Right-Hand Drive Taxis to Be Prohibited in Tbilisi from 2021

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said that right-hand drive taxis will be prohibited from January 1, 2021, noting that they reached an agreement at a meeting with the initiative group of taxi drivers, who were protesting the taxi reform launched last summer.

“Right-hand drive taxis will not be licensed as Category B from January 1 of 2021. They have one and a half years ahead to change their vehicles. We have made this decision as we know their condition well and are giving them the possibility to replace their vehicles with left-hand drive cars,” the Mayor said.

The Mayor wants taxis to offer better quality services to customers and his main reform is to separate taxis into two categories: A and B.

The first category will be for regular taxis. These will have to carry a taxi sign, be painted in white and will enjoy special free parking spots in the city. Vehicles will have to pass technical inspections twice a year and will not be able to drive right-hand or two-door taxis.

Category B taxis will only be able to take on passengers via a mobile application such as UBER and Taxify and will not be able to take people from the street. However, these drivers will not need to modify their vehicles.

Many taxi drivers, mainly owners of right-hand drive cars, were against these reforms, which is why City Hall has permitted them to work until 2021.

On August 1, Tbilisi City Hall launched a taxi reform initiated by the Mayor, according to which from October 1, it became illegal to work as a taxi driver without a special permit.

Also, all taxis in the capital of Georgia must be white and City Hall is ready to do it for free.

All taxi drivers have to place the permit certificate inside the car. The certificate displays the driver's photo, name and surname, the permit number, date of issue and validity, state number of the vehicle, the model of transport, and a fast feedback (QR) code.

By Thea Morrison