TAXIS IN NSW / REGULATIONS / STATISTICS / HISTORY
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HISTORY  


The first Taxi plates were issued between 1930 and 1945. The NSW Government controlled their operating conditions with licences, and the operation of all but a few was restricted to Central Railway Station and local railway stations. Ownership was restricted to one plate per person, who also had to drive, manage and control the Taxi as his/her sole or principal means of income

.In 1945, Taxi licences were issued to return members of the armed forces on a ballot basis - and today many of their widows continue to own and operate these plates.

In 1950, Taxis were allowed to operate on a radio network and the first network existed out of The De Luxe Cab Company (now Combined Communications Network).

During the 1970s Taxi plates were issued to operate in particular suburban localities and their owners had to live within 2km of their dedicated location.


Additionally, long-term drivers were issued plates on a seniority basis.

Around a decade later, restricted licences were converted to unrestricted licences and the requirement for owners to drive was lifted. Multiple ownership was allowed, and the NSW Government started issuing time based, or night time, licences to satisfy night demand. By the late 1980s the NSW Taxi Industry had become the first branch of the transport sector to provide services for people in wheelchairs.

The 1990s was a time to build customer service records - drivers had to undergo training, networks had to be authorised and technology saw the introduction of meters, the GPS system and high-tech dispatch services. The NSW Taxi Industry is now one of the most technologically advanced and customer service focused Taxi services in the world.