NSW Taxi Council Latest COVID-19 Restrictions Update
Source: Point to Point Transport Commissioner
(Click on the individual updates below to get further information)
Key updates:
Additional restrictions for Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown Local Government Areas
Reminder: update on mask exemptions – proof must be carried at all times
Today the Premier announced further measures to limit mobility across Greater Sydney as well as an extension of the current stay-at-home orders to 28 August 2021 across Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour.
The NSW Taxi Council has reached out to the NSW Government advocating to try to minimise the impact on the NSW Taxi Industry and get an exemption for Taxis. We will update you for a further information in this regard, when we know more from the government.
Additional restrictions for Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown Local Government Areas
Due to case numbers rising in these areas, the Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River Local Government Areas (LGAs) will now be subject to the same Authorised Worker restrictions as in the five existing LGAs of concern, those being Fairfield, Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Blacktown.
This means workers in the new LGAs of concern are not allowed to leave their local government area unless they are on the list of authorised workers.
To reinforce, Taxi, rideshare and hire car drivers are not authorised workers. This means that taxi, rideshare, hire car and other point to point transport drivers, as well as staff that work at service providers, cannot leave these 8 LGAs to work.
These restrictions are in place from midnight tonight, 28 July 2021.
Changes to mandatory surveillance testing
It was also announced today that all authorised workers who live or stay in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA will now be required to get tested once every three days in order to leave their LGA. This will be enforceable from Saturday 31 July 2021. Drivers who provide health care and social assistance passenger services as authorised workers in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA have until Saturday to have their first test. Service providers and drivers can find locations here. The three-day mandatory testing requirements currently in place for drivers who live or stay in the Fairfield Local Government Area and leave the LGA for work as an authorised worker are being relaxed so that this will only apply to health or aged care workers. This means drivers living in the Fairfield Local Government Area who provide health care and social assistance passenger services as authorised workers will no longer be required to have the three-day mandatory testing.
FAQ's and Points of clarification for Point to Point Drivers, including Taxi Drivers
Can drivers provide passenger services within their local government area?
Point to point transport drivers, inlcuding Taxi Drivers who reside in these LGAs can provide a passenger service within the LGA they live in if someone needs to travel for an essential reason, as outlined in the Public Health Order.
Can drivers provide health care and social assistance passenger services outside of the eight restricted LGAs?
In the Authorised Workers list, anyone transporting passengers solely for the specified health care and social assistance activities listed is exempt when providing the services necessary for that activity.
Drivers are only considered an Authorised Worker whilst providing the health care and social assistance passenger services listed in Item no. 4 on the Authorised Workers list. No additional work can be conducted outside the LGA.