Strikes put focus on driver services

Car-hailing apps cause country to debate taxi monopoly, passengers' choices and convenience

Simply text a few commands on your smartphone, and a top-of-the-range car arrives within minutes to take you to your destination. But the services provided by private car drivers through car-hailing apps are facing a clampdown after large-scale taxi strikes across the country.

The strikes have put under the spotlight calls for a crackdown on the monopoly of taxi firms to provide such services, as well as a discussion on whether passengers should have more choices, including hiring private cars through apps.