Despite strong opposition from Uber Technologies and its drivers, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday said that it would early next month announce the final version of an amendment to Article No. 130-1 of the Transportation Management Regulations (汽車運輸業管理規則) once it has been approved at a weekly ministerial meeting on Friday.
The article, which has been dubbed the “Uber clause,” defines vehicle rental services and taxis as different businesses that are subject to separate regulations, and that the former would have to charge passengers by hourly or daily rates.
The ministry had proposed amending the regulations after Uber was found to use its partnership with a vehicle rental business to engage in taxi services, which the ministry said would disrupt the order of the market.
Photo: Hsiao Yu-hsin, Taipei Times
The amendment, which was announced on Feb. 21, has already gone through a 60-day consultation period, which ended on April 26.
The amendment passed a review by the ministry’s legal affairs committee on Friday last week, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
The ministry said it would give Uber and its drivers a four-month transitional period to meet the requirements in the amendment before it would implement fines of between NT$9,000 and NT$90,000 for those contravening the regulations from October, it said.
Knowing that Uber drivers are scheduled to protest at the Executive Yuan today, Wang said that the ministry hosted the news conference to show its unwavering determination to enforce the law.
“We want to tell Uber that it should not harbor any expectation that the ministry would change its position on the issue. The company has been given a way to lead its drivers to the right path. If it wants to continue operating in Taiwan, then it should apply to become a taxi business operator,” Wang said.
To become a taxi business operator in the nation, one needs to have a minimum of NT$5 million in capital and purchase insurance for passengers, which should not be difficult for a company such as Uber, he said, adding that Uber drivers can continue offering a high-quality taxi service if they become legal taxi drivers.
Uber could also become a legal operator by joining the nation’s diversified taxi service program, Department of Railways and Highways Director-General Chen Wen-ruey (陳文瑞) said.
Uber can still work with vehicle rental operators, but it would have to adhere to the amended Article 103-1 in the Transportation Management Regulations, he said.
The National Police Agency has agreed to hold 37 taxi registration certificate exams between next month and September for Uber drivers interested in becoming legal taxi drivers, Chen said.
Both the Taxi Business Association of the Republic of China and various taxi service operators have pledged to set up telephone lines to assist Uber drivers in joining taxi companies, he added.
Chen also said that the ministry would reduce the administration fee of about NT$1,250 for Uber drivers seeking to join the diversified taxi service program.
Directorate-General of Highways Director-General Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said that vehicle rental operators working with Uber and other platforms would be asked to provide their business plans, adding that the business plan should include the number of vehicles in their fleet and the vehicles’ license numbers.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
RSS