Glenn McConnell.

A new law will ‘‘level the playing field’’ between traditional taxi services and ride-sharing apps, like Uber, writes

WHAT DOES ‘LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD’ MEAN?

Currently, shuttles, taxis, dial-adriver services and ride-share operators have different regulations. To be a taxi service, a company has to have signage on its cars 24/7. Taxi companies have been required to install security cameras, display pricing and ensure all staff could pass area knowledge tests. Companies like Uber have not been subject to the same regulation.

The new legislation will categorise all taxi-like operations as ‘small passenger service providers’. If the legislation is passed, taxis, ride-share apps and shuttles will be subject to the same rules.

DRIVERS WILL STILL NEED TO BE LICENSED, WON’T THEY?

Currently, anyone taking passengers for payment requires a ‘P endorsement’. For a ‘P endorsement’ drivers will still be required to undergo a criminal conviction and good character check by police.

The new regulation will still require all ‘small passenger service operators’ to hold a P endorsement.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges said that the process to get a ‘P endorsement’ will be made simpler: ‘‘We’ve ripped out a lot of red tape.’’

WILL UBER PLAY BY THE NEW RULES?

The ride-sharing app issued a statement hours before the Government announced their plans for the new legislation.

Uber announced it would ‘‘no longer require driver-partners to have a commercial driver’s licence’’. They did not answer questions relating to ‘P endorsements’.

Asked how the Government would respond if Uber did not accept the new rules, Bridges said: ‘‘The law needs to be followed.’’

SO, WHY AREN’T THE TAXI OPERATORS HAPPY?

Tim Reddish, the New Zealand Taxi Federation’s executive director, said Uber ‘‘has given the one-finger salute to the ministers’’.

Reddish campaigned to make it compulsory for taxis to have cameras and panic buttons. The new legislation no longer requires small passenger providers to install panic alarms and cameras. Reddish said they’ve been successful. ‘‘There have been no murders and no serious assaults. Taxi drivers feel safer, so why would you do away with it?’’

WILL THIS LEGISLATION MAKE IT LESS SAFE TO CATCH OR DRIVE A ‘SMALL PASSENGER SERVICE’?

Bridges said ‘‘there are new ways to keep people safe’’. Bridges gave the example of ‘‘ good apps’’ as being sufficient safety precautions.

‘‘[Apps] allow everyone to know in advance who the driver is, who the passenger is, know the journey path, and ensure cashless transactions – which is often, when the cash is being handed over, when the tension and danger comes.’’

The new legislation also still requires operators to have certain safety measures in place.

WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT?

If the law is passed, which Bridges hoped would happen this year, your next cab might not: Display pricing Have security cameras or panic alarms installed

Be identifiable as a taxi – with signage.