Taxis reform launched
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
The taxis reform was launched by Transport Minister Austin Gatt this morning. It focuses on the liberalisation of the sector.
Dr Gatt said that the market for electric taxis has been liberalised and the current operator agreed his exclusive operation should be open.
Turning to white taxis, the minister said that this reform was reached in agreement with the Malta and Gozo taxi associations
It brought about drastic changes in the way the taxis operated so the liberalisation would be a gradual process.
At the moment there were 200 white taxis – the same number there were in the 1960s. This number will increase to 250 by 2012 and in 2015 the government will discuss with the White Taxis Association to see if there is room to further increase the licences.
In Gozo the number of taxis will remain 50 because it this was sufficient for the island’s needs.
Dr Gatt said that in September there will be 20 new licences up for grabs. In January another 20 will be issued and another 20 will be issued in January 2012.
A competitive tender for licences that would cost a minimum of €20,000 per taxi will be issued by Transport Malta. Licenses will not be transferable for five years.
The minister said that the maximum fare will remain as at present but taxis would be able to have adverts enabling them to offer lower fares, creating a competitive market for the consumer.
He said that the fixed fares from the airport and the sea passenger terminal proved popular so three more stands would be added – at St Julian’s, City Gate, and Bugibba.
Dr Gatt said that at the moment there was only one licence - for the taxi. Another two were to be introduced – one for the operator who might not be the taxi driver, and another for the driver.
He said that in an attempt to improve the image of taxi drivers, the reform included a number of criteria for the operator and the driver. People who committed a serious crime, had their licence suspended or were given a hefty fine would not be granted a licence.
New taxi drivers would have to follow courses to learn the routes and roads well and for the first few months they would be accompanied by an experienced and licenced taxe driver. They would be under probation for five years.
The current drivers would be working under a point system with points deducted for breaches. If 200 points were deducted the licence would be suspended for two years.
The taxis themselves would be monitored by CCTV cameras and the footage would be available to the police if a crime report is filed.
Taxis would also be equipped with two emergency buttons, one for the driver and one for the passenger and a GPS system that would allow transport Malta to monitor where the taxis’ movement and position.
A taxi metre would be obligatory and would be monitored remotely so that TM will know exactly when it was switched on. If a taxi operated without a meter, it would be immediately confiscated.
The reform, the minister said, would be implemented gradually, starting in three months time and should be completed within a year.
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Miriam Webster
May 30th 2010, 12:02
Hmmm, the article implies that the CCTV and GPS will be installed on new taxis.
Will the CCTV and GPS also be retrofitted to the EXISTING taxis?
J.Agius
May 30th 2010, 12:00
Dubai Taxi's have a warning if front of the passengers seat which says
"If The Meter is not running the trip is free"
J.Agius.
r.cutajar
May 30th 2010, 08:51
Can the ministry please issue guidlines if and if so what is the max. number of taxi's licences one individual can get / apply for ?
White , black and what have you ?
Brian Crocker
May 29th 2010, 06:38
First tracking where Taxi passengers go, next GPS in private cars so that the Government can track them or would it not be much easier if Austin Gatt just put a GPS chip in everybody.
Ps I hope that all Taxi passengers are being told that there are being tracked by the Government if not a case for the European Civil Rights Court
mario camilleri
May 29th 2010, 13:21
tiga tezisti tibzax u mhux fill bodd biex jibdew ituwlna ...fitex naqra RFID fuq in net u tkun taf iktar
John Ellul
May 28th 2010, 23:32
Taxis should also be equipped with speed meters!
D Treble
May 28th 2010, 18:09
J Oatmon and N Lawrence I totally agree with your comments. The Maltese Governments are very good at passing laws but very poor at enforcment.
Paul Caruana
May 28th 2010, 16:31
On paper, it looks good (doesn't it always!)......but will action be taken when the GPS suddenly goes off line, or when it shows the taxi driver hurtling along public roads at insane, high speeds?
This sort of thing happens regularly on the Marsa to airport route by the way. You do not need GPS to see the regular dangerous habit of two white taxis, weaving in and out of traffic, racing each other all the way back to the terminal.
