As someone involved with the taxi industry, I can answer this one.

Drivers will NOT use the equipment if they are not guaranteed 100% of the fare to them. So a $100 fare, they want $100. Fair enough, otherwise, they will want cash.

Cabcharge use Telstra, and we all know what a bunch of money-sucking grubs they are. Also, the bank processing the transaction will want their percentage, so that is anotehr few points. Lastly, there is the company processing the transaction (Cabcharge in this case).

So the 10% actually goes towards bank fees, communications charges and processing fees, therefore ensuring that the cab driver (amongst the lowest paid of Australian workers) gets the full value of the fare they have just fulfilled.

The driver gets NONE of the surcharge when paying through the Cabcharge system.

I think 10% is a tad unreasonable, since some of the charges are fixed (communications, processing), regardless of the fare, but then, I am not the one making the decision.

Dave