The state government has drafted guidelines for all taxi operators, including app-based, radio, rent-a car, to ensure that all regulations are adhered to, with special focus on the standard of passenger safety The guidelines were circulated among the members of the state transport authority (STA) on Thursday. STA members discuss various issues related to the transport department during a meeting on Thursday.“Once the objections and suggestions are received from its members, the STA will make the necessary changes and the guidelines will be approved,” senior officer of transport department said The guidelines were drafted after three startups approached the department to start app-based taxi services in the state. Presently, only Goa Tourism Development Corporation runs an app-based taxi service — GoaMiles — in the state.“Certain minimum guidelines should be followed and a uniform procedure should be in place for app-based taxis. We don’t want any untoward incident which could get the state a bad name,” a senior officer said.“Any existing or new taxi service shall have to adhere to these guidelines and permissions would have to be sought from the STA,” senior officer said The officer said an aggregator is a digital intermediary or market place for passenger to connect with a driver for the purpose of transportation. “This was also accentuated by the need to bring aggregators, radio taxi operators and traditional taxis under uniform, fair and transparent regulatory framework,” the officer said.A senior transport department officer said the reason for drafting guidelines is because of the delay in passing the new Motor Vehicle Act which is been pending in the Rajya Sabha for the last two years. The new MV Act specifies how to issue permissions to new app-based taxi service operators and about the licences required by the operator.

Stay updated with all the Latest Goa headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.