Pre-Paid Not For Scone

TODAY Transport for New South Wales announced taxi customers in regional areas may be asked to pre-pay their taxi fares in line with Sydney and the Central Coast.

Under the new scheme the customer could be required to pay the estimated fare and either pay the balance or receive a refund when they reach their destination.

However, Kay Cumberland of Cumberland Taxi’s in Scone said she wouldn’t be asking her passengers to pay upfront for their journeys.

“I can’t see the sense in doing it,” said Ms Cumberland.

“Especially when some people only order a taxi once in a blue moon, so I’d have to try and remember the price and it sounds like a big hassle more than anything,” she said.

“I can understand say during race week, this year was fine, but last year I had a couple of people not pay and they were not just local fares I’d taken them out of town, or they had been sick in the car and didn’t have enough money,” she said.

“But I won’t be asking for upfront fares unless we ave to, unless they make it a law,” Kay Cumberland said.

Under the new scheme it is at the discretion of the driver if they request a pre-paid fare.