Grabcar, Uber Drivers Will Have To Buy Commercial Insurance, Says Transport Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will make it compulsory for drivers of ride-sharing services such as Uber and GrabCar to buy commercial insurance just like taxi operators in order to operate legally.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Azinuz Kaprawi said a full announcement on the issue will be made soon.
He said the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is still in the midst of discussions to regulate the industry.
"We want to regulate the industry so that these vehicles are safe for people to ride in. We also want to legalise the industry as the number of phone apps will continue to grow.
"Malaysians find these apps very convenient in terms of securing public transport," he said.
Last October, Aziz had said Malaysia might legallise such ride-sharing services if the operators fulfil certain conditions set by the government.
He had said that the government was locked in a series of final discussions with the companies, and an official announcement on the matter was expected soon.
The discussions involve not just Uber, GrabCar and the Transport Ministry but also SPAD to come up with best solutions.
Among the topics discussed so far included making it compulsory for Uber and GrabCar vehicles to undergo periodic computerised vehicle inspections by Puspakom.
A survey by SPAD found that more than 76 per cent of respondents said they were more comfortable using app-based services such as Uber or GrabCar.
More than 86 per cent had claimed that conventional taxis overcharged or did not use meters.
Almost 45,000 respondents took part in the survey initiated by SPAD, titled “General Perception: Taxi Services in Malaysia.”
The majority of the respondents were aged 21 to 30.
-New Straits Times