Taxi drivers want gov’t to pay for recording systems

The city’s taxi drivers are maintaining their position demanding the local government pay for the recording and tracking devices required to be installed inside their vehicles.

Last year, in December, the local government outsourced the installation and maintenance of the taxi management systems contract to New Leader Tecnologia Informatica (Macau), Lda.

The local government will pay the company 150 patacas per car every month, which covers GPS, voice and video recording devices. Taxi drivers are required to pay 300 patacas per month to maintain these devices. 

Yesterday, during a TDM radio program, Tony Kuok Leong Son, president of the Macau Taxi Drivers Mutual Help Association, said that the Transport Bureau (DSAT) promised to meet with taxi drivers to discuss installations and fees. Kuok stated that maintenance fees should not be paid by the taxi drivers, but instead be fully covered by the SAR government.

There are nearly 1,900 taxis in Macau. Together with the 150 patacas to be paid by the local government, the taxi sector and the local government will pay over 10 million patacas per year for the devices.

Kuok accused the local government of delaying the approval of taxi drivers’ request for a taxi fare increase, having also claimed that taxi drivers have not seen their salaries increased in three years.

In addition, taxi drivers are also calling for an extra service fee on the first three days of the Lunar New Year.

The new law proposes canceling a driver’s license if the driver records four violations within five years. According to Kuok, as of today, two taxi drivers have seen their license canceled and another two have already recorded three violations.

Kuok suggested that the local government offer further guidance to taxi drivers on the details of the new law. He also indicated his expectations that taxi drivers will be able to operate in accordance with the law. JZ