Cancún Taxi Drivers Rebel Against Taximeters!

Taxi drivers in Cancún have expressed resistance to the use of taximeters, fearing they would be forced to charge the official rate rather than the prices they currently set.

The introduction of taximeters in the "Andrés Quintana Roo" Union vehicles has been stalled due to this opposition. The drivers are concerned about having to adhere to the prescribed rates. Rodrigo Alcázar, the head of the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (Imoveqroo), has been advocating for the use of taximeters since last year. However, the earliest this could be implemented is mid-2025 through a pilot program. The aim is to prevent drivers from imposing arbitrary charges. It is unclear whether this will apply to all types of taxis, including shared ones.

The cost of a taxi ride depends on various factors such as the route, duration, taxi rate, and time of day. While there are online tools that can estimate the fare based on current taxi rates, mileage, and waiting times, these are often not adhered to. The basic rate is supposed to be 35 pesos, but this is rarely respected. Over time, drivers have increased the base fare by five pesos, with the minimum fare now around 50 or 60 pesos. This makes taxi services in Cancún among the most expensive in the country.

There are still many questions about how the taximeter system would be implemented and whether it would apply to all taxis. Some taxis serve specific areas or operate as shared services to the airport, so a base rate would need to be established. Alcázar has suggested charging per mileage, but the rates need to be standardized first. However, he seems unaware that drivers often update the rates at their discretion. In a survey of taxi drivers, most felt that the use of taximeters would not be beneficial as they believe it would result in higher fares for customers. They also expressed uncertainty about who would bear the cost of the taximeter devices.

Taxi driver Juan Morales suggested that a thorough study and consensus-building among the government, citizens, and the union should be the first steps. Another driver, Antonio, believed that taximeters could help prevent overcharging. Some customers also expressed support for the idea, particularly for short trips, but cautioned that the base fare must be reasonable.