Taxi Fare Hike
Possible Over
Child Seat
Requirement
Following the
decision by the
Sala
Constitucional
to required
taxis to provide
child and
booster seats,
the Unión de
Taxistas
Costarricenses (UTC)
- taxi union -
is considering a
fare hike.
Rubén Vargas,
head of the uTC,
said the subject
has been topic
of discussion
within the
sector and the
investment by
taxi operators
will be used to
justify a rate
hike request.
But, before that
is to happen,
Vargas said his
union will be
appealing the
decision and a
clarification as
to when the
requirement is
to take place.
Taxis were
exempt from the
requirement set
out by Ley de
Tránsito that
went into effect
on March 1,
2010, requiring
that all
children 12
years of age and
under be
strapped in with
an appropriate
child restraint,
depending on age
and size, and
that they ride
in the back
seat.
For infants of 1
years old or
less, the law
requires a
proper child
restraint is to
be used, the
restraint be
facing back and
only be used in
the back seat.
For older
children, a
child to booster
seat is
required, used
in the back seat
and facing
forward.
However, a
decision handed
down by the Sala
Constitucional
on Thursdays
requires that
the Ministerio
de Obras
Publicas y
Transportes (MOPT)
enforce the
child restraint
provisions for
all passenger
vehicles (save
buses, for now).
The decision
came about
following an
appeal by a
woman who said
she was refused
service by taxis
on four
occasions the
same day, when
on her way -
with her two
children in tow
- to a doctors
appointment at
the Children's
hospital in San
José, an
appointment she
missed.
Although the
court did not
find sufficient
evidence to
support the
appeal against
the offending
taxi drivers, it
did issue a
decision that
all taxi drivers
must have in
their vehicles
child
restraints.
Taxi drivers
question the
decision. One
taxi driver on
Friday was
quoted as saying
"only in Costa
Rica", as most
of the vehicles
are not able to
carry more than
one child
restraint in the
trunk, "so what
happens when you
have a family
with two or
three
children?".
For the time
being, it isn't
clear if and
when the
Tráficos
(traffic police)
will begin
issuing tickets
to taxi drivers
for not
complying with
the
requirements.
And then there
is the other
question as to
who is
responsible to
provide the
child seats? the
driver of the
taxi, which in
most cases is on
hire for the
shift? or the
owner of the
taxi?
The ticket would
be issued
against the
driver, but will
fall on the
owner of the
vehicle if not
paid.
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