New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services demand leader Peter Wells said ride-sharing service providers were usually illegal among the form, and advised those presented sees could well be a large fine if their personal autos were actually identified on the highway from one October.
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Forty Uber drivers have been issued suspension notices in NSW.
Mr Wells warned the state government was cracking down on those “illegally” allowing their vehicles to be used.
The company did not comment regarding whether they would assist drivers financially or legally during their period of vehicle suspension, although Uber has said in the past it would cover driver fines.
If a suspended vehicle is found on the road after October 1, the vehicle will be deemed unregistered and uninsured.
The NSW Taxi Council released a statement which said it welcomes the announcement that RMS will enforce the law to curb illegal ride-sharing.
An Uber spokesman criticised the decision and said the firm was waiting for the NSW government to put “sensible” ride-sharing regulations in place.
“We are shocked that the Roads and Maritime Services did not appear to show these drivers any due process”, an Uber spokesperson said.
Roads and Maritime has previously taken 24 UberX drivers to court over Taxi Act breaches, but was later forced to drop the charges due to “evidentiary issues” in the end of July.
Taxi drivers in the southeastern Australian state have continued to apply pressure on the state government to ensure Uber drivers pay the same license and registration fees as taxis however this has not prevented Uber drivers taking to the road.
This is the latest in a string of setbacks around the world for the company, after the arrest of three employees in Hong Kong, and the levying of a .3m fine from a California court for not disclosing enough information about its operations to regulators.
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NSW premier Mike Baird said today that he was awaiting the completion of the review and “will be responding appropriately”.
