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After years of back and forth conflict between Uber drivers, taxi and city officials, it seems there finally may be a resolution which will allow Uber drivers to operate without harassment and fines.
What is the agreement reached?
Secretary of the Transporters Association, David Lechuga Magallanes, said that more than 8 hours of demonstration outside the municipal palace had its desired effect. They reached an agreement with the city council and were assured there would be no more harassment from transport inspectors.
“We had a meeting with Rogelio Tornero, the Director of Transport, and the State Legal Office,” Magallanes stated.
“The meetings were always long, and even the mayor attended to tell us why he felt we were operating illegally.”
Although the mayor made these comments, Magallanes was assured that all sides were focusing on the commitment to find ways to make things work.
Details of the meeting emerged between the city council and tourist transports. They signed a letter of commitment to cease acts of nuisance. Representatives of the Uber group were satisfied with the agreement. They acknowledged that while the deal isn’t perfect, this has been a problem for years and will not be easy to find the ideal resolution.
Who are the tourist transports?
The tourist transport primarily makes up the taxi companies and van services. They have been allowed to work in the city with permits. They have been strongly pushing back against Uber since it started in Los Cabos. The fight for tourists dollars leaves a lot of money up for grabs.
Uber drivers believe that these tourist transports have been the only ones allowed to operate in the area legally. They point to the fact that Uber drivers are not allowed to receive the correct permits. However, the taxis and vans have no problem getting them.
Association of Transporters point of view
According to the association, as long as the city of Los Cabos respects the agreement, they won’t demonstrate. However, if the deal is not respected, they will again take it to the streets. They believe this will be the only appropriate response.
The association also says they have not been contacted for a permanent resolution. If the city council continues without providing solutions, they will have to follow through with legal options. The association reiterated all they really want is to be able to perform their job without harassment.
The effect on citizens and tourists
While the ongoing battle between Uber drivers, the city of Los Cabos, and tax drivers has been going on for years, Uber has continued to operate in the area. However there have been several exceptions, including specific hotel/resort properties and picking up new arrivals at the airport has been prohibited.
The hope is that Uber can become a more prominent facet in the transportation system of a city that is in desperate need of it.
Traffic has become a critical issue in Los Cabos, and having the ability to free up the congestion with more public transportation would be a plus for tourists and citizens alike.
The last thing that Los Cabos wants is more tourists being affected with long wait lines in traffic or missing flights because of disputes. For tourists, the ability to spend less time on their vacation waiting in traffic and quicker paths to their destination will provide a more enjoyable experience.
