Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed has stated that the application for the Malé Taxi Line service is expected to be launched next week as efforts continue to improve taxi services in the Greater Malé Region.

Responding to questions during a press briefing held at the President’s Office, minister Saeed said the introduction of the taxi line service through Maldives Transport and Contracting Company does not mean the Government is entering the taxi business, but rather aims to improve the standard of public transport services available to residents.

The minister said the Government’s objective is to establish service standards that are acceptable to the public while improving the overall flow and accessibility of taxi services. He added that discussions would also continue with taxi associations to address concerns related to the service.

Minister Saeed shared statistics relating to the taxi line operation, noting that customers currently wait an average of 8.4 minutes to receive a taxi, while the average journey duration stands at 12.2 minutes. He said 11,128 trips were completed between April 13 and 18, while 7,251 trips have been recorded since the introduction of the web application.

The minister further stated that demand for the service has been increasing by around 50 per cent on a daily basis, adding that the quality of services provided through MTCC is also improving. He noted that vehicles such as UV taxis are also being utilised under the system as part of efforts to enhance the taxi network.

Minister Saeed said the application has now received approval from the Apple App Store and is also being prepared for Android devices through the Google Play Store, with the launch expected soon.