Recently, a meeting of city carriers and dispatchers with a representative of the Ministry of Transport took place in the Belarusian capital.
During the event, topical issues on the topic of the Register of passenger transportation by road in irregular traffic were discussed.
The topic of taxi service prices was also touched upon in light of the recorded instances of overpricing under certain circumstances.
What carriers fear
The event was reported by the Minsk-Novosti agency, reminding that from November 1, taxis in Belarus, as well as their drivers, must be included in the aforementioned register.
And information about the person who is carrying the passenger in the taxi will be freely available.
Carriers have expressed concerns that the new rules could reduce the number of drivers, leading to higher prices.
In such a situation, carriers believe, many drivers will start to earn extra money illegally, and this could harm passengers.
Statement by a representative of the Ministry of Transport
The first deputy head of the Transport Inspectorate of the Ministry of Transport, Yuriy Kostyuk, who took part in the event, said the following on this matter.
There were similar concerns when order was being established in the area of irregular passenger transportation using minibuses. But they were not confirmed.
As for the cost, even now dispatchers sometimes artificially inflate them during rush hour, and in the application of a well-known carrier it is very difficult to find a price without a “lightning” in some areas, the specialist said.
Therefore, he added, the reform “has nothing to do with it.” Only those drivers who have been breaking the law all this time, those who “have something to fear,” will leave.
Social guarantees
An adequate majority will continue to work, the deputy head is confident.
As for the violators, according to him, it will simply become unprofitable for them to work, especially for drivers who do not pay taxes.
Thanks to the innovations, law-abiding drivers receive social guarantees: sick leave payments, pension fund contributions, official work contracts, etc.
The passenger, in turn, will be able to check with whom and on what he is traveling, the agency representative noted.
