KATHMANDU: Bagmati Province has moved to allow motorcycles and scooters to be registered as public transport vehicles, enabling them to operate with black number plates.
The Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Labor and Transport has instructed the Transport Management Office for Motorcycles in Gurjudhara, Kathmandu, to register two-wheelers as public vehicles.
The ministry sent the directive to implement a ministerial-level decision made on Asar 32, 2083. It has issued eight points of instruction regarding the registration and operation of two-wheelers as public transport vehicles.
Under the directive, two-wheelers will receive black number plates in accordance with Schedule 6 (Section G) of the Vehicle and Transport Management Regulations, 2054. The office has also been instructed to issue route permits similar to those provided to metered taxis, conduct vehicle fitness and emission tests, and ensure passenger insurance.
With this provision, privately registered motorcycles and scooters with red number plates operating in Bagmati Province will be eligible for registration as public transport vehicles.
Two-wheelers registered under the new provision will receive route permits similar to metered taxis. They will also be subject to emission testing and other requirements applicable to public transport vehicles.
Although the ministry has not explicitly stated the reason for the decision, the move appears aimed at bringing ride-sharing services under a formal regulatory framework.
The federal government has restricted the registration of public transport vehicles in Kathmandu Valley, with exceptions for school buses and replacement vehicles. It is also working on standards to bring uniformity to ride-sharing services and improve their regulation nationwide.
However, Bagmati Province’s decision to allow two-wheelers to register as public transport vehicles appears to conflict with the federal government’s approach.
The federal government has prioritized the use of larger electric buses in urban public transport and restricted the registration of smaller vehicles. Allowing motorcycles and scooters to operate as public transport could widen the policy differences between federal and provincial authorities and create further challenges in managing public transport services.
