Clean-record drivers only

> SPAD working with relevant parties to screen e-hailing partners

KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is working with the relevant authorities to screen e-hailing drivers to ensure they are free from any criminal activities.

The commission chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah ( pix) said the operators had been cooperative in submitting their drivers’ details to SPAD and they have since received most of the details from both Uber and Grab.

“We are currently doing background checks with the Road Transport Department and the police to ensure these drivers are free from any criminal activities and have high safety driving records.

“Once we are done then we will register them with the commission,” Azharuddin said on the sidelines of the SPAD Land Public Transport Symposium 2017 yesterday.

He added that the amendment to the Land Public Transport Act 2010 is currently awaiting the royal assent for it to be gazetted. Meanwhile, on the issues surrounding bicyclesharing system Obike, Azharuddin said predominantly the commission is supportive towards the idea of the public taking public transport or bicycles to reach their destination.

“However, I would like to point out that SPAD is not the regulatory body for it as we only cover commercial based vehicles.

“Regulating it would be on the respective local authorities and we are open to assist them in establishing a consistent regulatory scheme that clearly states how the system should be managed and regulated,” he said.

On the symposium, he said response has been good so far as visitors get to have a better understanding on what the government is doing with regards to the public transport industry and the impact it has on their lives.