[Image: Facebook]
The Western Cape Mobility Department has hit the brakes on new operating licenses for e-hailing drivers, claiming the quota’s been maxed out.
In other words: no more space on the roads, folks.
Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said that no additional licenses would be issued until further notice. The powers that be are now sitting tight for the promulgation of the National Land Transport Amendment Act (NLTAA) before deciding who else gets to play taxi.
This move comes hot on the heels of the department giving the green light to 3,354 licenses out of a staggering 14,000+ applications. First come, first served – a system that’s left thousands of hopefuls dead in the water.
The City of Cape Town, in turn, has washed its hands of any new applications for now.
Unsurprisingly, the reaction from metered taxi and e-hailing service drivers has been less than warm. Frustration is bubbling over, especially from those who followed all the rules but still can’t legally operate.
The Western Cape E-Hailing Association are also not impressed with the “strict enforcement” and says it’s ridiculous that compliant drivers are still at risk of having their wheels impounded. They’re calling for a less heavy-handed approach, arguing that immediate impoundment is an overly punitive measure for drivers awaiting license approval.
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town has promised to check the pulse of the industry now and then, reassessing the demand for metered taxi and e-hailing services and whether the current infrastructure can handle more players.
For now though, if a driver didn’t get their paperwork in early, they’re stuck watching from the sidelines.
[Source: iAfrica]
