Taxi motorcyclists told to register with app instead of protesting

DLT director-general Jirut Wisanjit was quoted in a press statement as saying that it was the policy of Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob to make it convenient for passengers to use riding services.

The DLT issued the statement in response to a demand from a group of taxi motorcyclists that the DLT close “illegal applications” that provided motorcycle riding services.

The group of some 100 taxi motorcyclists had rallied at the DLT against GrabBike in particular. [Read the full report here.]

Jirut said motorcyclists from taxi stands (called Win motorcycles in Thai) should instead register with apps so that they could provide hybrid services.

The director-general explained that taxi motorcyclists can continue to receive commuters at their stands and accept passengers via the apps outside their stands’ areas as well.

Jirut said the DLT was in the process of allowing motorcyclists from taxi stands to register to provide services via apps.

Jirut said the DLT would have to give priority to the benefits and convenience of passengers by trying to improve alternative taxi services.

He added that the department would try its best to allow conventional taxi motorcyclists to live in harmony with those who provide service via apps.

Jirut said the DLT had surveyed passenger via social networks and found that many passengers wanted to call taxi motorcycles via apps instead of walking to the stands.

As a result, Jirut said, the department would speed up registering qualified motorcyclists as taxi drivers via apps so that they can provide services legally.

He said the DLT would try to explain the issue to the conventional taxi motorcyclists and would encourage them to provide hybrid services.