The Macau Taxi Passenger Association (MTPA) says it is “bitterly disappointed with the unacceptably weak” legislation proposed at Tuesday’s meeting of the Traffic Advisory Board (CCT), held at the Macau Transport Bureau (DSAT) headquarters.
The proposal calls for sanctions on taxi drivers after they are caught breaking the law more than eight times in a year. But MTPA President Andrew W Scott said, “Given that rogue taxi drivers are generally not caught when they break the law, this would mean taxi drivers could scam passengers many dozens of times a year with no penalty. The initial penalty proposed is a mere one week suspension – hardly a strong incentive against bad-acting drivers.”
It is proposed the second level penalty be suspension for one month but the MTPA said it remained unclear whether this means taxi drivers need to be caught breaking the law a second set of nine times before receiving a suspension.
The MTPA has instead proposed stricter penalties for taxi drivers caught “fishing” or engaging in other illegal practices with a fine of MOP$5,000 for a first offence, a one month suspension for a second offence and a cancellation of license for three years for a third offence. It said research has shown that other jurisdictions with heavy penalties for bad acting taxi drivers, such as Singapore, have particularly clean and healthy taxi industries.
Tuesday’s proposal also calls for audio recorders in taxis – but only if the taxi driver approves the installation. Scott said, “Does anyone seriously believe a rogue taxi driver scamming visitors to Macau is going to voluntarily allow audio recording devices in his taxi? It doesn’t make much sense does it?”
“We’ve had this problem in Macau now for around a decade, and it’s taken over seven years to get these proposals to the Legislative Assembly. Is this really the best we can do? We must get this right – it might be another seven years before we have another chance!”
It has also been proposed that taxi companies themselves be held accountable if more than 30% of their taxis are involved in infractions. Scott continued, “If more than 30 percent of a company’s taxis are acting badly, that isn’t a handful of rogue taxis, that’s a systemic organized illegal approach by the company – and in that case the company should be criminally prosecuted for fraud and certainly should lose the right to ever organize taxis in Macau.”
The MTPA said it was disappointed to have received no reply or even acknowledgement from DSAT regarding its comprehensive 33 page proposal lodged with DSAT on 23 September 2014 as part of the Public Consultation Process regarding Macau’s taxi industry.
The submission can be found online at the MTPA’s official Facebook site, Macau Taxi Driver Shame, at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/macautaxidrivershame/files/.
