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Tourists heading to Cancun can look forward to paying fairer prices for their taxi trips across the city as new fare meters are set to be installed in thousands of its taxis.
It’s a slice of good news that travelers have long since been waiting for, coming between sensationalized crime and drug-related stories and fears surrounding mass influxes of the stinky seaweed, sargassum — and it is bound to make trips to the region that little bit easier and cheaper for millions.
The announcement should go some way towards alleviating fears that many travelers have regarding the use of taxis, with many tourists in Cancun flat-out refusing to hail taxis in the city due to the fears such as being taken for a ride when it comes to paying the fare.
Here’s everything you need to know about this story, including what changes are being made to taxis in the city, why it’s an important change for travelers, and where exactly it is set to be affected by the change.
Taxis Changing – Information For Travelers
In most places abroad, getting a taxi is more often than not a simple process – but the same definitely can’t always be said for Cancun.
Travelers are routinely taken advantage of from the moment they step off the airplane, with drivers in the airport’s notorious shark tank zone battling to take you to your hotel at a hefty premium, and hailing a taxi in the street has been known to result in exorbitant fares being charged to tourists who are either unaware or feel powerless to fight it.
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And while travelers in other destinations can usually rely upon ridesharing apps such as Uber to ensure they get from A to B in a safe manner, that’s not something that can be done in Cancun either.
The use of Uber has long since been a contentious issue in the city, with Uber drivers and passengers alike finding themselves subject to threats and assaults from regular taxi drivers.
Thankfully however, changes are coming that are set to make taxis not only safer for travelers but more than likely cheaper too.
Luis Rodrigo Alcázar Urrutia, director of the Quintana Roo State Mobility Institute (Imoveqroo), revealed that the use of taxi meters is to be rolled out across the state of Quintana Roo.
Where the existing fare strategy sees taxi customers charged depending on the zones in which they travel to and from, taxi meters will instead see travelers pay a fare based on the distance and the duration of their journey, which will be calculated on the taxi meter, making the price of the journey much more transparent and harder to inflate – which could spell the end of the notorious tourist pricing.
The taxi meters are expected to be rolled out on a significant scale.
There are plans to see more than 18,000 of the devices fitted to taxis across the 11 municipalities of Quintana Roo.
This means they will be in operation in popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, ensuring all travelers visiting the state will be set to benefit from fairer and more affordable taxi prices.
However, it’s not just fare prices that are set to benefit from the use of taxi meters in Quintana Roo, but passenger safety too.
Each of the taxi meters will also come equipped with GPS, which will help to keep both passengers and drivers safe in the event that something goes wrong during their journey.
This is the latest of a growing list of measures designed to keep those in Quintana Roo safe and sound on their travels through the state.
Also revealed by the director was the fact that no request for an increase in rates from taxi driver unions was to be accepted this year, meaning travelers can look forward to prices remaining lower for the time being.
The implementation of taxi meters in the state’s taxis is expected to take a period of around five months, meaning the system could be up and running in time for the start of the next high season in December.
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Raj
Thursday 20th of April 2023
Cancun has Taxi Mafia. I paid $30 to go one mile in Tulum. They intimidate you if you try to negotiate. Try to book using apps it is much cheaper.