Australia's peak taxi body now estimates 75 percent of suburban drivers are of Indian descent.
Indian taxi driver Ashwani Singal has been driving for almost seven years and says he is still subjected to occasional racism and abuse.
“When you turn a wrong turn they just get abusive. [They say] ‘why did you turn this way?’
“But when you go somewhere their [way there] can be 3-4 different routes to go.”
Mr Singal says he'll leave the industry when he finds a better paying job.
Retaining drivers is a problem according to Vince Le Rocca. He has been driving taxis since 1979.
“They haven't got passion for the industry like we have because they know they won't be in the industry for the long term,” he says.
Mr Le Rocca now owns several cab licences and says current day drivers should be obliged to memorise landmarks including hospitals before getting behind the wheel.
Victoria's Taxi Services Commission says the process of improving drivers is already underway, adding that “the ethnicity of drivers is not an issue”.
“Our priorities are improving driver training, safety and professionalism,” the Commission said in a statement.
And there are some who say Indian drivers are set to capitalise on the evolving industry.
Leon Gouletsas works for a company developing smartphone software which places would-be clients and drivers in direct contact.
There are thousands of Indian cab drivers using the "Go-Catch" application and because they are early adopters of technology often they are able to make more money than the Australian drivers.
Ultimately, the passengers will decide.
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