Taxi sector slams gov’t for ‘unreasonable’ rules and approach

In a meeting with the Transport Bureau (DSAT), local taxi trade unions said that the industry welcomes the police clampdown on illegal taxi driver behavior, but not some of the new parking restrictions and authorities’ overzealous law-enforcement approaches.
The drivers urged DSAT to review its regulations that forbid taxis to pick up or drop off passengers on the side of roads marked with yellow lines and complained that many passengers are not aware of such rules, thus causing disputes.
Some argued that the lack of taxi stations and restrictions on taxis’ parking and pulling away have made drivers fearful and put them under stress that they might get fined if they venture onto the wrong line to follow a passenger’s request.
“If you still want Macau to have a taxi industry, you really have to review and think through the relation between taxis and the yellow lines,” Mr Wong, a driver, stressed. “You need to give us back the legal space to operate so that we drivers can survive.”
“Both are a public service; buses can stop at busy streets but why don’t we have more spots there for taxis?” another driver added.
Some attendees further argued that the authorities should save the sector’s normal operation from damage when carrying out law enforcement and concentrate the crackdown on illegal behavior such as excessive fare charging and driving extra distances.
“Some approaches of the police’s law enforcement are not appropriate, for example they tend to target taxis that stop at the busy downtown streets but neglect some black spots where illegal behaviors are severe,” a driver complained.
Besides adding more taxi stations and locations for taxis to stop at, the drivers also appealed for venues where they can park and rest.
“A vacant private car can park by the street but we can’t, if we pull off we’ll get a ticket by the police immediately. But without rests, our health will seriously suffer,” said Mr Cheong.
The head of DSAT’s Traffic Planning and Construction Division, Kuong Vai Cheok hosted the meeting. While recognizing drivers’ concerns, he acknowledged that some past conditions should be adjusted now. BY