NSW Point to Point Transport Regulations
To ensure you stay safe and compliant on the road, we need to make sure all of our valued driver-partners stay informed on the NSW regulatory requirements. The following is a guide to the NSW Point to Point Transport Regulations, which came into effect on 1 November 2017.
Please take the time to read and understand your obligations under these regulations.
More information
Displaying your stickers
Local regulations require that when your vehicle is being used to provide a passenger service, you attach a sign that shows you are a hire vehicle. Whenever you’re online, the sticker should be displayed. To help with this, we’ve provided a removable Uber sticker to be displayed on the driver’s side of your rear windscreen whenever you’re driving with the Uber app. If the sticker is not properly displayed, or if it’s visible while you’re not driving with the Uber app, you could be issued with a fine by local authorities.
For more information, or to request an Uber sticker, visit our webpage.
Reporting notifiable occurrences (incidents)
As a ridesharing driver-partner, you now have a legal obligation to report all notifiable occurrences to Uber.
So, what counts as a notifiable occurrence? It’s any mechanical failures, accidents or injuries that have occurred during your ride, or situations where ambulance or Police are involved. This includes incidents that occur when a rider is in the vehicle, when you’re on your way to pick up a rider or when you have just dropped off a passenger. We may then report any notifiable occurrence to the NSW Point to Point Transport Commissioner. For more information on notifiable occurrences, please see the NSW Regulations.
Vehicle inspections and maintenance
To make sure that all vehicles driving with Uber are safe and properly registered for ride-sharing, a safety check (pink slip) must be obtained every year, regardless of vehicle age and regular maintenance must be carried out to specific standards.
Vehicles manufactured between 2008 - 2012 and in 2018 already obtain a pink slip inspection during the annual registration renewal process.
You can find out more info about inspection requirements, including how to get a safety check (pink slip) vehicle inspection, via our Inspections webpage.
Another important aspect of vehicle safety is regular maintenance, and under the NSW Regulations, you’re required to ensure your vehicle is regularly maintained as per the manufacturer’s recommendations, with any major maintenance and repairs performed by a licensed mechanic. All basic maintenance such as oil changes, spark plug replacements and tyre changes don’t need to be carried out by a mechanic.
You can find more info about vehicle maintenance requirements in the NSW Regulations.
Changes in circumstances
We understand that circumstances change, but it’s important to notify us if there is any reason you are no longer eligible to drive with Uber. For example, if you’re convicted of a disqualifying offence, are no longer licensed to drive in NSW or no longer meet the required medical standards, you let us know immediately.
The NSW Regulations state that this notice must be given within 7 days of you becoming aware of your change in circumstances.
Ongoing eligibility as an Uber driver-partner in NSW
To continue driving with Uber in NSW, you’ll need to continue to meet certain safety standards, which include:
- You are licenced to drive in NSW
- You have held an unrestricted Australian driver licence (not a probationary licence) for at least 12 months for more than two years
- You meet the medical standards required for commercial vehicle drivers
- You don’t have any disqualifying offences on your criminal or driving record
We need to stay up to date with all of our driver-partners’ abilities to meet safety standards, so we run regular checks on your NSW Driver’s Licence number using the NSW Point to Point Transport Commissioner Industry Portal.
We also use this portal to check against standards relating to driver licence tenure, serious driving offences, medical fitness, previous driver authority cancellation/refusal and serious P2P Regulation safety offences. You’ll be notified is your licence flags any of these issues, and your account may be waitlisted until we can confirm you meet the safety standards.
You won’t be able to drive using the Uber app in NSW if you do not consent to us running checks against your driver’s licence. If you wish to be removed from the Industry Portal, just visit our Sydney Greenlight Hub or contact Support.
Obligations for passenger services generally
You’ll need to also be aware of some specific offences that fall under NSW regulations regarding:
- Smoking while driving
- Offensive behaviour by drivers
- Assistance animals
- Soliciting for passengers
It’s up to all NSW driver-partners to understand and follow these regulations so we can continue to provide a safe and reliable service on the Uber platform.
Update to NSW Trip Fares
The NSW Government Passenger Services Levy is part of the new Point to Point Transport Regulations. It will require all point to point transport providers to pay a temporary levy to the NSW Government for each trip taken.
$1 NSW Government Levy
As of 1 February 2018, the NSW Government will require all taxi, rideshare and hire car providers to pay a temporary levy for each trip taken.
This levy will be used by the NSW Government to fund a $250 million taxi compensation package. It will be added to your rider's fare. In turn, Uber will deduct the same amount from you. This will not negatively impact the total amount you receive for each trip.
The levy you charge your riders will be $1.10, which is inclusive of GST. This will apply regardless of whether you are GST registered. In turn, Uber will deduct the same amount from you.
If you are registered for GST, you will be able to claim a GST credit of $0.10 per trip when you lodge your Business Activity Statement (BAS). This ensures that the levy will not negatively impact the total amount you receive for each trip (after tax).
For more information on how to claim the GST credit, please see the ATO website below.
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