The Macau Taxi Association has applied to the government for a fare hike, requesting that the flag fall be increased from 19 to 22 patacas and that the distance rate of 2 patacas be reduced to 220 metres.
The association’s vice-chairman, Tai Kam Leong, revealed the numbers while speaking to reporters on Saturday on the sidelines of an event in Iao Hon Park to promote the city’s new taxi regulation and raise cabbies’ quality of service.
According to Tai, the fare hike, which the association proposed to the government in July, would mean a roughly 16 per cent increase of a taxi fare in general. Currently, the distance rate is 2 patacas per 240 metres.
Tai said that since the government had become more demanding about the use of eco-friendly vehicles and maintenance and operation costs had increased, he hoped that the government would approve the proposed hike as soon as possible.
Tai noted that it has been three months since the new taxi law came into effect, and he insisted that the situation had significantly improved. According to the Macau Post Daily, he pointed out that according to the law, taxis are now required to be equipped with a smart system consisting of GPS, voice and image recording equipment certified by the Transport Bureau (DSAT).
“So far, not even one taxi has installed it,” Tai said, urging the government to speed up the tendering process for the voice recording system to protect drivers because when there are complaints, he pointed out, taxi drivers do not have proof to defend themselves, which he said was unfair to the drivers.
