011.
The "Herald Sun" newspaper reported on 12 May 2011 major problems with the performance of taxi services in Melbourne under a headline "Customer satisfaction with Melbourne's taxi services hits all-time low." "The Age" newspaper included a similar report on 13 May 2011.
Legislative basis.
The Victorian Government introduced legislation in early June 2011 to provide support to the Inquiry including by establishing a statutory authority, the Taxi Services Commission, to give clear organisational separation to the Inquiry and to provide the inquiry with sufficient powers to obtain information and report to Government.
Minister's comments.
Introducing the "Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Bill 2011", the Minister for Public Transport, Terry Mulder commented that the measure -
"... sets a course for major reform of Victoria's taxi services. The Bill establishes a new Taxi Services Commission as the first phase of a complex and challenging reform process. The commission will provide the legislative basis and the powers for the comprehensive inquiry into the taxi industry that is being conducted by Professor Allan Fels, AO.
The inquiry and its broad terms of reference were announced by the Premier in March and its work is already under way. Once the inquiry has been completed, the commission will take over as the independent regulator of commercial passenger vehicles including taxi and hire cars.
Major reform of the Victorian taxi industry and its regulatory framework is desperately needed to arrest the serious ongoing decline in the standard of taxi services. In the late 1990s under the Kennett government, Victoria's taxi services compared favourably with other jurisdictions. Now, however, a once-proud taxi industry is on a downward spiral after a decade of government inaction and regulatory failure.
Victorians are fed up with the never-ending problems in the taxi industry and the appalling reduction in levels of service over recent years. This has been highlighted by the latest report of the Department of Transport's customer satisfaction monitor, which saw overall satisfaction with taxi services fall to the lowest level since the surveys began six years ago.
While many taxi operators and drivers do a good job, the problems driving customer dissatisfaction are clear: the long queues for a taxi in the Melbourne CBD and other entertainment districts on a Friday or Saturday night, drivers who do not know where to go, taxis that do not turn up, drivers who will not accept a short fare, violent incidents and unsafe behaviour.
Victorians are embarrassed when a dirty taxi or a poorly trained driver gives international visitors an unfavourable first impression of Melbourne. They are angry when they hear that taxi licences cost up to half a million dollars while taxi drivers are earning less than the minimum wage.
The Victorian public supports the need for an inquiry and will be raising many issues that have been hindering the industry's performance.
Taxis have a unique and crucial role in the transport system. They are a vital link in the public transport network, providing a flexible, point-to-point mode of transport that fills the gaps in fixed-route train, tram and bus services. In particular, taxis are the only mode of transport available to a range of groups which cannot drive a motor vehicle and cannot access other public transport services due to factors such as age, disability or where they live.
Victorians simply want to be able to get a taxi when they need one. They want the driver to know the way to their destination. They ask that the cab be clean and safe".
Effect of the legislation.
The resultant Act established the Taxi Services Commission as a body corporate under the Transport Integration Act 2010 along with the other central transport bodies. The Act has four parts. Parts 2 and 3 set out the two major stages for the commission. In its first stage, the commission is conducting a comprehensive inquiry, i.e. the current Taxi Industry Inquiry. Accordingly, the Act essentially provides the commission with secure powers and authority to enable it to fulfil its task.
The Minister made a number of comments about the wide scope of the Inquiry -
"The Inquiry will cover the commercial passenger vehicle industry in its entirety. While taxis will be the focus of the Inquiry, this broad scope means that the commission is able to inquire into hire cars, restricted hire cars, special-purpose vehicles and public commercial passenger vehicles (including certain buses).
The Commission will be able inquire into the holders of commercial passenger vehicle licences, the operators of commercial passenger vehicles, providers of taxi network services, and ancillary matters such as the supply of relevant goods and services in the industry. This industry-wide approach will ensure that the commission can comprehensively address systemic failures in the conduct, performance and regulation of the industry. In its second stage, the commission will assume the role of the industry regulator and take responsibility for implementing the reforms decided by the government as a result of the Inquiry.
This Bill reflects the government's determination to ensure that Victoria once again has world-class taxi services."