In typical Maltese fashion, traffic police/wardens do not dare lift a finger against these road criminals.....they would rather lurk, hidden, near a traffic junction for easy pickings....
daniel mangion
May 28th 2010, 16:21
its good to see that thr government is taking an interest in public transport ( taxi;s).... the negative feedback i get every day from students and complain about the rude behaviour and mentality some drivers have... we need some healthy competition.. having said this i would like to informt he maltese people about a new taxi service a comapny called ecabs... thses people have manges to provide an excellent service ,.. i have use this service myself and i must say never have a been treated so well ina ll my life .. the people are friend the cars are new clean.... and the pricess are excellent..... this is how we will win the hearts of tourists... how can we impress tourists if we maltese cannot even treat each other with respect... that is why ecabs is a breath of fresh air in the taxi service industry.... last but not least they also have wifi were u can easly check your facebook
well done DR GATT
DVella
May 28th 2010, 16:09
Does this mean that ordinary Maltese people will, sometime in the not too distant future, actually be able to afford using a Taxi??? Does it mean that we will not get ripped off blind with extortionate rates???
victor vella
May 28th 2010, 15:58
Mela l owners tal busses hadu dawk il Euros kollha u l owners tal licenzji tat Taxi baqaw bil lasta.
Francis Farrugia
May 28th 2010, 15:38
When are we going to have gass supply on our pumping stations. Now that the market has been liberalised we could start having taxis running on gass and so the new taxis imported will be able to run on gass. This is far more cheaper and cleaner than petrol or diesel. This would help the tourist industry as tourists will be charged less and maybe we maltese start using the taxi services as they will be cheaper even for us.
M Tabone
May 28th 2010, 15:08
Full marks for the emphasis on drivers conduct but I would say…. what kept the authorities from cultivating this sector to avoid the unnecessary blackmailing on the taxi industry.
Regarding competition, it’s important to keep in mind that competition is no just among taxis but across the whole transport industry, full range of supplier try to slice a price from the market. This report gives the impression that there's a monopoly that is rendering taxi owner rich.
For sure the industry requires a lot of positive PR to correct the damage done throughout the years from all competing quarters and sometimes even from government authorities.
Keep in mind that pricing is highly dependent on cost structures and not just competition. Fair returns are required by all in order to operate and invest.
andrew cunningham
May 28th 2010, 15:06
Can Minister A.Gatt as a lawyer answer this please? How many taxis in all 27 E.U countries are equipped with a cctv camera?Does not Data Protection law apply here? Does that mean that persons catching a Taxi will have to cover their faces when they get into a taxi from now on? Do we really want people to start making use of Taxis like in other countries or do we want to put them off from to start? What about the other Y plate garage hired cabs, are they not going to be monitored aswell and what about having a meter installed aswell? From St.Julian's to Bugibba in a black Taxi as they are known I got charged 25 euros last month,and what about the private cars acting as Taxis that roam in St.Julian's and Pinto Wharf picking up people sometimes under the (watchfull eyes???) of the ADT (TM) officers are they going to be controlled?
M.Cachia
May 28th 2010, 21:09
Err most public modes of transport in the UK have cctv for security reasons - both in the case of the passenger and in the case of the driver. What data protection has to do with cctv i would really love to know. I'm sorry to see that the misconceptions people have with regards to data protection are quite vast..
mariopandolfino
May 28th 2010, 15:04
Prosit lilek u lil gvern ghal dawn ir-riformi kollha li qed jsiru ghal gid tal poplu Malti u Ghawdxi.
Anthony Zammit
May 28th 2010, 17:33
LOL!!! Kemm nixtieq imqar nara wahda minnhom jahasra ghax hlief paroli ghadna ma smajniex. Tal-linja....???, l-Enemalta....???, l-minibuses....???, il-pensjonijiet....???, il-haddiema tal-gvern....???, il-waiting list ta l-isptarijiet....??? etc
C. Farrugia
May 28th 2010, 14:37
Prosit again to Minister Austin Gatt. With all his defects he is the only Minsiter who delivers in this governement. Sea Malta, Dockyard, Taxis, IT....... He is very near in delivering the buses. Hope he succeeds.
Sue Mercieca
May 28th 2010, 13:50
Why is a probation period of five years for new taxi drivers needed ? Isnt 12months enough? I find this time too long for someone who would like to take up and become a new taxi driver as I doubt there are many dedicated taxi drivers who will take up a novice for five years.
J Oatmon
May 28th 2010, 13:03
This sounds like a decent set of reforms - but of course in Malta it is the enforcement that is the real problem.
Anyone can see there are numerous laws flouted every day, from smoking in bars, illegal buildings, illegal hunting, illegal dumping, obstructing the pavements etc - but there is almost no enforcement by the police.
N.Lawrence
May 28th 2010, 12:47
LOTS of new regulations. But will they be enforced- more than probably not!