Victorian taxi passengers will soon have more certainty about what they pay when hailing or catching a cab from a rank – and more confidence they can get a taxi when they need one – when drivers become required to use the taxi meter for unbooked trips.

The Andrews Labor Government will update the regulations governing the commercial passenger industry, meaning drivers can no longer negotiate a price with customers above the regulated maximum fare and must use their meters for trips from ranks or when hailed on the streets.

The changes, set to come into effect from 28 September, come in time for the spring and summer major events seasons as a result of industry and community feedback.

The updated regulations will make sure for unbooked trips drivers always use the taxi meter to calculate the maximum regulated fare – strengthening protections for passengers, particularly at times of high demand and will remove any confusion over fare rules

The amendments will apply to unbooked trips from a taxi rank or hailed from the street in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. No changes are being made to pre-booked taxi or rideshare services.

The Labor Government regularly monitors and consults with passengers, drivers and booking service providers to improve the industry and these changes reflect recent feedback about unbooked taxi services.

The changes build on the improvements made with the deregulation of the industry – which has increased competition, delivered better services and value for money since the reforms were introduced.