Informal Taxis Cannot
Appear Similar To Formal
Taxis And Cannot Use
María
Porteadores or informal
taxi services are again
in the spotlight with
the signing of a new
decree by Karla González,
ministra de Obras
Públicas y Transportes,
Laura Chinchilla, Costa
Rica's vice president,
that prohibits them from
using taximeters or
marías as they are
called in Costa Rica and
illuminated signs on the
roof of the vehicle and
yellow signs on the
doors.
The regulation replaces
article 4 of Decreto
33526 and reaffirms the
prohibition of
porteadores to operate
like the formal (red)
taxis, picking up fares
on the street.
The non use of the meter
and signage different
from the formal taxis
assures that the public
will not be confused or
fooled into thinking
they are hiring the
services of a formal and
licensed taxi.
Porteadores are allowed
to provide the service
of "porteo" - door to
door - with an
established contract
between the user and the
operator. The current
traffic laws allow a
Tránsito (traffic
official) the power to
inspect the written
contract the porteador
has with the client,
failing which can
sanction the informal
taxi operator.
German Lobo, of the
Frente de Lucha por la
Defensa de los Derechos
del Porteador, the
porteadores association,
said that 95% of the
informal taxi operators
already comply with the
new directive, knowing
well to differentiate
their vehicles from
those of formal taxis.
The decree pleases the
formal taxi operators
which are in line with
the commitments made by
the MOPT last August. |
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