Taxi drivers have asked Rodolfo Méndez, the Minister of Transportation (MOPT), to increase the antiquity of their vehicles, from the current 15 years to 20.
If the request is approved, official taxis (red taxis) in the country could operate with vehicles as old as 1998 models.
According to Gilberth Ureña, leader of the taxi drivers union, the request was also made to the head and to the board of directors of the Public Transportation Council (CTP), a division of the MOPT, from where the decision is made that could come as early as next week.
Another issue raised by the taxi association with Méndez was about Uber. The ‘fuerza roja’ (red force as the official taxis are often referred to) are against the Uber platform.
See also: MOPT Backpeddles On Support Of Uber
Ureña said the minister was reminded of the effect of Uber on the taxi drivers and highlighted the work of the traffic police in terms of operations against Uber drivers, however, lamented the lack of personnel, which limits their capacity to enforce the law.
