The introduction of new measures preventing Y-plate cabs from accepting bookings within 250 metres of white taxi stands will “cut down on abuse”, according to the head of the white taxi association.

“We agree that passengers should have the choice to pick which company they want to book a ride with. What we don’t want is for ride-hailing cabs to abuse the system and wait in taxi areas,” Malta Taxi CEO Malcolm Ciantar told Times of Malta.

Malta Taxi is the only operator of Malta’s white taxis, a company licensed by Transport Malta.

“Ride-hailing companies work with a pre-booking system and the passenger waits for the cab. The Y-plate cab should not be waiting around for passengers in white taxi stands,” he said, adding that geofencing will “cut down on abuse”.

“This happens often in areas like Valletta and the airport, where Y-plate drivers approach tourists who need a ride when that is not what they (drivers) should be doing.”

When you consider how some taxi drivers paid between €70,000 and €100,000 for a permit and then Y-plate cabs steal your clients, it can be a very difficult situation- Malta Taxi CEO Malcolm Ciantar

What has Transport Malta ordered?

Earlier this week, Transport Malta requested operators including Bolt, eCabs and Uber to roll out geofencing technology, a measure to prevent their cabs from waiting for bookings in certain areas.

Under the new measure, Y-plate-cabs cannot wait for bookings within 250 metres of white taxi stands and 15 metres from bus stops.

Malta International Airport, the Valletta cruise terminal and the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal are among the locations earmarked for ride-hailing cabs not to be able to accept rides within 250 metres of a white taxi stand.

While platforms criticised the move, saying it could kill the whole cab industry, Ciantar said the measure is not as strict as it is abroad.

He said ride-hailing drivers can still pick up passengers in the designated geofenced area, they are just restricted from waiting in the same area.

“Abroad, ride-hailing drivers cannot pick up passengers in certain geofencing areas,” he said.

“In certain airports abroad, passengers need to walk around 20 minutes to get to the cab they ordered. In our case, Y-plate cabs will have to wait 250 metres outside the zone, which means the passenger will end up having to wait an extra two or three minutes for the cab to pick them up.”

The measure also forbids Y-plate-cabs from waiting within a 15-metre radius of any bus stop, yet Ciantar said white taxis already follow this measure.

“We cannot wait around at the Valletta bus terminal, for example, so now all cabs will be following the same laws,” he said.

'We have no problem with competition'

Ciantar said that, since the boom of ride-hailing platforms, white taxi drivers have struggled, with some even quitting the business.

“When you consider how some taxi drivers paid between €70,000 and €100,000 for a permit and then Y-plate cabs steal your clients, it can be a very difficult situation,” he said.

“We have no problem with competition. Those who want to order a Bolt, an eCab or Uber can order it, and those who want to ride with us can do so too. What we don’t accept is that Y-plate drivers don’t follow the rules.”

Ciantar said white taxis are regulated by Transport Malta, which has the final say on ride fares.

He said under a new committee, complaints have decreased “and we are very strict with our drivers”, adding how some drivers have been suspended for not following speed limit regulations.