Police have charged a twenty one year old Devonport man in relation to illegally hiring out a private vehicle, a practice known as ‘Des-ing for dollars’. It’s alleged the man used his vehicle as an unlicensed taxi when offering to drive people home in the Devonport area in the early hours of Sunday 6 April. The man was issued with an infringement notice relating to a charge under the Taxi and Hire Vehicle Industries Act 2008. Acting as a designated driver with friends should not be confused with the practice of ‘Des-ing for dollars’. ‘Des-ing for dollars’ is the illegal practice of offering a private vehicle for hire without appropriate public vehicle licenses. “Nominating a designated driver amongst your friends is a safe option to plan how to get home after a night out. Police fully support designated drivers as a valuable way to reduce the incidents of drink driving within the community,” said Sergeant Craig Harvey. “There is no concern about friends making a financial contribution to their designated driver to cover the cost of their ride home.” Police are continuing to monitor the practice of ‘Des-ing for dollars’, or acting as a designated driver for payment, as part of their duties associated with the policing of licensed venues and public events along the Northwest Coast. “This practice leads to concerns regarding safety issues for both passengers and drivers of vehicles that may be ‘Des-ing for dollars’, as well as issues regarding insurance and any subsequent injury to persons or property.”
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 02:33:25 +0000