Butković: The Law Does Not Favor Uber, Citizens Receive Cheaper Taxi Services

We want to make taxis cheaper and more accessible to citizens; there is no need to fear congestion, the new law introduces equal rules for all and does not favor anyone, said Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković on Wednesday while presenting the Government’s proposal for the law on road transport in the Croatian Parliament.

>>> HGK supports the liberalization of the taxi market

Butković dismissed fears that the law ‘favors’ Uber.

The law introduces equal rules for all; no one is favored, the only privileged ones are our citizens who must pay for cheaper taxi transport, said the minister.

He sent a reassuring message to those who fear that the new legal solutions will create congestion in some tourist cities, specifically Dubrovnik and Split. The new law, namely, stipulates that cities and municipalities will no longer be able to determine the number of taxi drivers in their area; they will have to issue permits according to the number of requests.

There is no need to fear congestion; there have been and will be, mayors can reduce those congestions through traffic solutions, said Butković, reiterating that everyone will work under the same conditions, and that anyone who meets the conditions will be able to perform taxi transport.

>>> Butković: The goal of the law is cheaper and more accessible taxis

The Government’s proposal for the law on road transport should enable the liberalization of taxi transport, facilitate obtaining a license, and abolish the obligation to take an exam on knowledge of the area where taxi transport is performed.

The government estimates that the liberalization of the taxi service market will at least double the number of taxi drivers, which is currently around 3,000, which is too few for Croatia as a tourist country.

One of the novelties of the new law is that carriers will be able to choose the means of charging for rides – a taximeter or an electronic application.

>>> Taxi drivers persistent: Butković is not telling the truth and is misleading the public

Future taxi drivers who do not have valid licenses must be at least 21 years old and have a good reputation, which means they will not be able to drive a taxi if they have been legally punished, or if they have paid fines exceeding 25,000 kuna in the last two years. Future taxi drivers will take a theoretical exam; the obligation for a three-year vocational school is abolished.

Existing taxi drivers will have their licenses extended for five years; they will not have to go through the procedure like new taxi drivers, explained the minister.

He also announced that after the Parliament adopts the law, a regulation will be adopted that will regulate the age of taxi vehicles. The proposal is to limit the age to seven years, but we will listen to the profession and the public before making a decision, Butković replied to GLAS representative Anka Mrak Taritaš.