Transportation | Special taxis to launch operations with 50 cars

The new Radio Taxi Service Company will officially launch on April 1 with an eight-year license. The new service has been running on a trial basis.

The first phase of the new service launch will deploy 50 special taxis, including 10 large six-or seven-seater taxis and five taxis intended for people with mobility restrictions.

According to the Transport Bureau (DSAT), the service may be booked via phone call, mobile application or online.

During the months of preparation, DSAT reportedly inspected the vehicles as well as the training session, which was conducted for the drivers to ensure efficient operation of the service.

Apart from the normal rules established by the government for the radio taxis, the new taxis are said to include free Wi-Fi access for passengers, among other services.

The DSAT said these taxis would charge a meter-based fare. A call fee of MOP5 will be added to the base fare, unless the booking is made at least an hour in advance.

Riders may pay by cash, Macau Pass or the “Quick Pass” system of Bank of China or Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

The Macau government also stated that they will monitor the service, particularly the number of vehicles in operation and the phone call pick-up ratio, according to the concession contract, which states fines and penalties that can lead to the concession’s termination.

The DSAT also noted that there are currently 14 pick-up areas for radio taxis. More areas are expected to be established soon. An additional 50 taxis have been granted to the company, which will progressively be added to the program within a year. RM