Taxi Drivers to Wear Uniform and Display Rates
If the Ministerio de Obras Pública y Transporte (MOPT) has it's way, taxi drivers will soon have to wear a uniform and must display in their cabs the tariff rate card.

The decision for the uniforms came in July of 2004 back but was never enforced. Taxi drivers complained that would place an economic strain on them, especially with the rising cost of gasoline and no increase in their rates.

However, with the approval of new taxi fares last week, the MOPT has decided to enforce the policy and obligate taxi drivers to wear a uniform.

Roberto Arguedas, Vice- Minister of the MOPT, says that taxi drivers will soon have to wear brown pants and white shirt and will have to post a rate card in their taxi for their customers.

Taxi drivers will also have to ensure that the front side doors of their cab is clearly marked with the yellow triangle that identifies the taxi with their plate number and area of coverage.

In addition, the roof sign will also have to identify the co-operative it belongs to (if any) and the inclusion of the MOPT logo to differentiate it with unlicensed taxi who, mask their cars, posing as "official" taxis.

Ronald Acuña, president of the Federación de Cooperativas de Taxis (Fenacotaxi) says that his members are now ready to embrace the MOPT regulations since the approval of the taxi fare increases last week.

The  Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) last week approved a 56% increase in taxi fares, which will take effect in two stages: the first expected this week once the regulation is published in the official newspaper La Gaceta and the other on November 15.

In the approval, the ARESEP approved different rates for different types of vehicles used by the taxi operators, setting higher fees for vehicles with 4x4 drive and equipped for the handicapped.

The ARESEP also approved a "por demora" (stalled in traffic) rate that will kick in if the taxi does not advance more than 10 KMh in a six minute period. In that case, the taximeter will start charging by the time and not the distance travelled. In effect, the slower the taxi travels, the higher the cost of the ride.