Business

Taxi company fined $150,000 for price fixing

17:45 pm on 30 September 2021

A Wellington taxi company has been hit with a $150,000 penalty by the Commerce Commission relating to fare price fixing.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Hutt and City taxis admitted to breaching the Commerce Act by agreeing with two competing companies to implement a minimum $25 charge for pick-up trips from Wellington Airport's on-demand taxi-rank.

It's been labelled cartel conduct, which the Commerce Commission says harms businesses trying to compete fairly.

The Court noted the fact that Hutt and City, and its directors, were aware of the price fixing - and all but one director approved it - spoke to the seriousness of the conduct.