The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday reiterated that the government already has regulations governing taxi services, adding that Uber Taiwan could apply to offer services based on those rules after the firm suggested that the government regulate ride-sharing apps.
“The point is that Uber should hire licensed taxi drivers or provide them for people requesting taxis rather than the government creating new laws for so-called transport service operators who offer services over the Internet,” Department of Railways and Highways specialist Hu Ti-chi (胡迪琦) said.
While the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee is today scheduled to deliberate amendments to articles 77 and 78-1 of the Highway Act (公路法), which would increase penalties for illegally providing taxi services to up to NT$25 million (US$782,424), Hu said the ministry did not issue fines to Uber because it dislikes overseas investors.
“Neither is the ministry against new technology,” she said. “It is the ministry’s hope that Uber can begin to offer legal taxi services after the Highway Act is amended.”
Licensed taxi operators should not be worried about the increased fines, Hu said, adding that the ministry would issue the maximum fine only if an operator continually breaches the regulations.
Uber drivers face suspension or revocation of their license if they contravene the regulations multiple times, she said.
Hu also said that lawmakers from across party lines had reached a consensus on the proposed amendment, adding that the bill is likely to be approved by the Legislative Yuan.
Despite Uber Taiwan saying that it is working with Fubon Insurance Co on liability insurance for its drivers and is complying with the tax code, Hu said that the ministry has not seen details of the policies.
“Uber has said that it is an online platform and is not obliged to follow taxi service regulations,” Hu said. “Whether the company has insurance for passengers and drivers is one thing, but providing an unlicensed taxi service is another.”
Hu said that the ministry would be glad to see Uber Taiwan work with licensed taxi drivers and help them find passengers.
The problem is that Uber insists on hiring unlicensed drivers to offer services and profits from that operation, she said.
“We will not give in on the matter of hiring unlicensed drivers to provide services,” Wu said.
Statistics from the Directorate-General of Highways showed that Uber Taiwan and its drivers had accumulated more than NT$83 million in fines as of Monday.
Should the amendment to the Highway Act secure legislative approval this legislative session, Hu said that the ministry would stipulate rules of enforcement within six months of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) promulgating the law.
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