Ride-hailing taxi bill set for legislative review by year-end

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

A bill to regulate ride-hailing taxis is expected to be submitted to the legislature by year-end, with the government now at an advanced stage of drafting, Transport Secretary Raymond Tam said.

He cautioned, however, that the legislative process for ride-hailing taxis would require additional time, as the government continues to refine the provisions in light of views expressed by different sectors of the community.

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works made the remarks during a recent Legislative Assembly oral question session, responding to lawmakers’ concerns over improving Macau’s accessible mobility services, as well as bus driving safety and support for drivers’ physical and mental well-being.

He emphasized the importance of improving accessible taxi services, pointing out that the recent public tender for eight-year taxi concessions had already required concessionaires to operate a specified number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Operators have also been urged to give priority to passengers with disabilities and the elderly. On parking enforcement, he noted that the current illegal parking detection system does not yet cover spaces reserved for people with disabilities, with enforcement still carried out through routine patrols and public complaints.

Tam also pledged to collect operational data on accessible taxi services and engage with rehabilitation groups to develop a suitable performance evaluation framework aimed at improving response efficiency, while continuing legislative efforts to regulate ride-hailing platforms. He further noted that the potential extension of automated parking enforcement to designated disabled parking spaces would be explored, subject to balancing enforcement effectiveness with personal data protection requirements, with the aim of curbing misuse.

On bus driving safety, Tam reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing driver well-being, noting that Macau’s complex road network placed considerable psychological strain on drivers.

He disclosed that during this year’s contract renewals with the two public bus operators, the government would make driver counseling and humane management key focuses, while also encouraging the adoption of smart active safety systems, including fatigue detection cameras.