NIBONG TEBAL: More than 10 e-hailing drivers were booked during a two-day operation for overcharging and failing to utilise the e-hailing app when accepting passengers.
Checks by the state Road Transport Department (RTD) showed several e-hailing drivers charging their passengers RM72 for what is supposed to be a RM50 trip as shown in the e-hailing app.
They had used the charges shown on the e-hailing app merely as a guide before demanding higher rates from passengers.
These e-hailing drivers mainly targeted foreigners, particularly those from Indonesia and Bangladesh, who were discharged from the low-risk Covid-19 treatment centre (PKRC) at the Mara Excellence Centre (MEC) in Jawi here, and had no transport home.
State RTD director Adenan Mat Isa said from the eight e-hailing vehicles checked today, five had failed to utilise the e-hailing app. Six e-hailing vehicles were booked for similar offences yesterday.
"We have received numerous complaints from the recently discharged patients, mainly foreigners without their own transport, that the e-hailing drivers took advantage of their situation by demanding exorbitant fees. It is unfair for the e-hailing drivers to do that to the patients.
"As such, we carried out a one-day surveillance before acting on the errant e-hailing drivers," he said when met at the RTD Enforcement Station in Valdor here today.
E-hailing drivers are only allowed to take subscribed passengers who have booked the service online via the transportation network company's mobile application.
Adenan, however, said, in this case, the e-hailing drivers did not press the accept button on the e-hailing app.
"Instead, after leaving passengers no choice but to agree to the fees, they then drive the passengers to the intended location.
"This means they get to keep the fees all to themselves without having to deduct 20 per cent by the e-hailing company," he added.
Adenan said the state RTD was also alerted to fights involving e-hailing drivers at the PKRC office when haggling for passengers.
"Because of this, the manager of the PKRC had stopped the e-hailing drivers from going into the premises to fetch passengers.
Instead, the discharged patients would be sent to a designated location, and from there, the e-hailing drivers would pick them up.
"We will continue with such operations from time to time to ensure all e-hailing drivers abide by the conditions set for them to operate," he added.
The e-hailing drivers booked will be investigated under Section 12(5)(d) of the Land Public Transport Act.