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Taxi Drivers To Strike in April
Without giving many details, the
leaders of the Sindicato
Costarricense de Taxistas (Sicota)
union, said yesterday that ther
will be a "taxi" drivers strike
sometime near the end of April.
The strike is to protest the
unfulfilled obligations of the
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT).
"We are here because we do not
have the financial income to
maintain our vehicles in good
working condition and
notwithstanding they are
obligating us to change our
cars", said Javier Cortés.
Another union leader, Lorenzo
Hernández, added that the MOPT
is insisting that by the end of
this year all taxis are to be
less than 10 years old, meaning
many taxi drivers will be
obligated to get newer cars.
Hernández said that the cost of
buying a new car is too hard on
most, especially in the face
that the MOPT authorities are
doing nothing to control and
curb the competition from "porteadores"
and "piratas".
Porteadores are informal taxi
operators who provide
"door-to-door" service, while
Piratas are illegal taxis.
Official taxi operators say that
many piratas mask as porteadores,
picking up fares on the street
like an official taxi.
The taxi union and taxi drivers
have been in a constant fight
with the MOPT to make "el porteo"
illegal and stop the piratas.
However, the current Tránsito
(traffic) laws permit El Porteo
as long as the porteadores work
within the guidelines of
providing door-to-door service,
while Tránsito officials impound
illegal taxis. The taxi union
says, however, those efforts are
not enough, and with higher taxi
rates and declined taxi
ridership, taxi drivers cannot
meet the requirements of buying
a new vehicle.
Another issue that has taxi
operators upset is the issuing
of taxi license plates.
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