Paul Nicolaou urges immediate toll relief for NSW taxis, rideshare and freight drivers

Business Sydney’s executive director Paul Nicolaou has urged that taxis, Uber drivers, private bus operators and truck drivers receive immediate relief on NSW toll roads to help offset rising costs.

Although drivers in the state benefit from a $60 weekly toll cap and can receive rebates of up to $340 per tag each week, commercial drivers are excluded from the scheme and must contend with soaring fuel costs alongside a scheduled toll increase on April 1.

Nicolaou said there is “no relief in sight” for operators and called for targeted relief for commercial operators.

“Sydney’s transport-dependent industries are being hit from all sides,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “Rising tolls, record fuel prices and increasing regulatory costs are creating a perfect storm for taxis, rideshare drivers, couriers and freight operators.

“For many small business operators and drivers, these are not marginal increases, they are the difference between staying viable and going out of business.”

Nicolaou argued courier and freight companies also faced additional operating measures which would then see costs passed on to consumers, adding “broader cost-of-living pressures” on households.

“Sydney is already one of the most expensive cities in the world to operate a vehicle due to its extensive toll road network,” he said.

“These latest increases only reinforce that position and risk undermining the efficiency of our transport and logistics systems.”

Rideshare apps Uber and Didi have increased prices to help fuel costs for drivers. Uber has increased costs by an average of 6 per cent while Didi has implemented a five-cent-per-kilometre surcharge.

Food delivery business Doordash says it will absorb the costs and will pay drivers a weekly stipend between $5 to $25 if they drive between 150km and 501km.

Source: The Daily Telegraph