The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) yesterday threatened to suspend the operation of Uber, an application-based taxi service provider, over continuous violations of the nation’s regulations.
The ministry issued a statement after the San Francisco-based firm announced earlier yesterday that its members in Taipei can enjoy two free rides today if they use the app to hire a taxi and the fare is less than NT$300 (US$9.60).
The ministry said it would launch a crackdown today. It said it has fined Uber a total of NT$2.05 million for illegally offering taxi services.
Photo: Taipei Times
The Highway Act (公路法) stipulates that Uber must register as a taxicab transportation business, something it has yet to do. The government has issued 32 citations for the violations, but Uber has refused to pay the fines and filed an appeal to have them canceled.
The ministry said that it would soon hold a joint review of the regulations with officials from the ministries of finance and economic affairs and the Consumer Protection Commission to discuss suspending Uber’s local operations and stop the app from being accessed by local consumers.
The ministry said Uber did not have a local branch office, allowing it to avoid paying taxes, adding that consumers are not protected by the law in case of a dispute with Uber.
Meanwhile, in related news, taxi drivers in Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung plan to raise fares by an average of 20 percent after having gone without a fare hike for seven years.
Rates proposed by the taxicab drivers’ union would be reviewed by an independent committee under the Taipei Department of Transportation.
Union president Wang Ming-hsiung (王明雄) said that while oil prices have dropped, other costs have risen, including maintenance.
The proposed rate increase is to ease the burden on the drivers by giving them a pay raise, he said.
The ministry said the Taipei City Government has the right to determine taxi fares, adding that it would respect the city’s decision.
“The city government should also consider the fact that oil prices have changed from the time the new rates were proposed,” it added.
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