TAXI drivers and industry associations have backed The Daily Telegraph's campaign for mandatory real-time traffic information updates for cabbies. It was revealed yesterday cab companies relied on reports from their taxis to direct drivers rather than using free information from government apps and websites. Drivers said they were sick of being abused by customers after being left in the dark by radio dispatchers. "With all the information that is available with the technology we have today it's bloody stupid we aren't better informed on the road," taxi driver and Australian Taxi Drivers Association president Michael Jools said. There's a huge block in the information flow. Mr Jools said drivers were "flying blind" on the road and were often abused by angry customers when caught in jams. "The customers get upset and everyone blames the cabbie," he said. There is no common sense in the taxi industry. He said with screens often used for internal advertising it would be simple for companies to better inform their drivers. "Instead of getting 20 messages a day about traffic we're getting 20 internal advertising messages," he said. Uniform sales, get your photo ID here. This comes in right over the top of other stuff. Why not do it like that with accidents? The NSW Taxi Council yesterday said it was working with the state government and pledged to improve the speed in which drivers received real-time information. "We are looking at improved ways of getting information to drivers effectively," Taxi Council chief executive Roy Wakelin-King said. I am personally working with the Transport Management Centre to see how we can build on this. Drivers contacted by The Daily Telegraph said the current system was "rubbish." "We're in the dark," one driver, who requested not to be named, said. Some drivers don't care about customers but if you do, what can you do now? I get better information from the radio about what is happening (on the roads). Drivers said a system similar to that used by London's Black Cabs would be ideal - with the company responsible for taxis also providing real-time data and updates on their website and in real time to drivers. A Transport NSW spokeswoman said the department was examining "how taxis can use apps and traffic alerts to provide services to customers" and would consider providing "guidance to the industry around the use of technology such as traffic alerts more widely" if needed. "Live traffic information is now more widely available than ever before," she said. Taxi networks can also assist by advising drivers when and where traffic incidents occur. At present taxi companies do not provide traffic information to drivers. "If there is a significant delay, an accident, drivers will often report this to their network," a NSW Taxi Council spokesman said. The network may (then) check with the publicly available RTA live traffic website.