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Seville taxi drivers increase their rates
The Andalucia municipality remains one of the cheapest for taxi rides in Spain
Taxi drivers in Seville have won the battle to up their minimum rates by 6.15% next year, an increase they’ve justified to cover rising diesel and insurance costs, as well as the fact that their prices have been frozen for several years.
Although the move still has to be approved by the Ministry of Economy, Finance and European Funds of the Junta de Andalucía, come January minimum fares are most likely going to increase from 3.85 euros to 4.09.
The president of the employers’ association Unión Sevillana del Taxi explained that the rates had to be updated because of the rising cost of living: “It was not acceptable to continue with the rates we had in Seville. Fuel accounts for 40% of the total cost of our activity and its price has skyrocketed. We had no choice but to update the costs to continue offering a quality service,” he explained, adding that insurance has soared from 900 euros in 2021 to 1,800 this year.
Even with this increase, which drivers insist customers will hardly notice, Seville remains one of the cheapest regions in Spain to hail a cab. In capitals like Valencia, Zaragoza, San Sebastián and Castellón, price increases have been proposed ranging between 7.1% and 13%.
“It is not a substantial increase for the client to notice: about 15 to 20 cents more for a usual service of 5 or 6 euros. We have spent several years with frozen rates,” explained Rafael Baena, president of Elite Taxi Seville.
On the other hand, several “unfair” supplements, like the 2.50 euro charge for carrying a suitcase, have been scrapped.
Meanwhile, taxi drivers in Cádiz are up in arms over new rules that will force them to wear a uniform consisting of a light-coloured shirt, a dark jumper and pants during winter, and a polo shirt in summer. Shorts, flip-flops and sandals have been expressly prohibited.
“Our claim regarding clothing has also been rejected,” complained José Manuel Vicente, president of Radio Taxi. “We asked that in summer and in seasons of high temperatures we could wear shorts like those of the Local Police uniform, just like when it rains we wear raincoats.”
Unions representing the drivers also asked the local government to allow them to switch on the meter as soon as they get a call for collection so as not to lose money, a request that was flatly denied. In addition, cabs are legally obliged to have an approved GPS system, by the cost must come out of their own pockets, while “millions of euros are pumped into the public bus transport service and new vehicles are bought”.
Image: Pixabay
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