KUALA LUMPUR: All e-hailing drivers will be required to register for Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence similar to taxi drivers starting January next year.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said these drivers would be given a period until July 12, 2019 to obtain their PSV licences including undergoing the PSV course.
"E-hailing regulations have been gazetted. Registration of drivers will held from January to July 2019.
“After July 12, 2019, we will start enforcing the new regulations as all e-hailing drivers must have PSV registration and licence, insurance and vehicles which are more than three years old will be required to undergo inspection,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby here today.
Earlier, Loke had a meeting with Big Blue Taxi Facilities Sdn Bhd adviser, Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail at the Parliament building to discuss the issue.
Shamsubahrin was reported to have said the company’s taxi drivers would not be holding a protest against the ministry until Jan 1, 2019 after Loke gave his assurance that all e-hailing drivers would not be exempted from PSV licence like taxi drivers.
Meanwhile, Loke advised e-hailing drivers not to wait until the last minute to register for their PSV licence.
He also said that at the moment, registration for companies that want to offer e-hailing services was still ongoing.
Loke said he is confident that more companies will move to the e-hailing services due to market demand.
“It is open to any company. We don't want just one company to monopolise the e-hailing services.
"If there are more players in the market, this will prompt healthy competition and in the end consumers will benefit.” he said. -- Bernama