With 300 eight-year taxi licenses to expire this year, the government will open new tenders for the same number of new licenses, complying with the new taxi law, the transport minister said yesterday.

On the sidelines of an environmental protection expo, Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, revealed that a new set of Executive Regulations will be issued within the coming few months to supplement the enactment of the new taxi law. It will also help facilitate the tender opening for the refilling taxi licenses. He added that the number of licenses to be issued at the end of the day will depend on the balance between short and long-term demand and supply.

In response to the long-awaited online taxi hiring services, the senior official cited the lack of such provisions in the current law, and said the social demand will not be satisfied for the time being.

Online taxi hiring services have thrived in both the Chinese mainland and around the world. Global app Uber and Chinese app DiDi are operating within comparative frameworks and modes. It was said that similar apps could ensure improvement and maintenance of the quality of service.

Uber operated briefly in Macau in the middle of the past decade, but opted out after serial fines issued by the police in respect of allegations of illegal vehicle hiring. The fine then was MOP30,000 per apprehension.

The minister has also touched on bus routes and frequency. He dismissed the suggestion to increase frequency on all bus routes, citing “the small size of the city and almost saturated capacity of certain routes.” Certain routes will run at higher frequency when necessary, he added.

On the use of EVs, Rosário said that the government will focus on providing normal charging stations rather than fast chargers, as “each fast charger consumes the same amount of electricity as 50 air-conditioners,” but he did not explain how much electricity is used to fully charge an EV on a common charger over a timeframe of six to eight hours.

Despite this, the government will still establish some fast chargers for the taxi industry.

The city currently has over 3,000 electric cars and 2,000 motorcycles.

While asked about the impact on the LRT as the waterway on New Urban Zone A will not be reclaimed, the minister stressed that they are two separate matters. In addition, he said that the reclamation for New Urban Zone D would not start in the near future.

The extension to Barra is expected to start operations at the end of the year. Rosário said two tenders have been opened to invite business operations at LRT stations but were not successful. Another tender opening may occur around the end of 2023 or early 2024, he said.