Mexico City Proposes to Regulate Uber With License Fees
Outside of the United States it appears that Uber, the San Francisco-based transport service, is not having an easy ride.
In December Uber was forced to shut down in Spain and subsequently moved into the food delivery business.
Last Month in France angry taxi drivers blocked roads, burned tires, and attacked drivers who they believed were working for the ride-hailing company. As reported in The New York Times, the dangerous protests prompted rock star Courtney Love, who was in the country at the time, to take to Twitter and desperately wonder, “How on earth are these people allowed to do this?” Describing the destruction of a vehicle she witnessed as the French police apparently just stood by, Love wrote, “I want to go home.”
Now the the ride sharing company is facing what could be its greatest obstacle yet: Mexico City has just proposed that all Uber drivers need to have permits.
Aside from accommodating this request, Uber would also be required to pay a revenue fee into a new city transport fund, and would be banned from accepting cash payments from their customers.
As Uber has expanded its business around the globe, it has faced increasing demands for regulations as taxi drivers in various cities have tried to defend their livelihood. As reported by Reuters under Mexico City’s new proposal Uber will have to pay a license fee for each vehicle on its platform of 1,599 pesos ($101) a year. Uber will also have to give about 1.5 percent of their domestic revenue to a newly created city transport fund.
Mexico City, which is currently home to 140,000 registered taxis, has been vocal about its concerns regarding Uber.
Aside from Mexico’s capital city, Uber’s Latin American expansion is also being met with challenges in Brazil’s Sao Paulo and in Colombia, where authorities have called the company illegal.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of latinpost.com