Take care of taxi and bus drivers, govt urged
PETALING JAYA: Two public transport groups say public transport can be improved by looking after taxi drivers and bus drivers, while a motorcycle taxi advocate says changes are needed to ensure that the public transport system meets the needs of the people.
The head of a taxi drivers association said the 2020 Budget should provide funds to help drivers change their vehicles. He also called for regulation of e-hailing services to ensure that taxis and e-hailing services operated on a level field.
The head of a bus operators association said government help was needed to overcome a shortage of bus drivers. He suggested that free lessons be provided by driving schools.
Kamaruddin Hussain, president of Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia, said the welfare of taxi drivers has been neglected by the Pakatan Harapan government, while the transport ministry had not planned any programmes to develop the industry.
He said the government needed to regain the trust of cabbies by providing funds to help finance the purchase of new vehicles. “We have plans on how to help taxi drivers get better cars at cheaper rates. We have ways. The government needs to sit down with us to hear our proposals.”
He said he was not asking for cash handouts, but suggested that a separate body be formed through which the funds can be channelled, preventing wastage.
He also urged for stronger regulation of e-hailing services. E-hailing drivers must follow the same rules as taxi drivers, he said. “Classify e-hailing vehicles as taxis, so that both types of drivers are subject to the same laws and rules. Just give us job opportunities and regulate the industry well,” he said.
Kamaruddin said the transport ministry under Pakatan Harapan had not held any discussions or consultations with taxi drivers since the new government took over. “The previous government, which we’ve been told is bad and corrupt, still paid attention to our problems. They gave us new sets of tyres, they gave us RM800 cash aid, while the PH government totally didn’t give us anything.”
Need to train new bus drivers
Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Ashfar Ali said the Human Resources Development Fund could be used to overcome the shortage of bus drivers.
He suggested that selected driving schools offer free training, as prospective drivers were deterred by the approximately RM5,000 to qualify as a bus driver.
He told FMT that the shortage of drivers had been an issue for more than 20 years. It came about partly from drivers retiring, migrating to work in Singapore, moving to other industries, as well as the high cost of becoming qualified.
“Repeated appeals for assistance from the Barisan Nasional government resulted in no action,” he said.
Changes needed in public transport system
Nabil Feisal Bamadhaj, founder of the Dego Ride motorcycle taxi service, called for better accessibility to public transport, such as building stations at high-demand locations, or creating social spaces at shopping centres and neighbourhood retail shops to increase usage in low-traffic areas.
“Public transport should include other available forms of transport such as car, van and motorcycle taxis,” Nabil told FMT.
The government should look to reducing inefficiencies by adopting new technologies, while creating jobs for youths and low income earners.
“Better access to public transport and opportunities related to logistics for the public will directly improve lives and provide efficiencies that align us to a developed nation in a relatively short time,” he said.
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