Reg Kermode

Reginald Lionel Kermode AM MBE (24 September 1926 – 30 April 2014) was an Australian businessman and taxicab operator most well known for founding Cabcharge in 1976.

Reg Kermode
Born(1926-09-24)24 September 1926
Died30 April 2014(2014-04-30) (aged 87)
NationalityAustralian
OccupationBusinessman, public transport operator
Years active1965-2014
Known forFounding A2B Australia and Cabcharge

Early life

Reg Kermode was born on 24 September 1926 to Reginald and Mary Kermode (née Dillon).[1] He grew up in Smithtown, New South Wales, and left school at the age of 15 to join the Postmaster-General's office.[2]

Life and career

Kermode decided to enter the taxicab industry in 1965 and had become the chairman of Taxis Combined by 1975.[2] During the 1980s, Kermode became known as Sydney's "Taxi kingpin" because of the role he played in the taxi industry. He was also the president of the NSW Taxi Council and the director of the NSW Taxi Industry Association.[3] He fostered a long-standing relationship with Neville Wran, the former Premier of New South Wales, and Wran served on the group of Cabcharge for 10 years.[4]

CabCharge Australia

Kermode founded Cabcharge Australia in 1976 and served on the company's board of directors for 39 years. During this time, Cabcharge came to be the electronic payment system used by 97% of the taxi fleets in Australia.[5]

Sydney Herald allegations
Main article: A2B_Australia § Sydney_Morning_Herald_allegations

Kermode was the subject of sustained criticism by Linton Besser, a journalist for the Sydney Herald. Besser, who referred to Kermode as the "Taxi tsar of Sydney", accused him of taking advantage of industry and political connections.[6]

Honours and recognition

Kermode was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1979 for "service to the transport industry".[7] In the 1987 Queen's Birthday Honours he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "service to secondary industry, particularly to the transport industry".[8]

Death

On 29 April 2014, he resigned from Cabcharge after revealing that he had been diagnosed with cancer.[9] Kermode died on 30 April 2014, aged 87.[2] His funeral was held at St Jude's Anglican Church, Randwick on 8 May 2014.[1]

References
  1. "KERMODE, Reginald Lionel | Death Notices | Sydney". Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  2. Saulwick, Jacob (2 May 2014). "Death of Reg Kermode, the king of Cabcharge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. "Cabcharge boss Reg Kermode dead at 87". news.com.au. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  4. "Inside the world of Mr Taxi". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  5. Thomsen, Simon (1 May 2014). "Cabcharge Magnate Reg Kermode Has Died Aged 87". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  6. Besser, Linton (2 March 2010). "Cabcharge boss gets summons to inquiry". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  7. "Reginald Lionel KERMODE". Australian Honours Search Facility - Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  8. "Reginald Lionel KERMODE, MBE". Australian Honours Search Facility - Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  9. "Cabcharge chief Reg Kermode resigns". Australian Financial Review. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
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