Serious taxi fare hikes could be coming in Budapest: Organisations negotiate with city council
Taxi organisations in Budapest have entered into negotiations with city officials regarding a potential fare increase. The discussions, which took place on Thursday afternoon, revealed differing opinions on the extent of the proposed price hike.
Proposed fare increases
The Budapest Taxi Association, which did not attend the meeting but submitted their proposal in writing, is advocating for a 27% increase in taxi fares, 24.hu reports. According to Norbert Váczi, co-president of the association, this would result in the following changes:
- Base fare: from HUF 1,100 to 1,400 (EUR 2.75 to 3.5)
- Per kilometer rate: from HUF 440 to 560 (EUR 1.1 to 1.4)
- Per minute rate: from HUF 110 to 140 (EUR 0.28 to 0.35)
Váczi argued that the average inflation rate over recent years justifies their request for a tariff increase.
Other organisations’ positions
The Taxi Drivers’ Interest Protection Organisation (TÉSZ) and the National Taxi Association were present at the meeting. While the National Taxi Association is pushing for a smaller increase, TÉSZ is advocating for a larger one, similar to the 27% proposal put forward by the Budapest Taxi Association.
Background
This negotiation follows a demonstration in January where nearly 200 taxis participated in a protest in Budapest. The demonstration, organised by TÉSZ, aimed to demand an immediate increase in the tax-exempt threshold for taxi drivers. It’s worth noting that the National Taxi Association’s president clarified they were not involved in this event.
Read also:
- January’s taxi strike: Taxi strike in Budapest – Drivers rally for fairer policies and Taxi strike paralyses Budapest today: Protest routes and key demands revealed
Featured image: depositphotos.com
That’s all fine, ask away, but will your passengers be willing to pay it? I’ve already reduced my use of taxis to the bare minimum, at these elevated rates I’d only use them in a burning emergency. I’ve had drivers tell me they’ve had no Hungarian speaking passengers all day.
I think the unions are thinking that as only foreigners and companies are using taxis anyway, they’ll stomach the increases while Hungarian passengers are a lost cause even at current levels.
These people are dinosaurs.
They need to go the way of blacksmiths.
It won’t be long before taxis are replaced by purpose made automated pods, we can already see self drive cars functioning successfully as taxis in many parts of the world using current technology, AI will allow these capabilities to come on in leaps and bounds over the next decade. I’d further argue that new generation taxis represent a serious hazard for public transport networks as the per km cost without a driver while powered with a battery electric powertrain means that the price of undertaking even longer journeys will become cost competitive with train fares, albeit not in Hungary with its very cheap public transport.