The vehicles to be used for the government’s planned taxi line have begun arriving in the Maldives.
While the total fleet planned for the service is 150 cars, the first shipment of 60 cars has already been delivered to Male’. A further 90 cars are expected in a second shipment arriving on 29 March. The taxi line is scheduled to launch on 2 April. The service will be app-based, with a dedicated mobile application.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen said the second shipment is expected within the next week, and efforts are ongoing to launch the service by the scheduled date.
MTCC’s Managing Director Ahmed Saudi said the drivers are currently being recruited and trained to commence the service. The system and application are also being finalised. The service will run 24 hours a day, he said.
According to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), the purpose of introducing the government taxi line is to make it easier for the public to find taxis and to improve service quality.
The vehicles used for the taxi line will be 100 percent environmentally friendly and will include three vehicle sizes. The cars are supplied by Changan Automobile.
The government expects the service to bring positive improvements to the taxi sector.