Taxi safety reviewed after stabbing

The government is to review taxi safety and consider mandatory safety measures after the killing of Auckland driver Hiren Mohini.

The 39-year-old driver for Auckland Co-op Taxis was stabbed to death in the suburb of Mt Eden early on Sunday after picking a man up in the central city about 1.20am. The incident has prompted renewed calls by the Taxi Federation for the government to make safety measures, such as screens and cameras in cabs, mandatory. "We've got to move. Enough is enough," says Federation head Tim Reddish. Transport Minister Steven Joyce says taxi safety does need to be looked at again and has been reviewed in the past after earlier attacks. One of the challenges is having the taxi industry agree on what mandatory measures need to be taken, he says. "The Taxi Federation feels very strongly that cameras would have a deterrent effect ... and there are taxi drivers who feel very strongly that the only safe option are screens." Screens however could limit the number of passengers a taxi can hold and the cost about $1,000-$2,000 to install, Joyce says. There is also a responsibility by taxi owners and companies to provide a safe workplace, "and ultimately this will have to be borne by the taxi industry". "It's part of the cost of doing business." However, Prime Minister John Key has not ruled out government funding and says all options will be considered. Joyce, Transport and Labour Department officials will have a meeting about the issue within a fortnight. "Obviously firstly tremendous sympathy goes out to the family. It's a tragic situation," Key told Breakfast. "We've also had two taxi drivers now killed in 14 months so I don't think either the government or industry can sit back and just ignore this. Any person is entitled to know that they are safe as they can be in their work environment." Reddish says the extra protection is likely to make taxis more expensive.

"I think ultimately the consumer will pay because they'll recover the cost through fares. But having said that it's a once-only cost."

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/taxi-safety-reviewed-after-stabbing-3346733