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Despite ongoing efforts to regulate Cancun’s booming taxi industry, the number of taxi-related crimes reported across the sunny destination continues to climb.
Fortunately, travelers have more transport options than ever before, making travel safer and more convenient. And with the complete launching of the Maya Train this summer, visitors will unlock yet another mode of transport, cutting on costs and travel times.
With that in mind, here are three essential things travelers need to know about Cancun’s taxi problems.
New Report Shows Cancun Home To Most Fake Taxi Drivers In Mexico
A new report published this week by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics reveals that Cancun’s taxi drivers are among the likeliest in the country to commit crimes.
The Mexican Caribbean hotspot is home to a whopping 28,000 registered taxi drivers. However, a huge chunk of the city’s taxi drivers operate unofficially, meaning they lack the necessary licenses to operate taxis.
As a result, officials say tracking law-breaking drivers can be challenging, resulting in more cases of scams like overcharging, which tends to affect travelers more than locals.
Cancun’s growing fleet of pirate taxis is known to operate in and around Cancun International Airport as well as the city’s resort zone. These taxis fall outside the scope of applicable legislation and may lack safety features typically found in registered taxis.
Follow These Tips When Getting Around In Cancun
As Cancun’s visitor numbers skyrocket in 2024, taxis will continue to play a key role in transporting travelers around the city. By following essential safety tips, you can ensure that your next Cancun trip is hassle-free.
Travelers can benefit from Cancun’s growing number of ride-hailing apps, which essentially provide the same services as taxis at a more competitive rate. From Uber to OlaTaxi, visitors can find a number of applications where they can order & pre-pay for rides.
Meanwhile, the new Mueve-T app, launching later this year, promises to further revolutionize the digital age of taxi services, offering affordable rates and more competition to existing companies. Initially set to operate in Cancun, the app will later expand to cover other hotspots including Cozumel and Tulum.
Most Cancun resorts offer travelers private transfers to and from their resorts. Visitors can take advantage of these shuttles to cut down on costs and avoid exorbitant taxi fares.
The full launching of the Maya Train later this summer will offer travelers a major advantage in reaching their favorite resort hotspot directly from Cancun International Airport. Thus, gone will be the days of costly private transfers between hotspots like Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
These New Measures Will Make Taking Taxis Safer In Cancun
A number of new measures are currently being implemented by Cancun officials to make using taxis safer.
Cancun taxis have responded aggressively to the legalization of Uber – by far the most popular ride-hailing app in the world – as a result of which lawmakers announced a new law to crack down on violent taxi drivers.
In 2024, law enforcement officials are fining more taxi drivers and even revoking licenses to make Cancun’s streets safer.
Officials at Cancun International Airport are also launching new high-tech security gates around the airport that utilize facial recognition technology to monitor the influx of taxi drivers operating in the area.
While all these measures are expected to help curb the number of law-breaking taxi drivers in Cancun, travelers will still need to be cautious when getting on a taxi in the coastal hotspot.
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