Antigua taxi association says fare boundaries have improved drivers’ earnings

Antigua’s taxi association president, Toño Franquiz, says a change to where taxi tariffs apply has brought a historic financial improvement for drivers in the Fuerteventura municipality.

Following a meeting with mayor Juan Cabrera, Franquiz said limiting tariff 1 to the centre of Antigua and applying tariff 3 across the rest of the municipality had given drivers a greater profit margin. The report of the meeting did not specify when the change took effect or give the fares charged under either tariff.

Transport councillor Agustín Rodríguez said there had been no official complaints from passengers or taxi professionals about the arrangement, which he described as a reasonable solution.

Drivers’ costs and previous dispute

Franquiz said the previous administration had wanted tariff 3 to apply only in Caleta de Fuste. He argued that this would have disadvantaged residents of Castillo and other villages, as well as drivers who travelled to villages for three or five euros and lost money as a result.

He said taxi professionals had organised a strike around a year and a half earlier to protest over the tariff. According to Franquiz, the previous mayor had promised a solution during that dispute, but no action followed.

Franquiz also said drivers faced higher fuel, spare parts and vehicle maintenance costs, while the tariff had not been changed for 14 years. Most taxi drivers, he said, are self-employed and must cover substantial expenses.

Cabrera said his administration had committed to improving conditions in the taxi sector and would continue working with professionals and associations.