Taxi Credit Card Surcharge Rip-Off In 2016, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) implemented new rules which banned excessive debit and credit card surcharges. This put an end to ridiculous credit card fees like $8.50 Jetstar booking fees on $19 airfares, with businesses no longer allowed to pass on more than the actual cost of accepting card payments. Yet, the taxi industry is exempt from these rules and taxi drivers in most Australian states continue to charge a 5% surcharge for debit and credit card payments. That’s much higher than the actual cost of card payment merchant fees, which are generally no more than 1-2%. So, why are taxis treated differently? The RBA says that taxis do not have to follow its rules on excessive card payments because “the taxi industry remains the responsibility of state regulators”. While card payments for ride-sharing services and hire cars fall under the scope of the RBA’s regulations, taxis do not. https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/taxi-credit-card-surcharges/