COMMERCIAL PASSENGER (ROAD) TRANSPORT (RIDESHARING) REGULATIONS 2017

NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA COMMERCIAL PASSENGER (ROAD) TRANSPORT (RIDESHARING) REGULATIONS 2017 As in force at 21 January 2026 Table of provisions Part 1 Preliminary matters 1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1 2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1 3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1 4 Rideshare vehicle ............................................................................ 2 Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager 5 Rideshare platform only to allocate to licensed drivers.................... 2 6 Operation of rideshare platform ....................................................... 2 7 Manager to notify drivers of suspension, revocation or cancellation...................................................................................... 3 8 Surge pricing ................................................................................... 3 Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers 9 Identity card or approved form of identification ................................ 4 10 Driver to supply information ............................................................. 4 11 Driver may only accept journey from rideshare platform ................. 4 12 Driver may only drive approved vehicle ........................................... 5 13 Display of rideshare label on vehicle ............................................... 5 14 Driver to take shortest practicable route .......................................... 5 15 Driver not to purchase intoxicating liquor ......................................... 5 16 No touting ........................................................................................ 6 17 No advertising.................................................................................. 6 18 Parking restrictions .......................................................................... 6 Part 4 Miscellaneous matters 19 Approval of vehicle and rideshare label ........................................... 6 20 Register of rideshare platforms........................................................ 7 21 Fees ................................................................................................ 7 Schedule Fees ENDNOTES -- 1 of 12 -- -- 2 of 12 -- NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA ____________________ As in force at 21 January 2026 ____________________ COMMERCIAL PASSENGER (ROAD) TRANSPORT (RIDESHARING) REGULATIONS 2017 Regulations under the Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport Act 1991 Part 1 Preliminary matters 1 Citation These Regulations may be cited as the Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017. 2 Commencement (1) These Regulations (except Parts 5 and 6) commence on 1 December 2017. (2) Parts 5 and 6 commence on 1 February 2018. 3 Definitions In these Regulations: rideshare driver means a person who makes a rideshare vehicle driven by the person available for a rideshare journey. rideshare journey means a journey by a passenger in a rideshare vehicle in exchange for payment made by electronic means to a rideshare platform manager. rideshare label, for a rideshare vehicle, means the label issued for the vehicle under regulation 19(3). rideshare licence means a special passenger vehicle licence issued under the Act to a person to operate a rideshare vehicle. rideshare platform means a communications or dispatch network approved by the Director under section 71 of the Act in connection with rideshare vehicles. -- 3 of 12 -- Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 2 rideshare platform manager means a person who operates a rideshare platform. rideshare vehicle, see regulation 4. 4 Rideshare vehicle (1) A rideshare vehicle means a motor vehicle: (a) capable of undertaking hirings arranged through a communications or dispatch network approved by the Director under section 71 of the Act in exchange for a fare derived through an algorithm or pricing structure not limited by period of time taken or distance travelled; and (b) where the driver of the vehicle does not receive payment from the passenger for a hiring; and (c) that is declared by the Director to be a special passenger vehicle or is a vehicle of a class that is declared to be special passenger vehicles. (2) A vehicle mentioned in subregulation (1) is not a rideshare vehicle when it is being used as a private vehicle and is unavailable for hire. Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager 5 Rideshare platform only to allocate to licensed drivers A rideshare platform manager must ensure that the manager's rideshare platform does not allocate a rideshare journey to anyone other than a person who holds a rideshare licence. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. 6 Operation of rideshare platform A rideshare platform manager must ensure that the manager's rideshare platform: (a) operates so as to communicate a prospective passenger's request for a rideshare journey to an available rideshare driver; and (b) makes available to the passenger, before the rideshare journey begins: (i) an estimate of the fare for the journey; and -- 4 of 12 -- Part 2 Duties of rideshare platform manager Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 3 (ii) sufficient information for the passenger to identify the rideshare vehicle and rideshare driver for the journey. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. Note for regulation 6 Section 71(7A) of the Act requires a rideshare platform manager to provide the Director with information requested from time to time about the rideshare platform. 7 Manager to notify drivers of suspension, revocation or cancellation If approval for a rideshare platform is suspended, revoked or cancelled, the rideshare platform manager must take reasonable steps to notify as soon as practicable each rideshare driver who intends to use the rideshare platform. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. Example for regulation 7 The rideshare driver receives a message from the rideshare platform when the driver attempts to log onto the platform. 8 Surge pricing (1) A rideshare platform manager must not apply surge pricing in an area during: (a) an emergency situation existing in the area; or (b) the activation of an approved emergency plan in the area. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. (2) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subregulation (1) if the rideshare platform manager took all reasonable steps to prevent the rideshare platform from applying surge pricing. (3) In this regulation: approved emergency plan, see section 8 of the Emergency Management Act 2013. emergency situation, see section 18(1) of the Emergency Management Act 2013. surge pricing means the practice of increasing rideshare vehicle fares during times of high demand for rideshare journeys. -- 5 of 12 -- Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 4 Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers 9 Identity card or approved form of identification (1) For section 74 of the Act, a rideshare vehicle is a prescribed class of commercial passenger vehicle. (2) An identity card issued to a rideshare driver under section 74(1)(a) of the Act must: (a) display the name of the driver; and (b) display a recent photograph of the driver; and (c) specify the expiry date of the card; and (d) indicate that the holder of the card is authorised to drive a rideshare vehicle. (3) A rideshare driver must: (a) carry the driver's identity card mentioned in subregulation (2) or other form of identification approved by the Director under section 74(10) of the Act while driving a rideshare vehicle; and (b) produce that identity card or other approved form of identification when requested by an inspector. Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units. 10 Driver to supply information When requested by the Director to do so, a rideshare driver must give the Director, within the time specified by the Director, full and correct information of any details specified in the request relating to rideshare journeys undertaken in the driver's rideshare vehicle. Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units. 11 Driver may only accept journey from rideshare platform (1) A rideshare driver must not accept a journey in the driver's rideshare vehicle for hire or reward other than through a rideshare platform. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. (2) It is a condition of a rideshare driver's rideshare licence that the driver accepts journeys in the driver's rideshare vehicle for hire or reward only through a rideshare platform. -- 6 of 12 -- Part 3 Duties of rideshare drivers Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 5 12 Driver may only drive approved vehicle A person must not drive a rideshare vehicle for hire or reward unless a current approval under regulation 19 is in effect for the vehicle. Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units. 13 Display of rideshare label on vehicle (1) A rideshare driver must ensure that, at all times when the driver's rideshare vehicle is being used for a rideshare journey, or the driver is connected to the rideshare platform, the vehicle's current rideshare label is displayed in accordance with subregulation (2). Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units. (2) The rideshare label must be displayed: (a) so the information on the label is readable from the outside of the vehicle; and (b) on the passenger's side of the front windscreen at the bottom corner, or another location specified by the Director. 14 Driver to take shortest practicable route When conveying a passenger for hire or reward, a rideshare driver must take the shortest practicable route to the destination requested unless the passenger specifies another route. Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units. 15 Driver not to purchase intoxicating liquor A rideshare driver must not: (a) accept a request for a rideshare journey under which the driver is required to purchase intoxicating liquor for or on behalf of another person, whether or not that other person is a passenger; or (b) in the course of a rideshare journey purchase intoxicating liquor for or on behalf of a passenger. Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units. -- 7 of 12 -- Part 4 Miscellaneous matters Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 6 16 No touting A person must not tout or solicit for passengers for a rideshare vehicle. Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units. 17 No advertising (1) A rideshare driver for a rideshare vehicle must ensure that, at any time (whether or not the vehicle is being operated as a rideshare vehicle), the vehicle does not display any advertising indicating that the vehicle is available for hire or reward. Maximum penalty: 40 penalty units. (2) To avoid doubt, subregulation (1) does not apply to the display of a label on a vehicle in accordance with regulation 13. 18 Parking restrictions (1) A rideshare driver must not stop a rideshare vehicle: (a) in a taxi rank or a minibus rank; or (b) in a place that is marked or indicated by sign as a reserved place for private hire cars. Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units. (2) In this regulation: minibus rank includes a bus stop whenever a minibus is parked or standing in the bus stop in accordance with section 38K(1) of the Act. taxi rank, see regulation 3(1) of the Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Taxis) Regulations 1992. Part 4 Miscellaneous matters 19 Approval of vehicle and rideshare label (1) The Director may approve a vehicle as being suitable for use as a rideshare vehicle if the Director is satisfied that the vehicle is safe. (2) An approval is subject to any conditions imposed by the Director. (3) If the Director approves a vehicle, the Director must issue a rideshare label for the vehicle. -- 8 of 12 -- Part 4 Miscellaneous matters Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 7 20 Register of rideshare platforms (1) The Director must keep a register of rideshare platforms, including the conditions to which the approval of each rideshare platform is subject. (2) The Director must publish the register on an appropriate website. 21 Fees The fees set out in the Schedule are payable in relation to the matters specified in the Schedule. -- 9 of 12 -- Schedule Fees Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 8 Schedule Fees regulation 21 $ Annual fee for rideshare licence 300 -- 10 of 12 -- ENDNOTES Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 9 ENDNOTES 1 KEY Key to abbreviations amd = amended od = order app = appendix om = omitted bl = by-law pt = Part ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule cl = clause rem = remainder div = Division renum = renumbered exp = expires/expired rep = repealed f = forms s = section Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation lt = long title sub = substituted nc = not commenced 2 LIST OF LEGISLATION Ridesharing Regulations (SL No. 35, 2017) Notified 29 November 2017 Commenced pts 5 and 6: 1 February 2018; rem: 1 December 2017 (r 2) Statute Law Amendment (Territory Economic Reconstruction) Act 2022 (Act No. 5, 2022) Assent date 14 April 2022 Commenced pt 7: 25 May 2023 (Gaz G11, 25 May 2023, p 2); rem: 25 May 2022 (Gaz G21, 25 May 2022, p 1) Transport Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (Act No. 23, 2025) Assent date 12 September 2025 Commenced pts 2, 4, 5 and 6: 21 January 2026 (Gaz S5, 19 January 2026); rem: 18 November 2025 (Gaz S69, 17 November 2025) 3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22 of 2018) to: rr 1, 8 and 18. 4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS r 1 amd Act No. 23, 2025, s 66 r 9 amd Act No. 5, 2022, s 75 r 18 amd Act No. 23, 2025, s 66 pt 5 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 pt 5 div 1 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 rr 22 – 28 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 -- 11 of 12 -- ENDNOTES Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport (Ridesharing) Regulations 2017 10 pt 5 div 2 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 rr 29 – 30 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 pt 5 div 3 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 rr 31 – 32 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 pt 5 div 4 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 rr 33 – 34 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 pt 6 hdg exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 r 35 exp No. 35, 2017, r 35 -- 12 of 12 --