KUALA LUMPUR: The government needs to standardise the prices for e-hailing rides, the same as taxis following the recent fare increase involving e-hailing services.
Big Blue Taxi Services founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail said the government can set the ride fares following the existing vehicle categories like the taxi industry such as budget, premium and executive.
"This way the government can control and monitor the prices of all e-hailing rides as there are no set ceiling prices for e-hailing rides like the taxi.
"Even taxis have a ceiling price for the rides at RM3, RM4 and RM5 per metre following the budget; premium and executive categories.
"Perhaps if the government considers doing this, it can prevent fares from increasing and control it as it would benefit both the customers and drivers," he told a press conference at Wisma Central, Jalan Ampang here, today.
Shamsubahrin also called on the Transport Ministry to reshuffle the current Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), claiming they did not perform their responsibilities well in managing the surging prices of e-hailing fares.
He added that the lack of monitoring of the e-hailing industry has been a long-standing issue even before APAD took over the Land Public Transport Commission's (SPAD) responsibilities.
"The agency would perform better if there is internal restructuring.
"APAD failed to monitor e-hailing companies and the reason given for the price increase due to the season should not be tolerated as even taxis have their own peak periods.
"It would be easier if the e-hailing companies were able to classify different vehicles into categories like taxis to prevent the abuse of price surges but APAD did not do that.
"The authorities need to be stricter on handling matters that involve the public," he said.
On May 25, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong instructed APAD to investigate the price surge of e-hailing rides.
He said excuses such as the imbalance of demand and supplies, as well as the lack of drivers, were unacceptable.
Wee also had given two days to e-hailing companies to come up with an explanation following the price surge on May 22.
On May 24, e-hailing service provider Grab Malaysia explained that there were no new price increases for their services, but the shortage of drivers caused sudden price fluctuations.
It said a sharp increase in ride demands from passengers post-pandemic and fewer drivers on the road possibly resulted in the price hike, since it uses a dynamic pricing model to benefit both the passengers and driver-partners.