Taiwan steps up efforts to shut down illegal Uber
Taiwanese transport officials are preparing to work with police in the country's six municipalities this month to increase their crackdown on Uber, which remains illegal in the country. Throughout June, police will issue tickets and heavy fines to Uber drivers who do not have the commercial driver’s license required to perform taxi services in Taiwan. Reports suggest that Uber has been paying the fines for Taiwanese drivers, amounting around $1.5m since September 2014. Harold Li, an Uber spokesperson in Taiwan, said the platform will continue to try to communicate with the Taiwanese Government in the hope of being able to “use innovation and big data technology to improve the quality of transportation” in the country.

Police and officials step up crackdown on Uber

Staff writer, with CNA





Transportation officials are preparing to work with police in the six special municipalities next month to step up their crackdown on Uber, a ride-sharing service provider that has become popular in Taiwan despite its illegality.

Police are next month to begin issuing tickets directly to Uber drivers. In the past the tickets were issued after transport authorities, disguised as passengers, obtained the license plate numbers and drivers’ information and passed the information to police, the Directorate-General of Highways said yesterday.

The announcement came after the Ministry of Transportations and Communications introduced heavier fines in March targeting private drivers working with ride-hailing services.

The fine for a first-time offender driving a private car seating less than nine passengers, or a truck weighing less than 3.5 tonnes is NT$50,000 with the vehicle’s license plate to be suspended for two months.

Fines for second to fourth offenses have increased to between NT$60,000 and NT$80,000, while license plate suspensions remain at between three and six months.

Offenders are to be fined NT$100,000 for the fifth and all subsequent breaches and license plates are to be revoked.

The directorate said Uber has registered in Taiwan as an information services business while in reality it is operating a taxi service.

Uber spokesman Harold Li (李文駿) said the company will give its full support to affected drivers.