Taxi firms drop plan to record passenger conversations

Hiren Mohini. Photo / Supplied

Taxi passengers' privacy concerns have scotched a plan to add voice recordings to new legally-required cameras in cabs.

Wellington Combined Taxis, the capital's largest company, has decided against recording conversations after many of its passengers became alarmed at the idea.

Their fears have also prompted Corporate Cabs, with fleets in Auckland and the other main centres, to issue an assurance it will not install microphones.

Taxi Federation executive director Tim Reddish said a number of other firms, including Auckland Co-op Taxis, had bought video systems with voice-recording capabilities but had decided against their use.

"They are just going for images," he said.

Taxis in cities with more than 30 cabs have until August to install the cameras. The plan follows two murders of drivers since 2008, including Hiren Mohini last year, and attacks on many others.

Mr Reddish said many camera systems approved by the Transport Agency were capable of making voice recordings "should you decide to do it".

But he said any recordings would be encrypted, with codes available only for the police or agency officials in co-operation with senior taxi company representatives.

"There would have to be an attack on a passenger or a driver. Normally only police or Transport Authority enforcement staff have the authority to do it and they have to work with somebody in the taxi company to retrieve the images."

But Wellington Combined Taxis chairman Warren Quirke said: "Often we are picking up people who have been heavily drinking," he said.

"If you get a complaint from someone like that, often their memories of the incident might be impaired and when you have a situation of he says, she says, the audio function would have been quite useful."

Mr Quirke said access to audio tapes would have also complemented video images, because assaults were often preceded by threats against drivers.

But he said the company had decided in view of "a backlash" by customers that it would not record conversations.

"It's a little disappointing but we've listened to our customers - we've got an awful lot of very loyal customers and we want to do what they feel is right."

Assistant Privacy Commissioner Katrine Evans said on Friday, before being aware of the backdown by Wellington Combined, that her office was "looking into" the use of cameras and audio recordings in taxis.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said yesterday he had no major concerns as there were clear requirements covering the collection and use of video material - with or without audio tracks.

These included destroying footage as soon as practicable and a risk of heavy fines for misusing it.

"In addition it is worth noting that, to an extent, audio conversations in taxis are not secure now as they can be overheard by the driver," Mr Joyce said.