New taxi models offering passengers greater security and comfort will hit the streets of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta in December and January.
Guadalajara’s taxis will be predominantly silver with yellow roofs and carry the letters “GDL TAXI” in bright yellow. Those in Vallarta and (later) in the interior of Jalisco will be white with yellow roofs.
All the new cabs will feature airbags. Some models, including the popular Nissan Tsuru, will be excluded from the list of eligible vehicles.
The renovation of Jalisco’s taxi fleet will be gradual, state Transportation Secretary Mauricio Gudiño Coronado acknowledges. Under new regulations, taxis more than ten years old will no longer be allowed to operate. The new fleet will be phased in as older cabs are withdrawn from circulation.
The guidelines are laid out in the new Registro Estatal de Transporte Público, an administrative and legal framework that seeks to “create order” in the state’s transportation network
Taxi concession holders have been told they must start the process of registering their vehicles and drivers as of December 1.
Taxis failing to meet the safety standards as determined by new laws passed last year by Congress will require renovations before being allowed back on to the streets. It is understood that existing taxis will not require the new paint job.
In addition, all registered cab drivers will need to take courses and be certified for competence in a variety of areas, including emergency procedures.
As many taxi owners will not have the resources to replace their rigs immediately, the state government is trying to work out ways to help them with financing options.
It is hoped Congress will shortly approve the creation of a fund allowing vehicles for use as taxis to be purchased at a significantly reduced annual interest rate.
Another idea is to persuade manufacturers to sell vehicles for taxis direct, thus cutting out agencies and reducing costs by 10 to 15 percent.
The new registry also aims to control the surge of “pirate” taxis. So-called “radio taxis” will be permitted but all must be new models and belong to a company with an official tax address.
No new taxis concessions will be granted in the foreseeable future, Gudiño has confirmed. It is estimated that 18,000 taxis circulate in Jalisco, three-quarters of them in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
All new taxis will have to display a QR code on their windshields that will allow authorities to immediately check whether they are legally registered.