In the past three years, 1323 of Victoria’s taxi drivers have been charged with crimes including rape, murder and attempted murder.

Taxi driver criminal record checks introduced by the state government in 2011 have found that almost 10 per cent of the state’s drivers have been charged with criminal offences, according to a Herald Sun report.

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One driver was charged with murder, two were charged with attempted murder and ten have been charged with rape.

Nineteen drivers were also charged with threats to kill while another two cabbies were charged with culpable driving causing injury.

Other crimes that drivers had been charged with include heroin trafficking and indecent acts with children under the age of 16.

Ongoing weekly criminal checks provide the Taxi Services Commission with the names of taxi drivers who have been convicted with offences in the previous eight days.

Since being introduced in 2011, 1323 drivers have been charged with a criminal offence out of the state’s 15,000 accredited drivers.

Serious category one offences see a driver’s licence automatically suspended or cancelled.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder told the Herald Sun that the findings showed the checks were working.

“Passenger safety is a priority for this Government and we make no excuses for taking a hard line on drivers who simply should not be in a position of trust and responsibility with passengers,” he said.