Signage requirements for ride-booking vehicles

All vehicles used to provide ride-booking services (excluding taxis and limousines) must display a ride-booking service identification sign, approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) when the vehicle is in service.

Booking entity authorisation (BEA) holders must not operate and drivers must not provide ride-booking services without TMR approval of the displayed vehicle sign.

Purpose of vehicle signs

Unlike taxis and limousines, ride-booking vehicles do not have distinctive number plates to aid in identification.

Vehicle signs help passengers identify their ride-booking vehicle and assist TMR compliance officers and the Queensland Police Service to undertake their duties.

Sign requirements

BEA holders must obtain TMR approval for their vehicle signs. Signs must be:

• retroreflective
• square and at least 146mm x 146mm in size
• clearly visible from at least 20m away from the windscreen
• able to clearly identify the booking entity by displaying the name, logo, trademark or similar identifier.

These graphics should be the main feature of the sign.

Drivers

You must not produce your own vehicle signs. Your authorised booking entity will provide you with the TMR approved vehicle signs.

You must display the vehicle signs in two locations on your vehicle:

1. front windscreen: on the bottom right-hand side when viewing the vehicle from the front
2. rear windscreen: on the bottom left-hand side when viewing the vehicle from the rear.

Vehicle signs must not obstruct your view of the road or traffic.

You must also remove all ride-booking vehicle signs when not in service or when the vehicle is being used for personal use.

 

Displaying multiple signs

If you take bookings from multiple applications or platforms, you must display the correct signs for each booking entity. This might mean that you display 2 or more signs on your vehicle. However, they must not obstruct your view of the road or traffic.

Drivers who find multiple signage is obstructing their view of traffic or the road must reduce the number of signs and only display relevant BEA signage for the booking they are taking.

Generic, cut-down or overlapping signage is not permitted for drivers who provide services for multiple entities. Driver fines of $309 (with a maximum penalty of $3,096) apply.

Booking entities

All booking entities who provide booking services for ride-booking vehicles (excluding taxis and limousines) must obtain approval from TMR for their vehicle identification sign. Booking entities must not operate or issue their vehicle signs to drivers until they receive approval from TMR. Ensure you are familiar with the signage requirements (below) for ride-booking vehicles before seeking approval from TMR.

There are 2 ways you can obtain this approval:

1. By uploading a file with the scaled image of your vehicle sign, when you renew or apply for a new Booking Entity Authorisation online.
2. By emailing TMR at bhslhub@translink.com.au with a scaled image of your vehicle sign. In your email, you must confirm that the sign is retroreflective and a square of at least 146mm x 146mm.

Please note, approval of the sign does not constitute Booking Entity Authorisation or a Booked Hire Service Licence. Applications for these products are separate processes.

Guidelines

Booking entities should consider the following when developing their sign:

• Keep the design simple and uncluttered to ensure the sign is visible from at least 20m away.
• Design must not be likely to offend a reasonable person.
• Limit the use of generic wording such as 'Booked Hire', 'Booked for Hire' or 'Booked Hire Vehicle', for the use of the main design element.
• Words such as 'taxi', 'taxi-cab', 'cab', 'limousine', 'limo' or a similar expression cannot be used on a booked hire service identification sign.

Advertising taxi and limousine services

Penalties

Penalty infringement notice fines of $309 (with a maximum penalty of $3,096) apply to drivers who:

• fail to position the vehicle signs correctly
• display a sign that is not approved
• display a sign when not providing a ride-booking service.

Fee increase

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