Hungarian taxi drivers want a brutal price increase!

As a result of the constantly increasing fuel prices, Hungarian taxi companies have started to plan negotiations of a price increase of 30% in taxi services. The negotiations will begin shortly.

Previously, we already reported about the steady rise in fuel prices in previous months. Now, however, a new financial consequence also needs to be considered as a result. Namely, the remarkable increase – reaching up to 30% – in the price of taxi services in Budapest.

As Hungarian news portal Portfolio reports, recently, Hungarian taxi companies have had to face severe financial difficulties. Due to the pandemic, passenger traffic fell by 60-70%. Before the pandemic, there were 10,500 taxi drivers working in Hungary, a number that has decreased to 7,000 in the post-pandemic period. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain taxi companies due to constantly increasing costs, including the skyrocketing fuel prices.

In addition, a further increase is expected from the middle of the week.

The average price of petrol will rise to HUF 496 (~ EUR 1,37), while diesel will cost HUF 512 (~ EUR 1,41) per litre at Hungarian petrol stations.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, most taxi drivers have become bus drivers and carriers and are not thinking of returning to their original profession. With these jobs, they earn more than their previous income on a more family-friendly schedule and do not have to spend on a new car or expiring taxi licences. Due to the lack of tourists, nowadays, fewer cars can serve the needs of the Hungarian capital. However, at peak times, it is almost impossible to get a car, which is not due to a lack of taxis but to congestion caused by renovations and lane closures.

Zoltán Metál, the president of the National Taxi Association, revealed that

negotiations have been initiated with the capital to increase the price of taxi services by 30%.

“We made a proposal through the Budapest Chamber of Industry, together with the transport companies, to discuss a possible increase in the official fixed price, as there are cost changes in the operation of businesses that have a very serious impact.”

According to the expert, in addition to the dollar-forint exchange rate and the world market price, high domestic taxes are also contributing to the price increase.

As Hungarian news portal atv reports, an appointment has already been made, and the National Taxi Association is confident that together with taxi drivers, they will soon be able to start the negotiations with the representatives of the capital.

Read alsoRecord-high fuel prices and crazy trends on the Hungarian roads!

Source: atv.hu; portfolio.hu