The end of no voy for Panama taxis?
THE LEGALITY of the “Uber” system in Panama is still being debated but if it comes into full operation, it could spell the end of the “ no voy” era of taxi drivers who decide if and where they will take passengers.
Uber offers a digital platform, which is downloaded on smart phones and brings together people who need a shuttle service with drivers. So, anyone who downloads the application and has a credit card can use the transport and anyone who meets certain requirements can offer a vehicle as a means of transport.
Uber, company representatives have raised the need for a regulation that covers the provision of the new service reports La Prensa.
Luis De Uriarte, director of communication Uber in Mexico and Central America, said in an interview with the newspaper that “We are not illegal, what happens is that there is no regulation for the specific transport as technological innovation is always faster than regulation.”
The company wantsto cooperate with the authorities and all stakeholders in the system to create a new regulatory framework.
“We are seeking a rapprochement with the(Transport Authority ATTT) . We are open to explain the features that make Uber service different from existing ones. We came to Panama to create jobs, to offer a secure, reliable and efficient transportation. “
Uber services can be used in Panama for a year and a half, the first capital of Central America to welcome the company that has virtually worldwide presence.
In Panama, the ATTT maintains the position that the Uber operation Uber does not fit the current legal system, says Ulysses Calvo legal advisor of the institution.
There are some 46,000 taxi operating license in Panama, only 4,000 less than New York City. Those in the business currently see the arrival of Uber a threat and have already announced legal action against the company. The proposed Uber model, total liberalization of a regulated and relatively closed service is the perfect recipe to generate controversy, says La Prensa.
In addition to the ATTT, , other government institutions like the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Directorate General of Revenue (DGI) are also watching the evolution of Uber. The DGI recently sent its inspectors to a job fair organized by Uber to verify that the company complied with all tax obligations. Asked if the company feels that the actions of some authorities are a form of persecution,the Uber spokesman said: “The tax authorities are entitled to make their inquiries. It happens everywhere. Uber is providing the required information. “
What happens in Panama is just a chapter of a battle waged in the company worldwide, with mixed results. In France, for example, authorities have banned the activity of the company or some of its applications. And the European heads of the company were recently arrested.
