Taxi war breaks out: Bolt will not retreat but fights back the attacks of Hungarian cabbies

A new chapter opened in the taxi drama in Hungary. A group of domestic taxi companies are bashing Bolt by citing an earlier ruling of the European Court of Justice. The Estonian company was quick to respond to the accusations. Bolt is now taking all necessary legal measures to repair the serious damage caused to its reputation by taxi drivers.

Harsh blows from cabbies

As it is understood, the dispute has since escalated further. Index reported that Bolt basically received a declaration of war from the local cab companies (Best Taxi, City Taxi, Go Taxi and Taxi4), which are also backed by other private taxi operators. The fuming local cabbies cited a ruling by the European Court of Justice to attack the domestic Bolt operator, which is linked to an Estonian company. The transport operators concluded their lengthy argument that Bolt’s companies – both in Estonia and Hungary – were not operating by and in compliance with the licences issued. Bolt responded to the serious allegations to Index:

In response to the press reports published recently, BOLT HTX Ltd. declares that in all cases it acts in accordance with the Hungarian and European Union legal regulations and cooperates with the competent authorities in all respects, complying with the local regulations to the maximum extent possible.

Bolt speaks up in its defence

To fight back the unfounded and, in all cases, refuted press releases that repeatedly violate or endanger the legitimate operation and reputation of Bolt Taxi, Bolt HTX Ltd will take the necessary steps in all available legal forums. It is for the protection of the partners and employees of Bolt HTX Ltd as well as the public. Bolt underscores in its response to Index that its main objective is to make everyday life easier for its passengers. They seek to make calling a taxi easier and more convenient for all potential passengers. In addition, Bolt is keeping up with people’s needs and developing its app accordingly. For example, after typing in your desired destination, you can instantly see the expected travel time. The company continuously aims to improve customer experience, making travelling more safe and reliable.

Taxi drivers’ battle against Uber

It is worth noting what triggered the raging taxi war in Budapest. At the beginning of July, the National Taxi Association sent a petition to the Municipality of Budapest, condemning Bolt’s trademark practices. The proposal not only called for a fair playing field for traditional taxi companies, but it also explicitly aimed at squeezing out the Estonian-backed company. You may recall that back in summer 2016, one taxi protest followed the other. And eventually, Uber was forced to withdraw from the Hungarian market.

If you would like to learn more about the current taxi drama in Hungary, you can read about the matter HERE.