Taxis and Porteadores Reach
Agreement With Government
Following a long day of protests, road blocks and heated arguments,
taxi drivers and porteadores reached a peaceful agreement with the
government that will maintain the peace. For now.
The protest yesterday caused a lot of traffic congestion, mainly in
the east end of the city as both taxis and porteadores blocked
traffic at rotondas and in front of Casa Presidencial. At the
rotonda las Garantías Sociales, more than 200 uniformed Fuerza
Pública (police), armed in antiriot gear, made sure that violence
between the two groups did not break out.
Porteadores are private transport operators who work door-to-door
and under contract with their clients, in contrast to taxi operators
who pick up customers on the fly, and are authorized by the
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT).
Porteadores are commonly mistaken as "pirate" taxis, those private
operators who work in the same way as the formal taxis, including
using a "maria" (taxi meter) and radio, picking up customers on the
fly. This group is what has the taxi drivers up in arms, mainly at
the inability of the Policia de Transito (traffic police) to curb
the practice.
In the agreement reached yesterday, the MOPT undertakes to provide
porteadores a "“servicios especiales” (special services) permit,
which allows the operators to provide door-to-door service. The
permits will be given only to those operators who are registered
with the Registro Público and have identified the vehicle or
vehicles they will be using in providing the service.
Porteadores on the other hand will not identify they vehicles
similar to the taxis - red vehicles, with yellow lettering and roof
top sign, for instance - and not use a two way radio in their
vehicles, a practice that could lead to confusion by the customer.
The government promised the taxi operators that changes to the
Código de Comercio (Commercial Code) will be before the legislators
for voting in the coming month, changes that include putting the
brakes on the creation of more porteador operators.
The agreement was signed by all parties and made public by the
ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias and the ministra of the
MOPT, Karla González, following eight hours of negotiations that
included representatives of the taxi drivers, porteadores and bus
operators and legislators.
Gilberth Ureña, head of the Foro Nacional de Taxistas, warned that
they (the taxi operators) will be vigilant that the changes to the
Código de Comercio will be made and within the time frame.
"We will not be so tolerant if we have to take to the streets
again", warned Ureña.
Ureña added that the taxi drivers will be on the constant look out
to assure that the Transito officials crack down on the "piratas" or
gypsy cabs.
For their part the porteadores were pleased with the agreement,
saying that that is what was needed, a change in the law that
guarantees them the right to operate and remove the "piratas" from
the market.
Currently there exists 13.000 porteadores grouped into 84 companies.
However, while the different groups worked their deal, those that
suffered the day's consequences where the rest of the country,
mainly during the rush hours, when traffic congestion was at is
highest, especially the already congested and heavily transited
route of the Circunvalación and the rotondas like the Y Greiga,
Zapote and Desamparados.
Traffic on the west end was busy as usual, especially on the San
Jose - Escazu route, busy due to construction and not from the
protest. In Rohrmoser, the Boulevard was unusually busy as traffic
in front of the home of Oscar Arias, where police had curtained off
the block in the event the protest reached the private home of
the president.
|
|
|
|
|
|
