Police arrest Tootle, Pathao riders; say bike-hailing services not legally registered
Janaury 15, 2019: Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has started taking action against motorbikes giving rides to the people through ride-hailing apps such as Tootle and Pathao.
According to Section 8 of the Transport Management Act 2049, vehicles registered for private purpose cannot be used as a means of public transportation.
The service had become popular transportation means among youngsters given the relatively cheap fare compared to taxi and comfort it provided against the crowded public transportation.
Both Tootle and Pathao function under a similar app-based transportation model. Anyone with a driving licence and ownership of a two-wheeler can sign up to be a “partner” in Tootle’s lingo or a “biker” in the case of Pathao. Once registered, these riders can accept requests from customers. The companies are paid a cut of the fare.
Tootle was launched in January 2017 by a group of youngsters conducting researches on location-based online platforms.
Over 2,000 people had signed up to work as drivers for Tootle in the first year of its inception. It also has a client base of 7,000-8,000 who take 60-70 rides per day.
Likewise, Pathao, which launched in Nepal less than four months ago, says it currently has over 20,000 riders and 200,000 users.
Meanwhile, netizens have expressed dissatisfaction over the government move to arrest the tootle riders, saying that the service had brought an innovative reform in the country’s public transportation sector.
At the same time, some people have supported the government’s move, saying that any kind of business should be operated under the law.
Source: ekantipur.com
