Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has revealed that efforts are underway to commence the Government’s taxi line service before the end of Ramadan.

Speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office, the Minister said preparations for the service had been delayed due to adjustments required to adapt the taxi system to the Maldivian environment, noting that operational changes were necessary as taxis operate in close proximity to the sea.

The taxi line service is being established by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) as part of the Government’s initiative to address difficulties faced by the public in obtaining taxis while introducing a modernised transport service in Malé City.

According to the Minister, three vehicle models will be used in the service, with one model imported from Thailand and two models sourced from China. The vehicles will arrive in the Maldives in two batches, with one shipment expected to arrive in Malé on the 11th of this month, while the arrival date for the second shipment is expected to be confirmed on Friday.

Authorities plan to begin the service in stages once the vehicles arrive, with limited operations expected to start on the 18th of this month, while efforts continue to fully launch the taxi line around Eid al-Fitr if preparations proceed according to schedule.

Under the first phase of the project, the Government plans to introduce 150 vehicles. MTCC is recruiting drivers for the service, with 407 drivers required in total, including 285 full-time drivers and 122 part-time drivers.

The taxi line will operate using electric vehicles (EVs) and will be supported by a dedicated mobile application for booking and operations. Once fully operational, the service is expected to provide 24-hour transport services in the capital region. The service will also be supported by a dedicated mobile application, similar to international ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and Grab.