No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessYes, Uber Costa Rica is still illegal, says transport ministry

Yes, Uber Costa Rica is still illegal, says transport ministry

A legal review by the Public Transportation Council has decided that the ride-hailing service Uber Costa Rica is illegal. The decision came just days after Costa Rica General Manager Humberto Pacheco met with Public Works and Transport Ministry officials to discuss Uber’s standing here. Uber Costa Rica service went live here on Aug. 21.

“The transportation service that Uber offers through a mobile app is an illegal transportation service due to the fact that it does not have the corresponding authorizations,” said Public Transportation Council (CTP) director Mario Zárate in a statement. As long as Uber does not have permission from CTP, the review said, it is operating illegally in Costa Rica.

The CTP report brushed aside the possibility of Uber Costa Rica appealing the council’s decision on grounds of the Central American Free Trade Agreement, to which Costa Rica and the United States are signatories, saying that Costa Rica reserved the right to regulate transportation in all its forms.

Uber Costa Rica continues to dispute the government’s characterization of its services.

“Uber is not a transportation company and the service that its partners offer to members is not a taxi service,” Uber spokeswoman Rocío Paniagua said in a statement emailed to The Tico Times.

The statement characterizes Uber as a technology platform that connects community members to fulfill their mobility needs. “The service that Uber partners offer is clearly distinguishable from any other transportation service, including taxis,” Paniagua said.

Despite the government’s opposition to the ride-hailing service, it has yet to decide on an enforcement strategy that would keep Uber vehicles off the road here. President Luis Guillermo Solís’ administration previously said that it has no plans to block Uber. The company, meanwhile, continues to sign up new users. Paniagua said that 30,000 people in Costa Rica have registered with the company since it began operations.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Sibö Chocolate Wins Bronze at Int’l Awards

Chocolate Sibö once again stood out at the International Chocolate Awards, the largest fine chocolate competition based in New York. The Costa Rican brand...

Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Central Valley

An earthquake shook Costa Rica early Friday morning. The tremor occurred at 12:45 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.4. Its epicenter was located 1...

Panama Union Files Lawsuits Against Chiquita Over Mass Layoffs

Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, will meet in Brazil with U.S. banana company Chiquita Brands in search of an agreement for the company to...

The Most Clueless Gringo in Costa Rica: A Satirical Take on Expat Life

If part of your online day includes mindless scrolling through reels, you’ve probably seen the Dos Equis beer parody commercials. The original ads featured the...

El Salvador Schools Enforce Military-Style Uniform Inspections

El Salvador's public schools will start enforcing daily inspections for students' uniforms and haircuts from August 20, as ordered by the new education minister,...

An Expat’s Life with a Rescue Dog in Costa Rica

For the past 15 months I have been the primary caretaker of a bona fide street dog, a barrio zaguate called Dorothy. My wife...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica