Queensland taxi and rideshare drivers have been put on notice for the festive season after a recent compliance blitz flushed out several dodgy practices ripping off customers.
Almost 200 drivers were fined from about 1000 intercepts during the November crackdown and drivers are now being warned compliance action will be ramped up over the Christmas and New Year period.
Mr Bailey said compliance officers would be conducting operations at all times of the day, including into the early hours of the morning, and drivers could expect to cop fines up to $5750 if caught breaking the rules.
"To see that around one in five drivers have been doing the wrong thing is completely unacceptable, and so we'll be ramping up this operation even further over the Christmas and New Year period," he said.
Mr Bailey said he had instructed his department to conduct targeted operations after receiving complaints of drivers refusing to turn on their meter and overcharging passengers.
Fines of varying amounts up to $575 were dished out to 181 cab and rideshare drivers during the November crackdown.
"Taxi drivers will be caught if they try and refuse fares or rip people off, and rideshare drivers will be caught if they tout for fares roadside and take trips that are not pre-booked," he said.
"We'll be conducting covert operations at all times of the day, so when a passenger gets in a taxi at 3am, the driver should expect it to be an enforcement officer, and they'll be caught out if they do the wrong thing."
Mr Bailey said customers should report any drivers who refuse to turn on their meter, as drivers were not allowed to demand a set fare.
"We're doing what we can to support the industry, but I'm calling on taxi and rideshare drivers to step up and follow the rules that are in place," he said.
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