A review of the dial-a-taxi service in Klang Valley / Jefry Shah Zaini

The operation of Dial-A-Taxi service started in the late 1970's but due to some unforeseen circumstances, the service was not successful. It was revived in 1983 by the Kuala Lumpur Taxi Drivers Association. Throughout the period, the demand for the service have steadily increased. At present, there are 6 companies offering the service. Although the D/T is a form of public transport, the D/T accounts for only a small part of the urban transport market. Studies conducted by the Klang Valley Transportation Study in 1985 showed that 52.2 percent of travel made are by private cars, 32.1 percent by bus and 15.7 percent by taxi. Given the higher cost of using the D/T and its general unsuitability for highvolume demand, the small share is not surprising. Overall, there are about 720 D/T vehicles in Klang Valley and its surrounding areas compared to around 10,000 taxis in Wilayah Persekutuan and Selangor. The differences between the two are so great that the probable solution is to at least maximize regulations of taxis in quality terms and the licensing of drivers for the hail-ride taxis.