Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Ameen, has stated that the government’s taxi line will be launched before the end of Ramadan.
The government has awarded the contract to Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) to operate the service. The service aims to address difficulties in finding taxis and improve overall service quality with a more modern system.
Speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office, the minister said the taxis required to commence operations are currently en route to the Maldives. He said the taxis have been modified to suit the Maldives’ coastal conditions.
According to the minister, three taxi models are being imported in two batches, with one batch of 60 cars set to arrive from Thailand. The remaining cars of two other models are arriving from China. One shipment is expected to arrive on 11 March, while details of the second batch from China are expected to be shared on 6 March.
The minister said the service will be introduced in phases, with limited operations set to begin on 18 March, to coincide with Eid. He expressed hope that the project would progress as per schedule.
The government plans to bring in a total of 150 cars for the service. A total of 407 drivers are being recruited, with 285 full-time and 122 part-time drivers.