Three taxi drivers grounded during safety checks

Three taxi drivers taken off the road during an enforcement operation in Queenstown are ''three too many'', the New Zealand Taxi Federation says.

However, executive director John Hart said there were likely to be more operators breaking the rules.

''You find when the police and [NZ Transport Agency] hit town, the word gets around pretty quickly.

''Anyone who doesn't want to be checked makes sure they're at home with their car, well and truly hidden.''

Police and NZTA staff stopped and checked 33 taxis in the resort last Thursday night and three were taken off the road because of ''potential fatigue and log book issues'', a police media statement said yesterday.

Senior Sergeant Mike McRandle, of the South Island commercial vehicle investigation unit, said tired drivers were a basic safety issue.

''If you've been driving for more than 13 hours, you need to stop and have 10 hours' rest.

''Impairment has a huge impact on your ability to drive safely.''

Mr Hart said a lack of enforcement throughout the country meant too many drivers were exceeding safe working hours and not keeping accurate log books.

The problem lay with independent operators, rather than the larger established companies, which had dispatch systems that did not allow drivers to exceed their allowed hours.

Many drivers were driving at night after working their normal jobs during the day.

Although they were supposed to record their hours in all employment, many drivers were not doing it.

''In some cases, because there hasn't been enforcement, they're not worrying about log books - they've just been ignoring them.''

Enforcement officers also inspected tour operators and passenger vehicles going to Queenstown's skifields at the weekend, and 141 drivers were stopped for vehicle inspections, log book checks and other prevention checks.

guy.williams@odt.co.nz

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