QCOSTARICA – 74 percent of Costa Ricans say that they have not used a taxi in the last year, from an analysis by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) – regulatory authority, that evaluated the taxi service, through a user perception survey.
“Of the people interviewed, 26% stated that they had used this service in the last 12 months, while 74% indicated that they had not used it. In rural areas, the proportion of people who use the taxi service is 15% and in urban areas, 30%.
On average, users who use the taxi service gave it a 7.9 (on a scale of 0 to 10); 40% gave it between 9 and 10; another 40% between 7 and 8; and 20% between 0 and 6”, reported the Aresep.
According to analysis, the aspects most valued by users are: the method of payment, cleanliness of the vehicle, respect for traffic signals, vehicle safety, and comfort.
“Among those who request a taxi, 61% request it by phone, 42% do it on the street and 7% through a mobile application. Among other aspects of the service, 70% do not consider that they have been denied this service, 69% indicate that there is a telephone exchange from which they can request the service, 46% believe that the taxi service for people with disabilities is available in their community, 35% said they know how many times a year a taxi must comply with the vehicle technical review service and 96% do not request an invoice or proof of payment for the service,” added the Aresep statement.
In addition, the majority, 44%, of the people who use this service do so infrequently, between 1 and 2 times per month, 24% do so sporadically and 18% use it between 1 and 2 times per week.
According to the study, they mainly use this type of public transport to run errands (42%), medical appointments (22%), and to get to work (15%).
The reasons for not using the service are because of its high cost (38%), and because they have a car (23%).
“46% of the users who use the taxi service cataloged the cost of this service as “neither low nor high” and 38% consider it “High/Very high”, a figure that is located at 28% in rural areas and in 41% in the urban.
58% of the people interviewed stated that they had used informal transport services in the last year, a figure that stands at 38% in rural areas and 65% in urban areas, the document concluded.
Source Crhoy.com
