Rogue taxi drivers a fear with new register system FEARS have been raised banned taxi drivers could get behind the wheel as a result of impending changes. The taxi regulator now emails networks, including 13 CABS and Silver Top every day, alerting them to drivers whose accreditations have been suspended or cancelled. Drivers can lose the right to drive for several reasons, including losing their licence and being charged or convicted of a crime. Networks then use that data to cancel drivers' access to systems that dispatch jobs. An email from the Taxi Services Commission seen by the Herald Sun revealed the regulator would "no longer provide daily notifications regarding the currency of driver accreditations" from Monday. The email also detailed information about the first stage of the public register. The online register went live on Tuesday and allows passengers to check a driver's accreditation. It is unclear how the networks will know which of the thousands of accredited cabbies should - or should not - be behind the wheel. But the TSC said it would continue the current system until December 31. "To allow the industry time to transition to the new arrangements, the Taxi Services Commission is happy to continue providing notifications until 31 December 2013," a spokesman said. During this transition period, the industry will be able to experience and utilise the real time benefits of the Public Register, while also still receiving regular notifications from the TSC. He said industry participants could explore how to integrate their own internal systems with the information on the public register. The onus is on industry participants to have processes in place to check on the currency of accreditation for drivers. It is worth noting that the TSC's notification service has been provided as a complimentary service to assist the industry. Not all industry participants are subscribed to the service - some industry participants already have their own processes and systems in place that help them meet their regulatory obligations. Victorian Taxi Association spokeswoman Georgia Nicholls said its key concern was for passenger safety and ensuring a high quality of service. "From that point of view it is vital that the industry is given regular information from the regulator about the status of driver accreditations to enable businesses to respond appropriately and protect the safety of passengers and the reputation of the industry," Ms Nicholls said. If someone has a really terrible traffic accident and is suspended because of reckless driving or they have committed an assault and they are continuing to drive after the systems have linked up and said this person needs to be off the road, that would be concerning. Ms Nicholls said there was no information in the email about how the TSC expected the networks to maintain up to date databases of accredited drivers.