Govt misses Eid launch date for taxi line, states service will commence within this month

Transport Ministry, citing although the government’s taxi line could not be launched in conjunction with Eid al-Fitr being commemorated on Friday, states the service will commence within this month.

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen had earlier announced that the taxi service — a fully electric fleet — would launch in July of last year. However, in June he acknowledged that the government would miss the original target, explaining that additional time was needed to custom-build the vehicles, with August set as the revised launch date.

That deadline was also not met.

In September, Ameen said the project was in its final stages and that vehicle modifications were underway.

On March 4^th, Minister Ameen provided a new launch date: during the Eid al-Fitr holidays.

When questioned by Sun on Wednesday, an official from Transport Ministry stated that the taxi line service cannot be launched during the Eid holidays as planned. Nevertheless, the official assured that the service will commence within this month.

Transport Ministry contracted state-owned Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) for the provision of taxi services in Male’ area on February 15^th, 2024.

In November, MTCC made an announcement seeking 407 taxi drivers – 285 full-time drivers and 122 part-time drivers – to work for the taxi line. The company held walk-in interviews to recruit part-time drivers in January of this year.

The decision by the government to introduce a taxi line has prompted backlash from the private sector who are strongly against the move over the implications it could have on privately-operated taxis. 

The government’s taxi fleet will be fully comprised of electric vehicles.

According to MTCC, the taxi service, which will be available 24 hours, will be provided via a special application. Customers can identify which taxi is the nearest to their location via the application.