SOME e-hailing drivers are earning more than they did before for fewer hours as new government regulations for ride-sharing vehicles came into force over the weekend.

After delays, the new regulations requiring e-hailing drivers to get a public service vehicle (PSV) licence came into force on Saturday. Drivers are also required to have insurance, health check and a vocational driver’s licence

An eleventh-hour requirement that drivers must also possess the physical e-hailing vehicle permit (EVP) and convert their vehicle category from individual private vehicle to e-hailing private vehicle (AH) led to fewer drivers on the roads, as many scrambled to comply.

“Usually I work from 4am to 4pm and for these 12 hours, I can earn RM300. But on Saturday, when the regulations came into force, I just worked for five hours from 4pm 9pm and I earned more than RM300,” said a driver who asked to be known as Adli.

“I put it down to the fact that there were probably fewer drivers working, while demand is just as high,” Adli, a full-time e-hailing driver, told The Malaysian Insight.

Syed Rosli Syed Harman Jamalullail, who heads an association representing e-hailing drivers from several companies, said fares on Saturday increased by up to 30% because there were fewer cars. 

Supply and demand is expected to stabilise as more riders complete the requirements, said the chairman of Persatuan Pemandu Uber, Grabcar dan Zepp On.

One e-hailing company, Grab, issued an advisory to customers, warning of longer waiting times and fewer drivers as a result of the transition to the new regulations.

In a statement three days before the regulations came into force, Grab said 24% of its 150,000 drivers were still waiting for their PSV licence, either because they’ve yet to receive their test results or waiting for an examination slot. Grab also said 22% of its drivers dropped out.

An e-hailing driver, who wanted to be known as Zahari, said he found the compliance process complicated.

For one, he had to wait three months before his turn to sit the PSV test. He got a slot on October 11, a day before the new rules were enforced.

“I waited three months to take the test. And now that the rules are in place, I still have to wait for the results and my permit,” said the civil servant who drives part time to supplement his income.

Another civil servant, Faizul, 29, said the new regulations put him off from continuing as a part-time driver.

Faizul found the requirements too onerous as they included turning up at Puspakom, where vehicles are checked, for a driver’s health check, sit for the PSV exam and then join the queue at the Road Transport Department.

His driver’s account has now been blocked by the e-hailing company as he did not fulfil the requirements.

“Drivers without the required licence and insurance nor abide by the other new rules will have their accounts blocked, and they can’t use the app (as drivers) any more,” he said.

The new regulations are now fully in force after the RTD said the grace period is long enough for drivers and an extended deadline to fulfil all requirements. They are the result of amendments to laws to regulate and streamline the e-hailing industry with taxi services.

On July 12 last year, e-hailing drivers were given a one-year period to comply. When the deadline came in July this year, the deadline was extended another three months until October 12.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said enforcement officers will not do a wide sweep of inspections on e-hailing drivers but will conduct checks gradually so as not to disrupt services. – October 14, 2019.