NAIMA has formally submitted its suggestions to Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Madhav Prasad Chaulagain regarding some practical and policy issues seen in the standards.
What you should know
The Nepal Automobile Importers and Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) has urged the government to classify and operate taxis according to the currently implemented 'National Standards for Vehicles Used as Taxis, 2061'.
NAIMA has formally submitted its suggestions to the Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Madhav Prasad Chaulagain, regarding some practical and policy issues seen in the standards.
As mentioned in its letter, NAIMA has classified taxi services into three categories: general, special and exclusive in the Taxi Service Standards, 2081.
The said standards clearly specify technical, safety and service-related specifications and there is a provision that vehicles that meet those standards can be included under taxi services.
Currently, in practice, only sedan-type vehicles are allowed to operate taxi services in Bagmati Province. However, NAIMA has drawn attention to the fact that there is a clear provision that vehicles that fall under the general, special and exclusive categories and meet all the specified technical, safety and service-related standards can be included in taxi services.
Naima has stated that there is no clear basis for excluding useful, passenger-friendly and diverse vehicles other than sedans from taxi services. It has been stated that if permission is given to different vehicle classes that meet all the conditions specified in the criteria, taxi service providers will have more flexibility to provide services as needed, passengers will have adequate facilities, luggage storage space, accessibility (disability-friendly) and more options according to the size of the passenger group.
The letter also presents the context that taxi services are being operated in different countries of the world using vehicles of different sizes and classes. In Nepal, the situation is particularly limited in Bagmati Province.
Naima is of the opinion that although vehicles of different classes are allowed in taxi services in some other cities, practical inequality has been seen due to the fact that this provision has not been implemented in Bagmati Province.
In this context, NAIMA has suggested that it would be appropriate in terms of justice, equality and service expansion to allow taxi services to vehicles falling under the general, special and exclusive categories and meeting all the technical, safety and service-related specifications mentioned in the national standards.
NAIMA has expressed full respect for the objectives and spirit of the policy framework prepared by the Ministry and clarified that its suggestions have been presented with the aim of enhancing the quality of service, based on industry experience, practical needs and industry experience. The letter states that NAIMA is committed to continuously collaborating with the Ministry to promote safe, quality and passenger-friendly taxi services.
