PANJIM: The State government has notified guidelines for the taxi and rent-a-cab operators in the State in a bid to ensure effective, efficacious and transparent services to the public and tourists visiting the State.
“State Transport Authority (STA) is desirous of introducing guidelines for smooth conduct of the business of Radio taxi and App Aggregator. Any existing or new radio taxi or app based taxi services shall have to confirm and adhere to these guidelines and permissions will have to be sought from the STA, for operating and managing such services in the State from effective date as may be specified by the Government,” the notification states.
The long list of guidelines include various conditions under categories such as permission holders profile, vehicle profile, driver’s profile, arrangements for services (to passengers), fare, licenses, etc.
In one clause to ensure safety of passengers, the guidelines approved by the STA stated that the driver shall be of good moral character without any criminal record. It has directed that any person convicted within the past seven years of driving under the influence of drug or alcohol, and convicted at any time for any cognizable offence under the Criminal Code of Procedure, 1973 including fraud, sexual offences, use of a motor vehicle to commit a cognizable offence, a crime involving property dispute and/or theft, acts of violence or acts of terror should not be engaged by the licensee.
“The guidelines are necessitated to keep a watchful eye on abiding of all regulatory & compliance framework with special focus on Standards of Safety, Security & Compliance and to prevent fly by night operators. This was also accentuated by the need to bring aggregators, radio taxi operators and traditional city taxis under a uniform, fair and transparent regulatory framework. Taxi Owners, Agents, Radio Taxis Operator and Taxi App Aggregator,” the notification further said.
The STA has also directed that the taxi aggregator shall be responsible for quality of drivers, their police verification, and their conduct with passengers. “The applicant shall also ensure that the drivers are totally safe, reliable and trustworthy.
The driver shall always behave in a polite and courteous manner with the passenger. The Aggregator shall ensure that the driver undergoes an annual health check-up for ensuring his fitness to drive the Taxi, and the driver shall not drive under the influence of drugs, liquor, psychotic medicines or any such prohibited materials,” reads the other set of notified conditions.
To encourage gender equality in the taxi trade business and create employment opportunities for women, the STA also recommended that aggregators shall endeavour to hire as many women drivers as may be feasible.