KUALA LUMPUR: Russian-founded e-hailing firms inDrive and Maxim have been placed under a three-month probation period starting tomorrow after successfully appealing the revocation of their operating licences.
The Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) said the corrective actions both firms have taken were deemed satisfactory, and company representatives are required to attend monthly meetings with Apad throughout the monitoring period.
“On July 11, Apad conducted random checks on drivers under inDrive and Maxim and found that all drivers checked held valid E-Hailing Vehicle Permits (EVPs), based on cross-referencing with Apad’s records.
“Based on Apad’s and the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) assessments and reviews, the corrective actions and commitment shown by both operators were deemed satisfactory.
“Although both companies are now allowed to continue operating, they will remain under a three-month monitoring period starting July 24.
“Strict action under Section 12A(5) of the Land Public Transport Act 2010 may be taken if they fail to comply with any of the stipulated service conditions,” it said in a statement.
It added that both firms have improved their driver registration systems to ensure all drivers possess valid EVPs before taking on assignments.
As an additional measure, it said, they also granted “view-only” access to Apad for easier cross-checking between company data and EVP records.
On its monthly meetings with Apad, it said the number of required attendances will be determined by Apad based on the monitoring level and current issues.
“These sessions aim to allow real-time monitoring, including random driver checks via the inDrive and Maxim apps,” it said.
On April 24, Apad issued a Notice of Business Mediation Licence (LPP) Cancellation to Aist Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Maxim) and ID Applications Sdn Bhd (inDrive), which was to take effect on July 24.
This action followed an audit of major e-hailing operators, which found non-compliance by both firms, particularly in regard to the requirement for EVPs.
Following the action, both firms submitted their appeal and were required to take corrective actions before July 24 to continue their services.
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