Ride-hailing service providers warn that there could be major service issues and potentially high fares if many ride hailing drivers are not able to register for a public service vehicle (PSV) licence by the July 12 deadline imposed by the government, the New Straits Times reports.
Registration for the PSV licence – which involves sitting for a six-hour training course at a cost of RM200 – began on April 1 at authorised e-Hailing Operator (eHO) driving institutes and training centres, and the short time period is leaving many to question if everything will go to plan.
“There are about 200,000 e-hailing drivers nationwide. Do you think all of them can obtain the PSV licence by July? On top of that, there are not even enough trainers to begin training the drivers with the new module,” said Mohd Faizul Ezmin, a representative from e-hailing company Decentralised Alternative Cabs Serving and Empowering Everyone (Dacsee).
He said there fares would likely skyrocket, especially during peak hours, given that there will be fewer drivers on the road to meet the ever-growing demand for ride-hailing services.
“The e-hailing drivers are the ones who make the system work. If there are fewer of them on the road due to failure to get the PSV licence before the deadline, then the fares will surely go up. During peak hours, there won’t be enough drivers available and the waiting time will also be much longer. Users will be angry, for sure,” Faizul said.
A representative from another ride-hailing provider also questioned the short period being given before enforcement kicks in.
“The (transport) minister keeps talking about the need for e-hailing drivers to get their PSV licence by July. He has been saying this since the first week of January. However, the JPJ only launched the module on April 1. The process to apply for the PSV licence is also unclear. Ride-hailing companies and drivers now have only three months to sort everything out. I urge (authorities) to extend the deadline,” he said.
Earlier this week, JPJ director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Khalid told the publication that there were 30 to 35 registered ride-hailing companies in Malaysia, with four of these authorised to manage their own PSV training facilities. Grab and Dacsee are among the quartet. He added that the PSV module for e-hailing drivers is available at any of the approved 211 driving academies and e-hailing centres nationwide.
Under new regulations, all taxi and ride-hailing drivers will need to hold a PSV licence as listed under Section 56 of the Road Transport Act 1987. Vehicles to be used for ride-hailing duty that are less than three years old will also need to be converted from an individual private vehicle to an e-hailing private nehicle, while cars over three years old must be inspected at Puspakom, for which RM55 needs to be paid.
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ehailing as we know it is dead. many driver has totally quit including me. too much hassle & higher cost. bit sad to quit after few years driving since uber
JENG JENG JENG!!! Malaysians have voted for this!
YES YES YES!!! Me voted for this! Kak Shahrizat!
With slight hike, consumer will still choose Grab or Uber or any RH services. People dont mind paying a bit more for better vehicle.
Eh…taxi still around?
We all were having great Grab services. All these problems started when the lazy teksi guys protested, amok, strike and made so much of noise.
Then Government had no choice but to implement so many requirements for the Grab driver making it so difficult.
It is a pity that all of us now have to suffer just because the teksi drivers are all lazy and pampered and used to their goyang kaki lifestyle and were too jealous of the Grab driver
Now, it would be difficult for normal people also to earn a living driving Grab to supplement their income. I really hope the old lazy teksi drivers try their level best to be hardworking
Good move JPJ. Myself a Grab driver, its time for a fair level playing field btw Grab and Taxi. No more favoritism and economic discrimination. Rule by law and meritocracy win!
There is no way this can be done by July. Have you seen how slow JPJ works?
Those who know how slow JPJ works will know, impossible for 200,000 to do the course by July
If Grab have to increase their fares, so be it la. People will just have to live with it or find ther forms of transport to suit their budget.
Taxi’s used to complain about things like this, now Grab also wanna do the same?
Not that Grab wants to raise prices unnecessarily but it’s due to the added hurdles and redtape bureaucracy thown by the PH Government. Really sick & tired of them protecting their cronies.
I would luv to see Grab ‘feedback’ to the gomen on level playing field where;
1.Grab vehicles are newer and in theory safer.
2.Grab drivers are more discipline as its easy for users to feedback unlike thugxi driver, complaint to authority oso no action.
Cmon…we want to be fair right?
I don’t understand the registration program by this new Gov. Putting pressure on e-hailing vehicle registration is not the solution. The FACT is they need to improve all the existing taxi services, pronto. Look at South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong. Their gov supply the taxi drivers with modern cars, mandatory yearly training on driving safely, servicing passengers, etc. Tun keep saying to look East, so how come this Transport Minister is still blind?
Price Hikes and PH, berpisah tiada.
This will be the slow death of ridesharing and the rise again of crony taxis. Ever wondered why Big Blue boss doesn’t come into the spotlight anymore? Here’s a hint.
RM200 x 200,000 = RM40,000,000….cha-ching!
I am sick and fed up seeing how Grab and Uber drivers were bullied by the pemalas taxi drivers.
They are just waiting for handouts as usual
I’m one of the part time grab driver. I will stop if there is so much of procedure need to follow. I save money the old ways
Please help in improving the efficiency of our public transportation and not such thing
Dear Grab driver,consumer still have taxi as usual.
Now.. we see
Omg…now we hv to use over price taxi thug…..why this PH govt yield down to taxi thug???….kena ubah le like…consumer is the loser, since PH all Price Hike!!
You make the grab driver difficult, as a grab driver we just quit. That is nothing one, just see how to passenger and tourism how to blame and scold Anthony Loke.