Ride-share provider Didi has been fined a total of $97,000 for safety breaches in NSW.
NSW Transport Commissioner Anthony Wing prosecuted the company after an audit of its operations, the regulator said on Thursday.
Wing handed DiDi penalty notices totalling more than $82,000 for “incidences of failing to report notifiable occurrences” which Magistrate Megan Greenwood convicted DiDi of at Downing Centre Local Court on July 8.
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A notifiable occurrence could be a crash, an incident that led to an injury requiring medical treatment, or a report being made to the police, for example. DiDi failed to report notifiable occurrences on 15 occasions.
The safety audit also uncovered two more safety offences, for failing to identify one of its drivers as an ineligible driver and continuing to give the driver bookings.
The driver had been refused permission to drive a ride-share or taxi vehicle by the previous regulator and was not eligible to provide passenger services.
DiDi pled guilty to the offences.
Magistrate Greenwood convicted DiDi and imposed additional fines totalling $15,400.
“My team routinely audits ride-share, taxi and other point-to-point transport service providers to ensure the point-to-point transport law is complied with – and as seen in the case of DiDi, there are penalties for non-compliance,” Wing said.
All service providers must ensure their drivers clear a series of background checks before they can provide passenger services and that all vehicles are appropriately registered and safe to be driven on the road, Wing said.
He added that DiDi responded cooperatively to his directions following the audit, and has committed to improving its safety systems and processes, including mandated quality assurance checks and improved staff training.
