Businesses in this industry
Businesses in this industry provide road passenger transportation services, including hire car services with driver and taxi cab services.
These benchmarks are current as at June 2013.
To give feedback on the usefulness of these input benchmarks, email us at BusinessSegmentPublishing@ato.gov.au.
What are input benchmarks
Use input benchmarks to calculate the expected range of income for taxi operators and drivers based on kilometres travelled or fuel used.
We developed them in consultation with industry participants. They represent the industry norm.
Consider your own personal circumstances when using the benchmarks to assess your situation.
Input benchmark guide
You can use this benchmark to compare and check your business performance to the taxi industry average.
Remember:
- Regional factors may affect total kilometres travelled, gross income and fuel consumption.
- Fuel consumption for LPG is the equivalent of 5.55 kilometres per litre.
- Fuel consumption for ULP is the equivalent of 7.5 kilometres per litre.
Fuel consumption (LPG) – litres per 100 kilometres | 18 |
Total litres of fuel (LPG) consumed during year | 27,000 |
Fuel consumption (ULP) – litres per 100 kilometres | 13.3 |
Total litres of fuel (ULP) consumed during year | 20,000 |
Fuel cost – percentage of gross taxi income | 8% to 16% |
Total kilometres travelled during year (from your records or calculated from fuel figures) | 150,000 |
Total litres of fuel per shift (LPG) | 54 |
Total litres of fuel per shift (ULP) | 40 |
For more information on the cents per kilometre (CPK) rate, see taxi CPK rate.
Sales turnover
Use this benchmark to:
- calculate your income
- compare your income against the taxi industry average
- check that records accurately reflect your income.
All dollar amounts include GST. Regional factors may affect total kilometres travelled, gross income and fuel consumption.
Total kilometres travelled during year | 150,000 |
CPK rate – 2013 | $1.30 |
Total fares (kilometres × CPK rate) | $195,000 |
Total shifts worked during year | 500 |
Bailment arrangement (average percentage of total fares) | 50% |
Income from bailment (at 50% of total fares) | $97,500 |
Average shifts worked during year | 225 |
Average kilometres per shift | 300 |
Total kilometres travelled during year (average shifts × average kilometres travelled) | 67,500 |
CPK rate – 2013 | $1.30 |
Total fares per shift (average kilometres per shift × CPK rate) | $390 |
Total fares (total fares per shift × average shifts) | $87,750 |
Taxi drivers and operators examples
This example shows what to do if your income does not match the benchmark.
Example: income does not match the benchmark
Norman is a taxi operator in a metropolitan area. He owns 5 taxis, each travelling an average of 160,000 kilometres per year. The total distance travelled for all 5 taxis is 800,000 kilometres.
Norman is worried about his record keeping so he checks his estimated income against the benchmarks. Norman receives 50% of the fares for each taxi. His records show total fares of $780,000. His share of the fares is $390,000.
Using the 2013 CPK rate of $1.30, he calculates the total fares for all 5 taxis should be $1,040,000. Norman calculates his share of the total should be $520,000 under his standard 50% bailment arrangement.
Norman's recorded income doesn't match the benchmarks. He asks his bookkeeper for advice on keeping better records.
End of exampleThis example shows what to do if your income falls below the benchmark.
Example: fares below the benchmark
George is a taxi driver. According to his logbook for 2012–13, George worked 150 shifts and took total fares of $44,000 (including GST).
George calculates that his total fares per shift are $293, which is below the benchmark of $390.
George decides to seek advice on his record keeping.
End of exampleThis example shows how to work out if you are within the benchmark.
Example: fares close to the benchmark
Jeff, a Sydney taxi driver, has purchased 12,000 litres of LPG.
According to the fuel usage benchmarks of 18 litres per 100 kilometres, Jeff's taxi should have travelled about 66,670 kilometres. Using the benchmark CPK rate, Jeff should have taken total fares of $86,671. His records show total fares of only $85,337.
As this is close to the benchmark, Jeff is reasonably confident that he has correctly recorded all his fares.
End of example