Friday 7 July 2017
geelongindy.com.au
5249 6700 indy@geelongindy.com.au
Arrival of new operator spooks local veteran
DISRUPTION: Geelong taxi operator says another company’s expansion into the city will not mean better services. 170284 (Rebecca Hosking)
Taxi warfare erupts By Luke Voogt
Mr Valentine has run the only taxi company in Geelong since taking over operation of Bay City Cabs more than a decade ago. “We run an excellent service,” he said. According to 13CABS, Geelong has a low taxi to population ratio, with roughly 160 cabs for more than 220,000 people. But Mr Valentine said the existing taxi network covered Geelong’s needs and ex-
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pansion would disrupt the existing system, which was already competing with ridesharing service Uber. “That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a growing need for taxi cabs - a lot of people don’t use taxis.” Mr Valentine said 13CABS was already despatching nine taxis in the new Bellarine Peninsula and Torquay regional zone. Continued page 3
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A taxi company’s plans to carve a slice of the Geelong market have sparked a cab war in the city. Geelong operator Peter Valentine slammed the rival company’s claim that it would increase the city’s taxi services. “I don’t think it will be better service,” he said. Last week 13CABS promoted its “im-
minent” Geelong expansion promising to boost the number of taxis. But rather than increasing services, the company was attempting to “poach” his drivers, Mr Valentine said. “Our taxi drivers have reported people at ranks handing leaflets to them. “If that’s what you’re doing - that’s not expanding the fleet is it? That’s taking them from one cab and putting them in another.”
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