Private investigators may now be used to catch out Uber drivers in Perth. Picture: AFP/Thomas Oliva Source: AFP

After discovering the multinational company had blocked its compliance officers from using the ride sharing service, the West Australian government is now planning to enlist the help of private investigators to catch drivers out.

Ever since the California-based company entered the WA market last year, the government has been under pressure from the taxi industry to clamp down on the illegal activity.

Under WA law, any vehicle carrying passengers for a fee must be licensed as a taxi or an omnibus.

It has emerged that Uber, which allows users to book a car via an app and then charges the ride to a passenger’s credit card, has the details of compliance officers working for the WA Department of Transport and is able to blacklist them from the app, the ABC reports.

In a tender document released last week, the Department of Transport says in order for its Passenger Services Business Unit to carry out its role more effectively it was “sometimes necessary to undertake covert investigative operations”.

It says it needed a contractor that would be able to provide “suitably experienced and licensed inquiry agents” able to carry out investigative operations and services when required.

“Some operators are actively evasive and may actively block investigators. In particular from accessing applications relating to their booking systems on electronic devices,” the document says.

“The contractor will be required to use transport services identified by the Department of Transport on different days and at different times of the day.

“In most cases the investigation will require the investigator to hire an operator and complete the transport trip provided.

“It should be noted that in most cases the evidentiary requirements of the legislation require that an actual trip, with the payment of a fare, takes place.”

Maybe the WA Government will hire Magnum, P.I (aka Tom Selleck) to investigate Uber? Just a thought. Source: Supplied

The document says investigators would also have to attend court as witnesses and would need to take “reasonable precautions” to make sure employees’ identities, phone numbers or other details were not revealed, as it “may result in them being blocked from accessing the services”.

“If this does occur and the investigative service is compromised and can no longer be performed effectively, it may result in the contract being suspended and or terminated by the Department of Transport,” the document says.

While most of the covert activity will centre on the Perth metropolitan area, targeting short trips likely to cost less than $60, investigators may have to venture as far as Mandurah in the city’s south.

Among the offences the private eyes will have to investigate include where drivers charge less or more than the required fare, are not suitably licensed, use a vehicle that is not suitably licensed or are not keeping appropriate records of services provided.

The use of private investigators by the WA government is the latest in a long line of tactics being used against Uber.

About 20 drivers in Perth have already been charged with illegally operating a taxi in WA.

And the company has faced similar legal action in Melbourne and Sydney.

An Uber spokeswoman told the ABC it was shocked the department had issued a tender for private eyes.

“Hundreds of thousands of Western Australians are now choosing Uber because it is safe, reliable, affordable and they love having it in their city. They do not expect their taxes to be spent stopping a service they want,” she said.