Taxi Fares Get a Hike

Taxi meters crept to higher digits Monday, thanks to a 10% fare increase approved Sept. 27 by the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP).

The fare passengers pay depends on the type of taxi they take. For regular, “sedan,” taxis, the price of the first kilometer will increase from ¢365 ($0.71) to ¢405 ($0.78), while each additional kilometer will jump from ¢340 ($0.66) to ¢380 ($0.74), according to a statement from ARESEP.

The “waiting fare,” or time a taxi driver must wait with his or her engine turned off after being called by a user, increased from ¢2,015 ($3.90) to ¢2,205 ($4.27) per hour.

The “delay fare,” calculated when a taxi is forced to travel slower than 10 km per hour because of traffic, increased from ¢3,300 ($6.40) to ¢3,650 ($7.07) per hour.

The waiting and delay fares are slightly different for rural taxis. The waiting fare is now ¢2,325 ($4.50) and the delay fare is ¢4,050 ($7.85) per hour.