Taxi fare increase likely in early April

Catching a taxi in the city will become more expensive in early April with the flag fall rate expected to increase by MOP 2, said the president of the Macau Taxi Driver Mutual Association, Kwok Leung Shun.
During a meeting of the Traffic Services Committee in late January, representatives from the taxi industry expressed their desire to increase the fare as soon as possible to offset the rising operation costs, especially the hike of petroleum prices, he said.
And the Transport Bureau director Wong Wan “did not express any objection,” Kwok told Macau Daily Times, adding that “it is the industry’s collective view and it was passed unanimously by the committee members.”
The activist said he saw no obstacles to implementation of the hike because the authorities understand the difficulties facing the industry.
While the flag fall fare for the first 1,600 metres is set to increase from MOP 13 to MOP 15, the charge for every 230 meters will remain unchanged at MOP1.5.
During the meeting the industry proposed reducing this distance to 220 metres but the government opposed this proposal, saying it had to balance the public’s interests.
The fare hike has been submitted to Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On for approval, Kwok revealed.

Strike a balance

“But at the moment the Chief Executive is busily dealing with issues related to the political reform, so there may be a short delay,” he said. Still, the taxi representative expects the approval to come before the Easter holidays, which begin on April 6 this year.
After the government gives the green light a new fare will be charged immediately, and in one-month time all taxi fare meters will be adjusted accordingly.
Last week the Macau Federation of Taxi Services announced its plans to come forward with another proposal to increase taxi fares as soon as the current one comes into effect.
In an interview with Portuguese-language newspaper Tribuna de Macau, federation president Wong Pei Kei said the flag fall rate increase would only benefit taxis that provide short distance services. He stressed that operation expenses had climbed by 30 percent in recent years.
But Kwok said that any further increase is most unlikely within this year because it would difficult for the public to accept. “The government needs to strike a balance between taxi drivers and members of the public,” he stressed.
As to the government’s plan to issue an extra 200 taxi licenses, Kwok expects that the tender for the new cabs would take place around Easter.

No restrictions

Kwok expects the government to probably issue the new licenses gradually to avoid a sudden demand of drivers. “It depends on the market situation,” he said, adding that the new licenses would cost less than MOP 1 million.
“Last time they [authorities] issued 150 new licenses in 2008 and the price was around MOP 1 million. Given the larger number and other market conditions, the prices [of the new licenses] will probably be lower,” said Kwok.
He wants the new cabs to have no restrictions on their operation areas and modes. Lawmaker Chan Meng Kam called for restrictions to be imposed on new cabs to prevent them from packing around hotels and casinos and leaving other areas under-served.
“Let the drivers decide for themselves,” Kwok said. “If they find no passengers around the places [casinos and hotels], they will go to the old districts.”
Kwok also mentioned problematic practices in the industry that have long been criticised by the public, including drivers refusing to provide services, or providing services only to some customers.
He said these undesirable behaviours are poisoning the profession as a whole, and suggested that authorities step up patrols and inspections, as well as more severe punishments for drivers violating the rules.

S.C.