Cab cameras bring extra safety

Taxi firm moves call centre out of town Hawke's Bay taxi customers are now under the watchful eye of in-car cameras after new Government rules came into force this week.
But the rule changes have also driven one Hastings taxi company to move its call centre out of town.
The new law requires taxis in 15 towns and cities, including Napier and Hastings, to have a security camera system operating in every car, as well as a 24-hour call centre.
The law change follows concerns over driver safety and the killing of two drivers.
Hawke's Bay Combined Taxis general manager Wayne England said cameras in the company's 43 taxis had been operating since July 11.
Signs advising customers that cameras were running had been put in place but Mr England said he had seen no change to business because of the cameras.
"You forget about them really," he said.
"They're just another part of the taxi industry now."
The cost of installation had meant a 20 cent increase in the flagfall price but that increase was also in response to rising fuel prices, Mr England said.
Independent taxi company Hastings Taxis had increased its flagfall price for similar reasons, head director Bernie Hart said.
Cameras had been running in its 28 taxis for just over a week.
Mr Hart said he did not know of any instances of violence towards his drivers but the cameras were another way to aid driver safety.
"They're a little bit ahead of their time in the Bay but you can't make a law for the big cities and not for the rest of the country."
Hastings Taxis had also had to move its call centre to an out-of-town location in order to have a 24-hour centre, but Mr Hart would not say where it was located. Problems finding staff for a 24-hour service were the reason why the call centre was moved.
The company had previously declined to be part of a nationwide taxi brand, in order to stay local, but the need to comply with the new law meant it could no longer house the call centre in Hastings.
"It's a bit of a shame we've had to go out of town for it," Mr Hart said.
The New Zealand Transport Agency confirmed it had received a complaint against a private vehicle company in Hawke's Bay, understood to be Star Hire, formerly Star Taxis.
Manager Dave Robinson said his company complied with all private hire rules.
Any complaint was definitely not correct, he said.
Private hire operators are not allowed to pick up casual passengers and must charge set fares. They are not subject to the new laws imposed on taxis.