Bellarine Times
Tuesday 16 August 2011
VOL 4. No 33
www.bellarinetimes.com.au
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TAXI! Co-owner of the new company Bellarine Peninsula Taxis, Alan Fry.
A new Bellarine-based taxi service is revving up BY DAVID FINLAYSON NINE taxi cabs will withdraw from the Geelong Taxi Network to form a dedicated Bellarine-based taxi service from mid-September. Bellarine Peninsula Taxis will open a Drysdale call centre servicing the entire Bellarine area east of Leopold. Co-owner of the new company, Alan Fry, said the move was prompted by a lack of concern by Geelong Taxi Network in dealings with the Bellarine public. “We don’t think the standards in Geelong are up to much; the public aren’t getting a good service,” Mr Fry said. “Four years ago there were two companies
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(in the Geelong region) and they were prepared to concentrate on service standards, but now there is no competition and it’s pretty much ‘if you don’t like it, lump it’. “Most people would know that they can’t always get through to the call centre. There’s lots of confusion to do with bookings, especially special needs services. “Obviously the Victorian Taxi Directorate agree with us because they have accredited our operation for a separate depot to service the Bellarine,” he said. The Geelong Taxi Network’s call centre is in Melbourne, Mr Fry said. “Most of their call centre staff don’t know much about Geelong; that’s part of the problem. They deal
with other taxis (services) in Melbourne and you can’t get through at times, like on a Saturday night,” he said. “At Bellarine Peninsula Taxis we will use the same cars and the same drivers, but our service will be more caring and customer-focused. “The person taking your call will be in the Bellarine and will know the area.” Mr Fry said the new company would particularly focus on the needs of elderly customers travelling between the Bellarine and Geelong. “If a customer phones Bellarine Taxi Service from Geelong and wants to come back to the Bellarine we will be able to pick them up,” Mr Fry said. “They won’t be picking people up who just want
to go Geelong-to-Geelong; we aren’t licensed to do that.” Mr Fry said initially multi-purpose wheelchairaccessible cars would not be part of the new service. “We will be applying for a couple of special needs cars. We can’t apply for those until we are operating,” Mr Fry said. “There will be an interim arrangement in place so that if anyone asks for a wheelchair-accessible car we will pass that through.” Taxi fares on Bellarine will be unchanged. The new company’s logo and badging will be dark ‘Geelong’ blue. Bellarine Peninsula Taxis will open its call centre for business on Monday September 19. The 24-hour number will be 13 22 11.
WED 2-3ft Building NNE 13º THU 3-5ft Quality W 12º FRI 3-4ft Easing SW 15º SAT 2-3ft Average ESE 15º
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