Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man underlined yesterday that the government plans to establish a system aiming to better regulate online taxi ride-hailing services in the city first before “ultimately” pushing ahead with licensing private cars to provide online ride-hailing services.
Tam made the remarks when replying to oral interpellations by lawmakers during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle.
The city’s taxis currently comprise “common” taxis and “special” taxis.
Common taxis are colloquially known as “black taxis” (“hak dik” in Cantonese) as their colour is black. They are either operated by licensed individuals or companies.
The city’s special taxis are operated by Macau Radio Taxi Services Limited. Its taxis can only provide phone and online ride-hailing services, and are not allowed to pick up those hailing a cab in the street.
In addition to being allowed to pick up passengers while travelling around the city, common taxis are also legally allowed to provide a radio taxi or online ride-hailing service. For instance, more and more common taxis have joined the online ride-hailing platform run by mainland web-mapping giant Amap since its launch in Macau last year. Prospective passengers can use its taxi ride-hailing service through either the Amap mapping app or the MPay app (the mobile payment app run by Macau Pass).
During yesterday’s plenary session, Tam said that the government is studying the drafting of legislation formally regulating online ride-hailing services provided by taxis and the operations of online ride-hailing platforms, with the aim of better protecting the rights and interests of passengers and drivers alike.
Tam said that the government aims to propose amendments to the city’s current law regulating the city’s taxi sector later this year, with the aim of enabling the formal establishment of online taxi ride-hailing platforms.
Tam underlined that the government’s ultimate aim is to license private cars to provide online ride-hailing services. However, the policy secretary said, the government will only adopt a step-by-step approach on the matter considering that Macau is a small city where many streets and roads are narrow.
Consequently, Tam said, the government has decided to adopt a more cautious approach where it plans to establish a system to better regulate online taxi ride-hailing services in the city first, only after which it will ultimately push ahead with licensing private cars to provide online ride-hailing services “if everything is smooth”.
Govt to set up Macau’s first EV super-fast charging station in Cotai
Meanwhile, Tam said during yesterday’s plenary session that the government will set up an e-vehicle (EV) charging station equipped with super-fast charging piles on an unused plot on Rua da Patinagem (溜冰路) in Cotai, expected to come into use at around the middle of this year.
According to Tam, the super-fast charging station will comprise four piles for cars and three piles for heavy vehicles.
Rua da Patinagem is a road in east Cotai, running past the Wynn Palace resort, the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau complex, the Lisboeta Macau resort, and the Macau East Asian Games Dome.
The EV facility equipped with super-fast charging piles will be the first of its kind in the city. Tam said that the new facility will be operated on a pilot basis, pledging that if its operation is well received by civil society, the government will look for other locations in the city deemed suitable for the setting-up of super-fast charging stations.
The policy secretary noted that the super-fast charging piles will enable a car to have a range of 300 to 400 kilometres with just 10 minutes of charging.
Tam also said that the government has chosen the location for the city’s first-ever EV super-fast charging station as there is a substation of the city’s power utility CEM nearby, in which case, he noted, the upcoming setting-up of this EV charging station will not require a “large-scale” roadwork project.
Meanwhile, Tam said also during yesterday’s plenary session that the government will start gathering public opinion at the end of this month concerning its plan to expand the city’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) network in the long term.
Construction of the first of several social rental housing estates in the Zone A land reclamation area is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Tam said during yesterday’s plenary session that the government aims to start in the second half of this year to arrange for applicants on its social-housing waiting list to move into the newly completed social housing flats in Zone A.
A taxi is driven past Taipa Market last month. – Photo: Tony Wong
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man addresses yesterday’s plenary session in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle. – Photo: GCS
