Major Australian taxi company 13Cabs to allow passengers to book vaccinated ...

Australian taxi company 13Cabs is driving a customer-led push that will open the door for passengers to book a trip with a fully vaccinated cabbie. 

The cab company says they've been inundated with calls from customers asking if they could request drivers who have received the Covid jab, which substantially decreases the chance an infected person can pass the virus on.

Chief operating officer Stuart Overell took the idea directly to the fleet's 10,000 drivers to see if they wanted to be part of the groundbreaking scheme which will prioritise vaccinated workers - and he said they 'overwhelmingly' jumped at the chance.

Compulsory jabs and vaccine passports have been a hot-button topic of late with many businesses around the country reluctant to mandate Covid vaccinations for their staff.

But with the meter running on national vaccine targets as a way to avoid the relentless cycle of lockdowns and interstate border closures, it appears demand for double-dosed employees may start to be led by customers, not employers.

'The enthusiasm of 13Cabs drivers to provide their Covid-19 vaccination certificate has overwhelmed our staff processing their applications, with 20 per cent of drivers providing proof of vaccination in the first two days,' he said.

'We are currently tracking towards having the vaccination status of all our drivers within two weeks.'

The survey found that just 5.9 per cent of drivers did not want to be part of the plan and get the jab.

The company said customers will soon be able to book a fully vaccinated driver through the 'VAX' option on the app when all of the driver's details are finalised.

In the meantime passengers calling 13Cabs can ask the operator for a double-dosed driver.

'We know many of our drivers have already been vaccinated and 13Cabs is proud to play its part in supporting safer travel for the community by clearly making the option available for passengers and providing an incentive for drivers not already vaccinated to go get the jab,' Mr Overell said. 

Taxi driver George Valiotis is one of the thousands who have backed the decision saying its a necessary step during 'challenging times'.

'We look after our communities, which includes vulnerable passengers and essential workers,' Mr Valiotis said.

'It's also vital we look after ourselves, our passengers and our communities. We know being vaccinated supports our important work to continue safely.' 

But the taxi firm are not the first cab off the rank when it comes to pushing for their workers to vaccinated.

Qantas announced plans to make Covid vaccinations mandatory for all employees giving staff three months to roll up their sleeves.  

Frontline staff like cabin crew, pilots and airport workers numbering approximately 2000 employees will have until November 15 to get jabbed, while the 20,0000 remaining workers have until March 31 next year. 

The airline announced the decision for mandatory vaccinations was made 'as part of the national carrier's commitment to safety'.  

'Frontline employees – including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers – will need to be fully vaccinated by 15 November 2021 and the remainder of employees by 31 March 2022,' Qantas said in a statement. 

'There will be exemptions for those who are unable for documented medical reasons to be vaccinated, which is expected to be very rare.' 

The airline said the decision was made after a survey was presented to 22,000 Qantas and Jetstar employees to get their opinion on mandatory jabs. 

Of the 12,000 employees who responded to the survey, 89 per cent said they had already been

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