NEW Transport Minister Guy de Faye has vowed to scrap the differences between taxis and cabs.

But he could face a real battle as drivers only qualify for a taxi plate after many years as a cab driver and there is a long history of friction between the associations that represent the two.

The Deputy won an election in the States on Thursday to become Transport and Technical Services Minister, beating Senator Len Norman to the job.

And his first public pronouncement is that he wants both taxis and cabs to operate the same way, charge the same fares and be easier to contact.

But Deputy de Faye will have to wait until political responsibility for the Driver and Vehicle Standards department is transferred from Home Affairs to Transport and Technical Services.

However, when that transfer is complete he will arrange talks with the associations that represent taxi and cab drivers.

‘I have never understood why they should be different and I do not believe that most members of the public do,’ he said.