Bill to empower Ministry to revoke license if taxi drivers charge excessive fare

The government has submitted a bill to the Parliament, which will empower Transport Ministry to revoke the license of taxi drivers if they charge excessive fares from customers

The government-backed bill is sponsored by Kurendhoo MP Mohamed Shamin.

The preliminary debate on the bill which was submitted on Sunday commenced on Thursday. The bill states taxi services can be provided to the public at rates set forth by the Ministry, adding the Ministry will be empowered to suspend or revoke the license of taxi drivers if they infringe these rates.

Additionally, the bill sets standards and requirements for taxi drivers, including compliance with the Ministry’s code of conduct, adherence to pricing policies, and protection of customers’ personal information.

The bill also outlines conditions under which a taxi driver’s license may be withheld or revoked:

• Violation of laws and regulations
• Breach of license terms
• Failure to pay fees or fines
• Non-compliance with Ministry instructions
• Charging customers fares that differ from those set by the Ministry

The bill emphasizes that a taxi driver’s license can be revoked only after the driver has been instructed to comply and given sufficient time to do so. The license may then be suspended or revoked depending on the severity of the violation and whether it is a repeated offense.

Despite the Transport Ministry having set forth taxi fare rates, complaints continue to surface regarding taxi drivers charging excessive fares.