GDL for P-hailing riders mooted; Industry to be officially placed under MoT's purview for better regulation

P-hailing riders will be required to obtain a Goods Driving Licence (GDL) once a new legislation the government is proposing is passed.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said in a statement that the new rule is introduced to help the ministry monitor the industry and keep track of its numbers. He stresses that it is not meant to burden delivery riders.

At the moment, the minimum age eligibility to get a GDL is 21 years old. This will be lowered to 18 when the new rules come into force to allow more people to become delivery riders.

Other than that, the riders will also be given a driving course because of the many complaints about delivery riders not abiding traffic laws.

In a Bernama report, Wee claims that the goods licence would also allow authorities to keep track of their number and know who are those working in the p-hailing service and their behaviour.

The Cabinet has already agreed on Friday to amend the legislation governing road transport, land transport, and Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board. The amendments will be tabled at the next Parliament sitting.

Wee also added that the Transport Ministry and its agencies would monitor the p-hailing service to ensure the sector could remain competitive in the long term. The supervision is to protect the welfare of the riders or drivers of the vehicles involved.

E-hailing operators had also been instructed to hold more meetings with riders to avoid issues like riders going on strike because of dissatisfaction over payments. Last Friday (5-August-2022), a group of about 200 delivery riders carried out a protest ride to the service company offices.

Other than that, it has been decided that the p-hailing industry will be officially placed under the purview of the Transport Ministry. This is to ensure better regulation of food and goods delivery services.

At the moment, the ministry has only been managing the e-hailing industry but does not cover food delivery riders.

The proposed amendments will also ensure that insurance protection was given to delivery riders and drivers.

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