In a bid to address longstanding concerns, the Algerian taxi union is demanding an increase in taxi fares and taking legal action against the ride-sharing platform Yassir. The National Union of Taxi Transporters (SNTT) sent a letter to the Minister of Transport on December 18, highlighting that taxi fares have remained unchanged since 2012.
The SNTT argues that the lack of fare adjustments is putting a strain on taxi drivers, particularly in light of efforts to increase salaries for civil servants and retirees. Affiliated with the UGTA, the union contends that despite being regulated, taxi pricing fails to meet the needs of Algerian workers and retirees, emphasizing the necessity to address the challenges faced by their profession.
Alongside concerns about the escalating operational costs for taxi drivers, the union is raising issues regarding the “illegal competition” posed by clandestine transporters and ride-sharing applications. These applications, which have proliferated in recent years across Algeria, are accused of creating an unfair playing field for traditional taxi services.
In a proactive move, the SNTT has also lodged a complaint against Yassir. In their letter, the union suggests a solution to alleviate the burden on taxi drivers, proposing a scheme that allows them to acquire vehicles without taxes. This, the union argues, would enable taxi drivers to implement a “reasonable” increase in fare prices.
The situation highlights the evolving landscape of transportation services in Algeria, with traditional taxi services grappling with economic challenges and seeking regulatory adjustments to ensure their sustainability in the face of emerging competition.
Yassir Taxi union
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert. As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard