Motorcycle taxi services to be sex segregated

Ministry of Economic Affairs has said that they were weighing more towards making the motorcycle taxi service sex segregated – female drivers for female customers and male drivers for male customers.

Speaking to “Sun” on Monday, Director of Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ahmed Aiman Shareef said that the ministry wanted to start up the service in a socially acceptable manner. And were therefore considering having male drivers for male customers and female drivers for female customers.

Aiman said that customers would, however, have the choice to choose a member of the opposite sex as a driver if a same-sex driver was unavailable.

Aiman said that a lot of interested parties were approaching the ministry to clarify information regarding the new taxi service.

He said that an information session regarding motorcycle taxi service would be held on June 7, and the opportunity for interested parties to apply to provide the service would be opened up within June as well.

Motorcycles parked in a parking zone in Male'. Sun photo: Fayaz Moosa

Aiman said that the ministry was now discussing how many parties would be given license to provide the service, and that they needed to consider street traffic in Male’.

He said that the service would be provided in Male’ to the same standard as it is provided internationally. And drivers would therefore be required to wear a special vest identifying them as motorcycle taxi drivers.