Male’ Taxi Line begins collecting fares after two weeks of free rides

The Male’ Taxi Line, a 24/7 public taxi service operated by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), began collecting fares on Saturday, after offerings two weeks of free rides.

The Male’ Taxi Line was launched on April 2. It was originally supposed to offer free rides for the first week to celebrate the launch, but extended fare-free rides for another week.

MTCC announced Saturday morning that the taxi service has now begun collecting fares.

The fares are fixed to the official taxi rates set by the Transport Ministry.

We would like to inform our valued customers that Malé Taxi Line will begin collecting fares from now.

Book and pay via our web app:
???? https://t.co/gGbPzIYWTk
(You can also scan the QR code in this post)

Alternatively, call our hotline 1655 to book and pay.

We look forward to… pic.twitter.com/PKd8XkTdB9

— MTCC Plc (@MTCCPlc) April 17, 2026

The Male’ Taxi Line has faced multiple issues and complaints since its launch.

The service had been launched on April 2 along with a dedicated web application. But issues with the app led to it having to be taken down, with customers asked to book their rides through the 1655 phone hotline.

Many customers complained they were unable to get through to the hotline, or had to wait as long as 20 minutes for the call to go through, and wait more for the taxi to arrive.

Responding to these complaints, the MTCC said that the decision to offer a week of free rides had created a huge demand, and that call center agents were working 24/7 to attend to calls.

Meanwhile, the web application is now the subject of a possible parliamentary inquiry, following allegations of corruption in the award of the contract to develop the app, as well as security leaks and other bugs in the app itself.

The government had launched the Male’ Taxi Line to address difficulties in getting taxis in the capital. However, people continue to complain that service hasn’t produced the desired results, and that people are still facing difficulties in getting taxis, especially on rainy days.

The Male’ Taxi Line has a fleet of 150 electric vehicles, including smaller cars that can navigate the narrow roads of Male’, and larger vehicles designed to transport passengers and luggage.