E-hailing drivers have until this Saturday, October 12, to comply with the ruling of having a mandatory Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence in order to continue operating, but while many drivers have already obtained their PSV, two new requirements that have just been imposed may see a shortage of drivers this weekend.
The two new requirements, which were issued by the road transport department (JPJ) and the land public transport agency (APAD) last Friday, are that drivers are now required to have a printed copy of the EVP (e-hailing vehicle permit) and a conversion of their vehicle category from an individual private vehicle to an e-hailing private vehicle (AH).
The move has caught e-hailing operators by surprise, and some have asked for leeway to be given due to the short notice given, The Star reports. Malaysia E-Hailing Drivers Association president Daryl Chong said that e-hailing drivers who have already obtained their PSV licence should be allowed on the road after this Saturday’s deadline despite them not having met the latest conditions yet.
“We hope the government can give at least one month’s grace period to comply with these new requirements, ” he said, explaining that a majority of e-hailing drivers who have obtained their EVP do not have the hard copy yet. He added that while operators will not have problems printing out the EVP for their drivers, the drivers will have problems picking up the EVP from their respective companies under such short notice.
As for the vehicle category conversion to AH, he said that drivers would have to go through the process of filling up forms and submitting them to JPJ, a time-consuming procedure that is amplified further with the impending deadline.
The report adds that there are about 167,000 e-hailing drivers in Malaysia, and Chong reckoned that 30% of them would quit the industry. Out of the 117,000 drivers who want to continue, he estimated that only 80,000 of them would be PSV and EVP compliant by October 12.
Grab said it was caught by surprise by two new requirements. “We are taken aback by this sudden change, especially when we are only a few days away from the enforcement date. While we negotiate with the relevant authorities, we urge you to do the necessary to meet the full list of requirements by Oct 12,” it said to its drivers in a message posted on its website.
In May, transport minister Anthony Loke had said that e-hailing drivers would have the flexibility of not changing their vehicle category. The deadline for e-hailing drivers to obtain the mandatory PSV licence was July 12, but the government announced a three-month extension so more drivers could fulfil the requirements.
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Syukuurr. pakcik2 teksi terbela…. weldan protek.
Grab tu company teksi. Kena lah ikut law la
Again, attack drivers. While Grab operates above the law. Go through their system to see how many drivers have been robbed, beaten up, critically injured and even died while riding for Grab including Grab delivery. Complete and utter exploitation conducted with impunity and lawlessness.
No wonder la so hard to get a grab at the moment, I have to wait 20Min+ to get a Driver.
Demand more then supply. Grab driver gud income
Are they trying to drive Grab out and make way for Gojek?
ayuh Dego
let’s see how strict will the rules for Gojek be and the enforcement.
Gojek, that boy menteri promoting kau kau.
Wonder why, huh?????
protek teksi drevarrr ah niii
i guess this is the end for part time drivers if they have to convert from private car to e-hailing.
This is what happens when taxi drivers are unwilling to compete fairly and cry and cry to take down their competitors. And the government have to listen because? Because the majority of these taxi companies are owned by who?
The number of driver will drop these few month and driver income will be higher. Then when those whom left notices the situation, they will join again and the number of driver will increases a bit before it stabilize.
Whatever it is, i think people will still choose e-hailing vs the ‘tried and tested’ taxi service.
Doesn’t matter. I’d rather walk than take taxi. Bloody cutthroats!
Since taxi uses H number plates, how bout rmv issues E1H number plates to e-hailing vehicle as well?
Gomen trying to kill off e hailing drivers ah? Plotek maximum gangster teksi.
Die die I will NEVER take a teksi. That’s my consumer choice!!
Keep doing this kind of stuff PH. You’re sure to lose next GE. Mark my words.
tun m and cronies mengganas. dah2 la tun m
the usual taxi drivers are big cry babies, complaint alot, lazy and like to “cucuk belakang” of other ppl to protect their rich bowl.
Ingatkan kerajaan baru ini ingin membela rakyat supaya rakyat dapat mencari rezeki dgn lebih mudah, rupanya langsung tiada peduli rakyat yang ingin mencari rezeki. Kerajaan terdahulu rupanya lebih perihatin dengan masalah rakyat dgn adanya perkhidmatan e-hailing seperti Uber, Grab, Mycar dan lain-lain menjadikan ramai rakyat Malaysia yang tiada pekerjaan dapat menjadikan sumber pendapan isi rumah termasuklah yang melakukanya secara ‘Part Time’ tanpa perlu permit,psv,puspakom dan sebagainya. Tahukah Kerajaan Baru bahawa pemandu e-hailing semenjak tiadanya Uber, services kereta utk tukar minyak enjin pun ramai yang terbengkalai kerana caj perkhidmatan yang semakin rendah ? Tahukah Kerajaan Baru bahawa ramai pemandu Grab di tutup akaunnya kerana komplen dari penumpang walau disertakan dengan report polis.
Now everyone knows why in 2014, Grab moved its headquarter to Singapore. Unless you are a crony, it’s hard to do business here
While Taxi drivers still not using their meters, using old dirty and smelly taxi roaming around freely like Thugs! What government did to take action against them? NOTHING!!! But when Grab providing good and cheap services to consumers, government interfere and give problem. Malaysia Boleh!!!