The Public Transport Authority has announced new draft mechanisms and regulations to govern the operation and travel of public and airport taxis. The new laws allow for in-vehicle advertising, as long as the advertising material or electronic screen is placed in a location that does not distract the driver's attention and does not jeopardize passenger safety and comfort.
The laws include stringent requirements to maintain service quality and passenger safety. Before finalizing the new regulations, the authority made them available for public feedback via the Istitlaa portal.
The new regulations allow a taxi driver to decline to serve passengers in nine situations. These include passengers smoking or eating, exceeding the number of available seats in the vehicle, failing to wear seatbelts at all times during the trip, aggressive behavior or signs of drug use, specifying an unknown destination, tampering with vehicle components or labels, and failing to follow public etiquette and good manners.
Taxi drivers must follow the regulations' specified conduct and habits. These include operating the fare meter from the start of the journey, maintaining personal appearance, maintaining the cleanliness and maintenance of the vehicle, not smoking inside the vehicle, adhering to the authority's approved dress code, not infringing on passengers' privacy in any way, and displaying the following statement in the car: "If the fare meter is not activated, the journey is considered free." Pets are permissible under the regulations, as long as they are kept in cages.
