KUALA LUMPUR: The taxi industry will be deregulated soon to provide an equal platform for traditional operators and their technologically empowered ride-sharing rivals.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said additional regulations would be applied on Uber and Grab car drivers, while taxis would undergo deregulation to allow them to compete with the new ride-sharing services.
“We are going to deregulate taxi service, which will have a few restrictions and regulations like the PSV (public service vehicle licence).
“For Uber and Grabcar, they need to have a driver’s card issued by SPAD (Land Public Transport Commission),” he told reporters here yesterday after launching the ‘2nd MCA’s 10 Economic Strategic Directions (10 ESD) Conference’.
Liow said the ministry would empower SPAD to deregulate the requirements for taxis and drivers, as well as Uber and Grabcar.
A news portal (Malay Mail Online) reported on Thursday that Uber and Grabcar services would be legalised soon. It said the decision was made after SPAD chief executive Officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah presented 11 initiatives to the Cabinet on Wednesday to overhaul the conventional taxi industry and expand transport services by legalising Uber and Grabcar.
According to SPAD, there are currently around 77,000 registered taxi drivers in the country. — Bernama