According to the new Flemish taxi decree, anyone who orders a taxi must wait at least XNUMX minutes. Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) now wants to adjust that rule, she said in the Flemish Parliament. That taxi decree came from former Minister of Mobility Ben Weyts (N-VA). He wanted to 'modernize' the taxi sector by freeing up rates and lifting the limitation on the number of taxis.

As far as taxis and Uber are concerned, the Flemish government was inspired by Barcelona when drawing up the Flemish Tax Decree - which came into force on 1 January and which involves a significant deregulation of the Flemish taxi sector. There, the taxis ordered per app (and so also Uber) must have a mandatory waiting time of 15 minutes. The customer therefore always has to deal with a 'braking time' of XNUMX minutes. Uber left Barcelona after this measure.

Here, under pressure from the Uber drivers (and undoubtedly Uber himself) plus a number of MPs, Minister Peeters showed little backbone and now wants amendments to the legal text with regard to the waiting period. Uber complained stone and bone "that the waiting times needlessly get three to four times longer." The measure was included to protect the stand taxis, which can transport customers immediately, and aimed to avoid fierce competition near taxi ranks.

That's how it should have been: you order a taxi or Uber ride by app, phone or website. Then a waiting period of XNUMX minutes starts. Then the car arrives. This condition is explicitly stated in the implementation decree of the Flemish Taxi Decree.

Read also  Taxi drivers come out on top with a multi-million claim against Uber

Uber intended to also serve some Flemish cities this year. Cities that were announced on their own website - such as Leuven - were quickly removed.

The only place in Flanders where Uber is active is at Brussels National Airport. Uber is not welcome at the airport site - unlike Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Uber drivers therefore gather in large numbers at a petrol station located close to the airport. This regularly causes friction with taxi drivers who refuel there. After a passenger's call, they leave the petrol station grounds and pick up the passenger in one of the airport car parks.

According to Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters, the 'braking time of 15 minutes' is an error that slipped through the net. It cannot be the intention that users of taxis and Uber should be left out in the cold for longer. ” She promised in the Flemish Parliament that she will "adjust the implementation decision."

Also read: Taxi and mobility will change in Flanders from 1 January

Passenger Transport Magazine
read in Passenger Transport Magazine
Print Friendly, PDF & Email