Eighteen parties apply for new permits to taxi in Male'

Transport Authority of Maldives has said that 18 parties have requested for taxi permits so far, following the recent removal of restriction to the limit on the number of taxi permits issued in Male’.

Chairman of the Transport Authority of Maldives Abdul Rasheed Nafiz said that the authority decided to remove the restriction after considering the recent increase in public complaints regarding availability of taxi’s in the capital.

“We’re now opened for (the owners of) cars registered before 31t of May, to apply for the permit if they wish to change them into taxis. We don’t ask for a fee to change them,” Nafiz said.

He said that amendments have been proposed to the regulation on taxi services to extend the eligibility of cars worthy of providing taxi services from 10 years to 20 years since manufacture. The amendment follows complaints by taxi centres and taxi drivers, Nafiz said.

Transport Authority of Maldives said that public frustrations of taxi centres refusing to answer calls is a persistent complaint to the authority.

Taxi license owners selling their licenses to the highest bidder has also been a recent issue of debate. The authority has taken no action to counter these black market deals.

According to the authority, a total of 650 parties have been granted the license drive taxi’s in Male’. A mere 50 to 60 taxis provide regular services to the public, the Transport Authority said.