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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Personalised transport vehicle security cameras

Approved security cameras are mandatory in all taxi, limousine and ride-booking vehicles within relevant areas where the service meets any of the following risks:

  • driver or passenger is anonymous (for example rank and hail work)
  • cash transactions
  • point of payment is made in person before, during or after the journey.

All approved security camera systems must record both images and audio when the vehicle is being used to provide a personalised transport service. Drivers and operators who have a security camera installed in their vehicle must ensure it is a system approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Obligations

You must satisfy the following obligations when installing a security camera system:

Externally focused forward or rear facing cameras are allowed in all personalised transport vehicles, however, these cameras must not record images or audio of persons inside the vehicle. Camera specifications and the download of images from these cameras are not regulated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Only approved security cameras in a personalised transport vehicle may face inwards—recording the driver or passengers—while a personalised transport service is being provided.

Approved security camera systems

The following security camera systems are approved by the department:

  • Mark 5 TaxiCam (VerifEye/Lytx)
  • SnapShot Mark 4 with internal camera model PV3006-001 (MTData/MTI)
  • SnapShot Mark 4 with internal camera model PV3006-002 (MTData/MTI)
  • TaxicamHD Mobile CCTV System (Taxicomms)
  • Streamax (G60DT) X5-Lite
  • Streamax (G60DT) X5-Lite V2
  • Streamax (G60DT) X5-Lite Mini
  • 13CABSi (Taxitech)
  • Crown Cabs Camera Mark 1

Notice: the 'Mark 4 TaxiCam (VerifEye/Lytx)' is not an approved security camera system.

Camera systems 1, 2 and 3 were approved by TMR under the Queensland Taxi Security Camera Specifications 2015, by Gazette notice. These camera systems continue to be approved systems in accordance with section 213 of the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2018.

Camera systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were approved under the new Queensland Personalised Transport Security Camera Specifications 2017.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads do not provide financial assistance or subsidies for the purchase or installation of security camera systems.

If an unapproved system (for example GoPro) is used to record video or audio inside the vehicle, you can be fined $619.

Audio recording requirements

All approved security camera systems must record both images and audio when the vehicle is being used to provide a personalised transport service.

If your existing camera system does not currently record audio, you must either enable the audio functionality (if available) or replace it with an audio-capable approved system. An authorised installer may be able to assist with these requirements or you can contact the relevant camera supplier.

Relevant areas

The relevant areas for security cameras to be installed and operating in personalised transport vehicles are:

  • Brisbane
  • Bundaberg
  • Cairns
  • Gladstone
  • Gold Coast
  • Gympie
  • Hervey Bay
  • Innisfail
  • Ipswich
  • Mackay
  • Maryborough
  • Mount Isa
  • Redcliffe
  • Rockhampton
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville Thuringowa
  • Yeppoon.

Personalised transport services operating in other areas may choose to install an approved security camera system, but must comply with the above obligations when installing and using the camera.

Approved sign

Personalised transport vehicles fitted with an approved security camera system must have the following approved sign installed on each door of the vehicle and inside the vehicle that allows passengers to readily see the sign.

Sign with the following text: Security cameras are fitted. You will be photographed and conversations will be recorded. Image and audio recordings may be used for authorised purposes under passenger transport legislation, including by police for law enforcement. For more information: www.tmr.qld.gov.au

Forms

General information

Use of recordings

Recordings from personalised transport security camera systems can provide key evidence when investigating an incident in or about a personalised transport vehicle.

To protect the privacy of passengers and drivers, the download and use of recordings is tightly controlled. Under the passenger transport legislation, recordings can only be used for authorised purposes which relate to the safety and security of people or system maintenance.

If a complaint or incident is reported to the Queensland Police Service, an authorised booking entity or an operator may arrange for a security camera download if it meets the legislated authorised purposes.

FAQs

Why do security cameras need to be approved?

Approved security camera systems have appropriate privacy protections in place, including:

  • requirements for signage so passengers are aware of the cameras before they enter the vehicle
  • limitations to the authorised purposes of how recordings can be accessed and used
  • requirements around security measures and disposal of recordings.

Who can download recordings from personalised transport security camera systems?

Only the Queensland Police Service and persons authorised by the department can perform downloads from personalised transport security cameras.

For detailed information on how recordings are downloaded and used, refer to the Guidelines for the installation and use of personalised transport security cameras.

How are downloads provided?

Approved download station officers can provide downloaded recordings to the Queensland Police Service (QPS).

If you are asked to provide a recording, you must supply:

The downloaded images can be provided electronically or physically:

  • Electronically—a request for a downloaded security recording is sent by SMS or email and will include a link to upload the downloaded images and required documentation.
  • Physically—save the downloaded images to a CD/DVD or USB and required documentation, place in an evidence envelope and submit to the QPS.

How much does it cost to download recordings?

Downloads are free and penalties apply to any person who sells a download recording.

How long after an incident can footage be downloaded?

If you have a complaint about an incident that happened in or about a personalised transport vehicle, you are encouraged to contact the authorised booking entity, the operator or the Queensland Police Service as soon as possible to allow time for the download.

Downloads of recordings from a personalised transport security camera system should be made within 168 hours (7 days) after the incident to avoid the overwriting of the recording.

What measures are taken to make sure privacy protections are followed?

The Department of Transport and Main Roads conduct regular audits to ensure that all aspects of the security camera program are complied with. Transport legislation has tough penalties for any person caught tampering with a security camera system or using downloaded recordings illegally.

What if my camera has a fault?

It is a personalised transport operator's responsibility to inform the Department of Transport and Main Roads that an approved security camera system is not fully operational and to arrange for the system to be fixed or replaced.

A Fault Notification Form must be sent to the the Department of Transport and Main Roads and kept in the vehicle while the system is not operational.

If the camera system cannot be fixed, operators will need to replace the camera system with a currently approved security camera system.

For any enquiries, please contact Personalised Transport Policy at personalised.transport@tmr.qld.gov.au.

Last updated 30 June 2023

Fee increase

On 1 July 2023 our fees and charges increased by 3.4% in line with the government's indexation policy.