A protest organised by self-employed cab drivers for Monday was cancelled at the eleventh hour following successful discussions between their representatives and the government. 

The Light Passenger Operators Association (LPOA) told Times of Malta on Monday morning that it had reached an agreement on "several key points" with the Transport Ministry over the regulation of the ride-hailing service. 

The protest was originally planned to raise awareness of the “injustices” that self-employed cab drivers face as the “y-plate” market became oversaturated. 

LPOA president Aaron Gatt told Times of Malta that recent meetings were fruitful and the authorities promised to implement additional safety and enforcement measures for the sector.

“Proposed measures seek to better regulate the requirements for the special licenses known as tags, ensure safety on Maltese roads and regulate the current supply demographic of the industry,” the association and ministry said in a joint statement. 

Future meetings between the association and the government will discuss, among others, the implementation of geo-fencing. Geo-fencing is a technology that uses GPS data to define virtual boundaries where ride-hailing is permitted. 

In a Facebook post, Transport Minister Chris Bonett said the government was committed to carrying out the necessary reforms so that local operators can work in the best conditions.

In February, LPOA organised a protest over low prices on cab platforms like Bolt, Uber and e-Cabs.

During the protest, cab drivers followed each other in a slow car cade from Ta' Qali to Marsa as a show of force.