Taxis wooing customers changing “no voy” to “Si”
Taxi drivers in Colon, worried about their public image, and perhaps their income, are planning a campaign to become more consumer friendly.
Their first step is to try to get rid of the “No voy” stigma. That’s the phrase that most tax drivers use if you want them to take you to your destination, and not theirs. A group of Colon drivers want to change it to "Yo si voy " (Yes, I will take you).
A short lived police blitz in Panama netted scores of taxi drivers refusing to take passengers, and fines of up to $75 were imposed on the “No voy" drivers. Then things returned to normal, and would be passengers can stand in the rain for half an hour waiting for a taxi that's going their way.
In Colon the drivers are seeking to provide better service to users and to regain the confidence and sympathy of the thousands of passengers who complain about the taxi service.
The roup is even offering a discount card for fares from $2.50 or more.
Are Panama taxi drivers listening?