Tbilisi Taxis to have Taximeters Installed
Tbilisi Mayor’s office has announced new regulations to taxi services in Tbilisi. The law will introduce reforms and new obligations, such as the mandatory issuance of permits and licenses for taxi drivers.
Alongside the objective of increasing the trust between the driver and the passenger, the City Government attempts to ensure a higher comfort in taxis. To ensure a smooth transition, the law will be implemented step-by-step through different processes.
The initial step will oblige taxi drivers to attach a taxi sign on the outside of their vehicles as well as the obligation to obtain a taxi driving license. This will enable passengers, alongside private car drivers, to identify a taxi and ensure the proper qualification of the drivers.
Deputy Mayer of Tbilisi, Maia Bitadze, has defended the new regulations for the permit as essential to the improvement of the taxi service in Tbilisi. She announced a new fee for taxi drivers, which has to be paid once to receive a permit. This fee is connected to the type of vehicle used by the driver, thus, in regard to the environment; the fee will be less for owners of the hybrid and electric cars.
“According to the bill, the first phase of the reform implies issuing a permit document; it will be a simple procedure. The procedure of receiving the permission will be quite easy; it will be possible to get electronically or manually. It depends which way is more comfortable for the person who wants to deliver his service to clients.
After the initial steps have been successfully implemented, the second phase of the reform aims at making taxis safer, alongside the establishment of technical inspection office starting to operate in 2019.
The first priority is safety and comfort. In three years, taxis will face stricter transparency regulations by means of a taximeter. The meter allows passengers a constant control of the fare, additionally to setting a fix kilometre price for all taxis around Tbilisi.
By Benjamin Music
Photo source: yogurttales.blogspot