The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to develop measures to help people planning to operate non-traditional taxis to avoid breaking an amended law dubbed the “Uber clause.”
After a four-month grace period that is to end next month, those found to be operating a taxi-like business without authorization face fines of NT$9,000 to NT$90,000, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday.
The ministry is to extend the grace period for those unable to obtain permits in time under a multipurpose taxi service program that was initiated by the government primarily to encourage Uber and Uber-like services to adhere to the law, Lin said.
Many drivers have taken the multipurpose taxi driver exam, which began in June, to obtain a commercial driver’s license, Lin said, adding that within six months the number could be 10,000.
The ministry defines a multipurpose taxi as a service in which the driver is not legally required to use a yellow taxi. The fares are metered, but passengers interact with drivers primarily via an app.
An amendment to Article 103-1 of the Transportation Management Regulations (汽車運輸業管理規則), which took effect on June 6, bans taxi services offered through partnerships with vehicle rental agencies, as Uber has done.
Lin’s remarks came after dozens of affected drivers rallied in front of the ministry earlier the day, demanding that the government postpone the implementation of the amendments.
The Uber clause should be suspended until issues such as acquiring permits, financial assistance and insurance registration are resolved, said Lee Wei-er (李威爾), a spokesperson for a self-help association of drivers.
CAUTION: Based on intelligence from the nation’s security agencies, MOFA has cautioned Taiwanese travelers about heightened safety risks in China-friendly countries The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Taiwanese to be aware of their safety when traveling abroad, especially in countries that are friendly to China. China in June last year issued 22 guidelines that allow its courts to try in absentia and sentence to death so-called “diehard” Taiwanese independence activists, even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan. Late last month, a senior Chinese official gave closed-door instructions to state security units to implement the guidelines in countries friendly to China, a government memo and a senior Taiwan security official said, based on information gathered by Taiwan’s intelligence agency. The
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said yesterday that it is looking to hire 8,000 people this year, at a time when the tech giant is expanding production capacity to maintain its lead over competitors. To attract talent, TSMC would launch a large-scale recruitment campaign on campuses across Taiwan, where a newly recruited engineer with a master’s degree could expect to receive an average salary of NT$2.2 million (US$60,912), which is much higher than the 2023 national average of NT$709,000 for those in the same category, according to government statistics. TSMC, which accounted for more than 60 percent
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
RSS