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Taiwan to crack down on Uber

Taiwan to crack down on Uber

Taiwan to crack down on Uber

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Transportation and Communications and six local city police departments will take action against Uber next month, reports said Saturday.
Uber Technologies Inc. launched a smartphone app-based alternative to taxi services with drivers using their own cars, but many countries have been skeptical of the practice due to competition with taxi firms and safety considerations.
The government first ruled Uber illegal in late 2014, and has since leveled heavy fines on the service.
The Directorate General of Highways under the MOTC was going to cooperate next month with the police forces in the cities of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to crack down on illegal Uber services, reports said.
In the past, DGH inspectors would pose as passengers for the Uber services and take down the name of the driver and the license plates before writing out the fines later, but under the new practice, police officers will be directly waiting at the destination, reports said.
The MOTC toughened up the rules for using a private car as a taxi last March by raising the fines. The first violation would lead to a fine of NT$50,000 (US$1,500) and the suspension of the license plate for two months. A second violation would be punished by a fine of NT$60,000 (US$1,800) and a three-month suspension for the license plate. Each time, the amount of the fine and the duration of the suspension would grow larger, with a fifth violation being met by a fine of NT$100,000 (US$3,000) and the revocation of the license plate.
The MOTC said that since Uber was illegal, it had to be dealt with, even though many consumers liked the service.