Magnitude of reform task.
Professor Fels has indicated that the reform task in the Victorian taxi industry is substantial. He has warned that the taxi industry required a "very deep review that looks at fundamental questions about how the whole system works.
"It's not just about patching the system up with a little bit of regulation here and modification there," he said. "We need to look at an industry that is not performing well systematically."
Professor Fels said the Inquiry's "Setting the Scene" paper had received more than 140 submissions, with 40 from people with disabilities. He has reported finding disturbingly high rates of poor taxi services across Victoria. He has indicated the Inquiry would consider the cost of a taxi licence – currently about $500,000 – and whether this allowed enough access to the industry.
The industry's regulatory body, the Victorian Taxi Directorate, is also in his sights. "The whole system of regulation is on the agenda and it is also true the Government has legislated already to set up a Taxi Services Commission to come into play after our report," he said. "The VTD at the moment is a separate regulatory body we are reviewing because regulation is part of the set of problems."
Industry reaction.
The Victorian Taxi Association (VTA), which represents taxi networks and operators, has indicated "...support for an inquiry but not an inquisition". The Chief Executive of the VTA has commented that:
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;"...if the inquiry is to be of any value it has to look into the VTD/DOT (the Victorian Taxi Directorate and the Department of Transport), get on with it, keep it simple and output focussed (rather than process focussed), look after the industry participants, and respect those who have built the industry – and bingo, the public will be better off."
However, the head of the Taxi Industry Inquiry, Professor Allan Fels observed that "This is an industry like any other that is there to serve a customer. We're not there to service them (the industry)."
Industry issues – Cabcharge.
One of the controversial features of the taxi industry in Australia is the influence of Cabcharge. The Taxi Industry Inquiry considered this issue as part of the Taxi Industry Inquiry and the company has been the subject of several observations by Professor Fels since the Inquiry commenced.
The Cabcharge account payment system was established in 1976 to provide a way to pay for taxi fares throughout Australia and participating countries. Cabcharge listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in December 1999. It later diversified and its key activities included technology, taxi payments and major acquisitions in the Australian bus industry through ComfortDelGro.
The company's activities are sometimes controversial and it has faced criticism at times from inquiries and regulatory bodies. Cabcharge has been the subject of recent Federal Court proceedings over alleged anti-competitive practices including predatory pricing activities and was subjected to a record high $15 million settlement for these behaviours. The company also faced criticism of profiteering for the 10% surcharge it imposed on taxi fares paid by card and the matter was later investigated by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
Outline.
Cabcharge's principal activities include:
Concerns about Cabcharge activities.
Cabcharge's commercial activities have been controversial at times and the company has faced regular accusations of excessive charging or profiteering and predatory and anti-competitive practices. The company was recently subject to adverse court proceedings and a major settlement arising from these behaviours.
10% surcharge on taxi fares paid by card.
Cabcharge provides EFTPOS terminals, free of charge, to approximately 97% of taxis in Australia. The company incurs the costs associated with transactions including card and other product production, in-taxi processing, administration, fraud protection and investigation, provision of statements and driver education. However, this situation also allows the company to exert substantial and anti-competitive control over most of the Australian taxi industry and to engage in profiteering activity.
Cabcharge was criticised for the 10% surcharge it collects on taxi fares paid by credit and debit cards and for the general anti-competitive control it exerts on other industry participants through its control of electronic payments and other areas of the taxi system such as vehicle and related repairs and installation of in-vehicle equipment, insurance, vehicle leasing and training. Criticism has emanated from various sources including the chair of the Taxi Industry Inquiry, Professor Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition &amp; Consumer Commission (ACCC), and leading card companies. The 10% charge was later reviewed by the Reserve Bank of Australia.
In 2011 Professor Fels approached the Reserve Bank of Australia to help lower the 10% surcharge. He has been reported as observing monopolistic behaviours by Cabcharge.
Representatives from major credit card operators Visa and Mastercard also criticised the 10% fee:
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;"Cabcharge was making taxi passengers pay more than 10 times the average "merchant fee" charged by banks, and five times more than the average fee charged by