Taxi drivers criticise compensation delay as Uber anniversary nears

Nearing the anniversary of the ACT's nation-leading decision to legalise the smartphone-based transport service, taxi advocate Tony Bryce said licence plate owners were fearful their investments would be stripped of value before a two-year review ended.

"A taxi plate may not be worth anything at all, because people are desperate to get out of the industry, and the government can then say, "that's what their worth"," he said.

States which have followed the ACT lead in approving Uber have offered licence plate owners a fraction of their prior value, with Victoria the most generous at $100,000 for the first licence and $50,000 for the second. South Australia has agreed to pay taxi licence holders $30,000 plus $50 per week for up to 11 months for those hurt by the San Francisco-based online giant. Both NSW and WA have paid $20,000 for a plate.

A set of privately owned ACT plates was worth $247,000 on the latest industry figures, from December 2014.

An imposing 50,000 people having taken at least one ride in an Uber in the last three months, the equivalent of one in eight ACT residents, up from 10,000 in the inaugural month.

Mr Bryce, the Canberra Taxi Industry Association's executive director, said Uber's success in the capital was not guaranteed, but the competing cars were having an impact on Saturdays, Saturday nights and Friday nights.

While not aware how many drivers may have left the industry, the fall in jobs for taxi drivers on Saturday nights was "getting up to that 10 per cent figure," he said.

"For the people who are doing Uber work it's part time, but the people in taxis are full-time and they'll be [the ones] lining up at Centrelink," he said.

Mr Bryce said compensation from the government was expected, but a spokeswoman for the Chief Minister's Directorate said only that the government was assessing the impacts on the taxi industry until October 2017 to see whether "any changes were warranted".

There were now 308 licensed taxis operating in the ACT, with the government holding an additional 50 licences, up from 45 a year ago.

There was still demand however, as 240 individuals had entered a waiting list to get a licence since August 1, she said.

In its latest annual report, published in April, the ACT branch of the industry association said opening up traditional "taxi work" to ride-hailing services "may not necessarily be a disaster for the taxi industry" but some taxi drivers were cutting their taxi shift short to cash in on UberX's surge pricing, which responds to market demand.

Uber ACT and NSW general manager Henry Greenacre said demand for Uber was "quite peaky", with Friday and Saturday nights a favourite for customers, but driver drop off in the early hours was not significantly different to other markets, traditionally after 3am.

Tasmania has given temporary approval to Uber drivers ahead of a full review into taxi and hire car laws, with Queensland the only jurisdiction to specifically pass laws to ban the service.

There was no comment from Aerial Capital Group, which operates about 90 per cent of the city's taxis. Mr Bryce is an Aerial director.

Flexible side income continues to meet the "originals" needs

Business remains strong for original Uber operators like Gary Woodbridge and Ulli Brunnschweiler, even with three times as many drivers as when they accepted their first passenger.

Mr Woodbridge, a retiree in his mid-50s, said the driving income had always been a part-time income source, despite averaging 35 hours on the road per week.

"I would say I am consistently busier than I was in January," he said.

"I set myself a target each week, and if I meet the target I don't bother going out and driving."

He said he was on track for an income of about $30,000 gross per year, exceeding his 2015 expectations, and had even purchased an i30 Hyundai station wagon to ensure both the best space and fuel efficiency for transporting others around.

Ms Brunnschweiler, a semi-retired artist, said driving strangers had opened up new parts of Canberra to her.

"I learn something new about Canberra almost every day and have a deeper understanding of what makes it tick," she said. "Passengers come from all walks of life, all age groups, from here, there and everywhere."

She said she had maintained similar hours and income since her first job on October 30, using the money to top up her savings account in an "era of vanishing interest rates".

Uber ACT and NSW general manager Henry Greenacre said the Canberra launch had been a great success and drivers responded to the peaks, whether from Parliament sitting, a Brumbies game or simply rain.

"There are a huge number of drivers who drive on a weekend once every three weeks, and some that drive 50 hours a week" he said.

Responding to allegations Uber drivers had illegally parked in a taxi rank area in Alinga Street to capitalise on late night traffic, Mr Greenacre said drivers were subject to the usual penalties if they breached those well-known rules.

Parking inspectors have issued more than 1150 fines this year to vehicles illegally parked in taxi zones, but as rideshare vehicles carry no external identification it was not known if any were to Uber drivers, a spokeswoman from the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate said.

Rideshare vehicles cannot legally rank anywhere in the ACT, including at the airport.