Date Published: 27/01/2023

ARCHIVED - New rules for Murcia city taxis allow passengers to know how much it will cost before starting their journey

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

Murcia drivers will also have to help with luggage, provide a receipt and look after their personal appearance

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - New rules for Murcia city taxis allow passengers to know how much it will cost before starting their journey

Murcia City Council approved a number of new taxi regulations this week that aim to make cab rides more comfortable and predictable for customers while guaranteeing a good work-life balance for drivers.

One of the biggest changes is that customers will now be able to request to know the price of the journey before ever sitting in the taxi, and drivers won’t be allowed to charge more than the going rate.

And while it won’t happen overnight, drivers will have to gradually introduce systems whereby passengers sharing a journey can be billed separately.

Cabbies are also obliged to provide a receipt if it’s asked for, help people in and out of the vehicles when required and accompany customers to their front door if requested.

To guarantee the comfort of passengers, Murcia taxi drivers will have to help carry luggage and are expected to adjust the air-conditioning and radio if asked in addition to "taking care of their appearance and personal hygiene" and wearing a "shirt or polo shirt, long pants or skirt.”

Several environmental issues have also been targeted. Vehicles more than 12 years old won’t be able to operate as cabs, or 15 years in the case of cars that carry a DGT Zero emissions or ECO label. Essentially, the oldest taxis will begin to be replaced by newer models with the aim of Murcia having an entirely eco-friendly fleet by 2040.

And to further ensure the safety of both drivers and passengers, vehicles will be expected to progressively implement geolocation and navigation systems, as well as modern technology to facilitate automated payment.

The legislation also benefits the drivers themselves in a novel way, since they won’t have to commit to working full-time or exclusively with taxis in order to obtain a cab licence. And, for the first time, temporary exchanges of licences will be allowed in special family or work circumstances.

Fines for flouting any of theses rules range from 100 euros to 4,001 euros and the cancellation of the licence in serious cases. People found to be illegally operating as taxi drivers, without a licence, will alos be fined around 4,000 euros.

Image: Archive

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