Taxi industry players welcome new regulations

PETALING JAYA: The new regulations for e-hailing drivers will be positive for the taxi industry, provided the drivers change their character and attitude, says Big Blue Taxi Facilities Sdn Bhd founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail.

He believed that 70% of e-hailing drivers would no longer be part of the industry and that e-hailing operators were pushing hard for taxis to join them.

“I can see the demand to be very bright unless the Transport Ministry makes a U-turn,” he said.

He said many taxi drivers had registered with e-hailing operators and made money, but still accused the government of not being fair to them.

“I don’t understand what they want. They have to change their character and attitude,” he said.

Chairman of the Malay Taxi Drivers Association of Penang Mohamad Yusoff S. Ibrahim said that taxis could survive only if there was a level playing field with e-hailing operators, including prices.

“We want the prices to be the same, then we can survive. Now the public say our price is very high,” he said.

He said about 90% of taxi drivers found it difficult to earn a living and many had to return their taxis after not being able to pay the loans they took.

“There needs to be a level playing field.

“We have been doing this from the very beginning,” he said.

Persatuan Radio Teksi Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan president Rickman Hiew said the new regulations were good for the passengers as they would be covered by insurance among other things.

“This is what you call customer service,” said Hiew who did not want to get drawn into whether the new regulations would help taxis gain business.

“It is up to passengers who they want to choose.”