Daily Times

LAHORE: The Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) has decided to hire the services of the traffic police and the Lahore Transport Company (LTC) field officers in an ongoing crackdown on private cars offering services via mobile apps under the umbrella of several cab services in the provincial capital.

Last week, the PTA issued fine to more than 100 drivers during an operation in posh areas of the provincial capital, especially Gulberg and its adjacent areas.

A notification was issued in this regard to Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Ahmed Mobin and the Lahore Transport Company chief executive officer, stating: “It has been observed with grave concern that some companies, including Careem, Uber, are offering transport services without registering the private cars with any regulatory body.”

The notification said that the utilisation of private cars by Uber and Careem for commercial purposes was a violation of the city’s local laws.

The provincial government also stated that the failure of Uber and Careem to obtain required fitness certificates and route permits for their fleets had resulted in “a great loss to the government exchequer.”

“Action taken in his regard may please be intimated on regular basis for the information of the high authorities,” the notification added.

Sources inside the Transport Department said that the decision to this effect was taken on the directives of some high authorities, as “Albayrak Taxi and Rent a Car Service were losing fame and interest among people”.

Earlier, companies providing ride-hailing services had displayed their promotional banners on main roads of the city after seeking permission from the Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) but the PTA seemed to have ignored their advertisement at that time.

Sources added that the PTA was using mobile apps of private cab services in a bid to taken such vehicles into their custody.

“They would book vehicles via mobile apps and when drivers reach a desired destination, the PTA officers take vehicles into custody and issue fine of Rs 2,000 per vehicle.”

According to details, over 3,000 vehicles are registered with private cab companies providing ride-hailing services to the citizens. Some drivers have got route permission letters from the transport authority after paying commercial and route fee.

Talking to Daily Times, Saad Arif, a driver, says that such vehicles provide timely, comfortable and courteous transportation services to a variety of consumers in the city.

“But now the government is going to ban these companies, making it difficult for daily wagers – attached to this business – to make both ends meet.” He appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take action provide relief to drivers.

Some other drivers said that the government should have taken at the launch of such companies. Drivers also held protest and chanted slogans against the government and the Transport Department in front of cabs offices.

When contacted Uber Office for their comments, the administration refused to give any statement, saying the higher authorities of the company was out of country.

They said they were compensation their registered drivers who had been issued fine by the transport authorities.