Applications open for 407 drivers to work in government taxi line

Applications have opened for 407 drivers to work in the taxi line the government plans to introduce.

The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), which has been tasked with operating the Male’ taxi line, announced via the Government Gazette on Tuesday that they are looking for 285 full-time drivers and 122 part-time drivers to work for the taxi line.

According to the MTCC, the full-time drivers will be working eight-hour shifts six days a week, and will be hired for one-year contracts, which will be renewed based on performance.

Meanwhile, the working hours of part-time drivers will be limited to 28 hours per week.

Applications are open until December 17.

According to the announcement, the salary and allowances of full-time drivers will be based on policies established by the MTCC, while the service fee of part-timers will be announced at a later date.

Candidates need to be in possession of a B1 or B2 driver’s license in order to be eligible for the job.

Meanwhile, drivers registered with the Transport Ministry will be prioritized during the hiring process.

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen had previously said the taxi line – a full-fledged EV one – will launch in July. But in June, he said that the government would not be able to meet the original deadline as it would take more time to custom-build the vehicles, and that they now expected the taxi line to be in service in August.

But the government was unable to meet the August deadline either.

In September, Ameen said the work was in the final stage, and that the vehicles were being modified.

He declined to provide a new deadline.

The decision by the government to introduce a taxi line has prompted concern from the private sector, regarding the potential impact it would have on private taxi services.

Ameen has provided assurance it will not affect private taxi services.