Tour operators in the one of country’s most prestigious wine regions say an influx of illegal, uninsured drivers offering half-price winery tours and private trips is undermining legitimate local businesses and eroding trust across WA’s lucrative tourism sector.

DBM Drivers owner and driver Jake Adams said he had seen “at least” 20 illegal operators working out of the tourist town of Margaret River, offering to pick tourists up and drive them between wineries for fees that would sometimes undercut others by up to 50 per cent, in figures backed up by two other tour operators.

“It just frustrates the hell out of me, because it is clear as day,” he said.

Adams said the operators made no attempt to hide what they were doing, and would often use Facebook or Airtasker to advertise their services.

Airtasker is an online marketplace that connects people who need odd jobs or tasks, with workers – in Margaret River, those tasks sometimes include private driving.

On Facebook, some tourists post to social media themselves asking for a driver for the day for a capped fee.

Adams said while his prices factor in the nearly $10,000 he pays a year to be compliant with all WA Department of Transport regulations, licensing fees, keep his vehicles up to date, pay petrol costs and insure all of its passengers correctly, it was easy for unlicensed operators to undercut his pricing.

“These posts on Airtasker will start at $250, but then it’s a bidding war as well,” he said.

“Sometimes it’ll go as low as $180 – but you also see posts on Facebook where someone just says, ‘I’ll do it for 200 bucks, and I’ll use my own car’.”

Other operators told this masthead some illegal drivers had even gone so far as buying their own buses in a bid to legitimise their operation – but Adams said he was concerned customers who signed on for the cheap ride didn’t know what they could be in for.

“You don’t know if that car’s even roadworthy,” he said.

“You don’t even know if the driver is clinically sane.”

Adams stressed many of those driving illegally were not insured – a concern considering many routes are along the perilous, winding Caves Road – and did not have to be compliant with regulations, which require drivers to blow zero at all times during a trip.

Another tourism business said the lack of oversight would eventually end in tears, or a serious incident that would force a compliance crack down on operators who were already doing the right thing.

South West Luxury’s Rebekah Passmore said waiting for the worst-case scenario could impact the wider industry.

“The South West roads are treacherous, they require knowledge and expertise to navigate,” she said.

“Non-compliant operators are not only putting their passengers at risk, but also other road users. The departments overseeing the regulatory requirements of these transport options in the South West are asleep at the wheel and this is our greatest concern.”

Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association chief executive Sharna Kearney said they were aware illegal operators were currently in the region’s private driving market.

“Consumers need to understand that registered operators are required to meet a range of obligations relating to insurance, vehicle safety, licensing and responsible business practices,” she said.

“Those requirements exist to protect both the consumers and the tourism businesses. Without those protections, consumers are put at risk if something goes wrong.

“We would encourage people to ask the business to show that they are compliant and have those protections in place. The region has a strong network of established and professional tour operators serving visitors across wine, nature, food and adventure experiences so there is no need to employ the services of an operator who can’t show their regulatory compliance.”

The problem is so bad that local sole traders said they had started logging among one another the cars and names of people they believed were operating illegally. This masthead has seen a number of pictures taken of different cars attending wineries on consecutive days with different groups.

Adams said it was frustrating he and other operators were left to keep an eye on illegal businesses, while the Department of Transport would only target registered businesses in compliance blitzes.

“[The department] come and look at your safety management systems, your vehicles, check over everything – they’re doing that instead of looking out for the people that are putting a post on Facebook [looking for work],” he said.

“I’ve given up on it – this is ridiculous. What can I do?”

Passmore agreed.

“As an operator we are able to see who is compliant and non-compliant in our industry in the South West,” she said.

“There is also a simple reporting system in place; however, we’re yet to see any action or consequences for noncompliant operators. Which begs the question, what are they doing to for the safety for passengers in the South West?”

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said it was keeping an eye on the issue.

“The Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure carries out compliance activities in the South West throughout the year, with particular focus on areas where the department has information regarding drivers operating illegally,” he said.

“The department warns anyone contemplating operating as a driver in this way that it is not only illegal, and fines can be applied, additionally, if a non-authorised vehicle is involved in a crash while being used for ‘paying’ passenger transport, its insurer is unlikely to cover the cost of repairs to the vehicle and any other vehicle involved, making the driver personally liable for all costs.”

The department said while they acknowledged there was nothing stopping people from advertising private driving, they should consider the consequences.