SPAD is planning next to regulate app-based taxi services

Kuala Lumpur: The next step by the Land Public Transport Communication (SPAD) is looking into the possibility to amend app-based regulation of the services into transport vehicles. Till now, the application based services are only seen on Uber, GrabCar and alike cabs.

SPAD's decision over this is to keep check on rise of illegal taxis in the area. Although, without proper paper work, enacting the app services would be considered illegal. To this, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, a minister in the Prime Minister’s department, said, “Bookings through the apps to match taxi drivers that are not registered or licensed by SPAD and using private or rented cars are offenses,”

“Using the vehicles (rented or personal) to provide a taxi service is a criminal offense under Section 16 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, which clearly states that only those with an operator licence can provide public vehicle services,” he added.

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“In the long run, SPAD is weighing out amending the Land Public Transportation Commission Act and to draft a new policy to regulate taxi services based on the smart apps to ensure that Malaysia offers safe and satisfactory service to consumers,” announced Kassim in Parliament.

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Kassim further added, the authorities have sat down over a meeting for the particular issue so that they can have discussion with the management before regulation of the decision into system. There were no public release of the meeting insights. The authorities have dispatched written notes in interest to licensed taxi operators reminding them of not taking law in their hands by raising any outrage against Uber operators.

Keeping the issue aside, SPAD has also thought of introducing few new measures to the system to bring stabilization to the Malaysian transport services as a whole. Measures under the comprehensive review of said industry includes a closer look into the taxi leasing (“pajak”) system and a Centralised Taxi Service System (CTSS) to monitor taxi supply distribution and performance in peak hours.

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