LPKP: Taxi drivers must get approval to operate beyond areas of operations

SIBU: An approval letter must be obtained from Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board ( LPKP) Sarawak for taxi drivers wanting to operate beyond their designated areas of operations.

Its state director Razami Mohamad Jamali said applications must be made to the board for such purpose.

“Taxis can operate outside their designated areas of operations but they need to apply for an approval. For example, Sibu taxis can operate until Sarikei and Mukah. But if they operate until Kuching – entering into other districts, or the whole of Sarawak – we can still give approval but taxi drivers must submit application for approval letter to operate outside their designated areas of operations.

“Usually, we give 14 days for approval, and upon expiry, they need to re-apply to LPKP,” he said during a dialogue session between The Associated Taxi Owner’s Association of Sarawak and LPKP here yesterday.

He said this in response to the association’s newly elected chairman Andrew Siew, who had wanted to know whether taxi drivers could send passengers beyond their designated areas of operations if there was such a request from their customers. The dialogue was a platform for LPKP to relay their latest regulations and policy to the assocation.

“It also serves as a platform for all taxi drivers, through their association, to make requests and highlights issues or problems they are facing,” he said.

Siew, meanwhile, talked about their request for the abolishment of taxi meters to LPKP. He also lamented that the cost to spray a new taxi is taxing for them, and asked if it could be scrapped.

“When we purchase a new car which is not red, for example, it is very costly to spray it with red and yellow colours. The cost is about RM2,000 which is very costly to us. We suggest that for Sarawak in the future, all taxis are coloured white with only the imprint of the driver’s name on the doors. But we have not decided yet on what colour to choose – we need to discuss further with the LPKP,” added Siew, who is also the secretary of Sibu Taxi Owners’ Association.