Uber launches service in Cancun

CANCUN — On Wednesday Sept. 14 Uber began offering its private car service, making Cancun the 28th city in Mexico and one of more than 500 cities worldwide.

Uber’s director of communications for Mexico, Luis de Uriarte, reports that the recruitment for Uber drivers began last week so that this week, they were able to offer the service.

“We are ready to start operations in Cancun,” he said.

In regard to legalities of not being classified as traditional transportation, he said that state congress is working to remove possible legal padlocks that could prevent them from providing the service in order to regulate it according to their characteristics and peculiarities.

However, state taxi drivers are reciting government traffic laws (Articles 31, 32 and 34) that forbids companies like Uber to operate in Quintana Roo.

“What you have to look for is a regulation that speaks specifically of this type of transport model, as recommended by Cofece (Federal Confederation of Economic Competition) saying that it should be recognized as a separate transportation service,” he said.

Their first day of operation in Cancun was September 14, where the company offers competitively priced transportation in and around the city. Using their app, Uber detects a customer’s location. The customer then enters their destination and is given a cost estimate for the trip. Once booked, the customer is provided with a car and plate number as well as a photo of the driver.

Luis de Uriarte points out that, “The cost is unique to the entire metropolitan area of Cancun. There is no differentiated cost or distinctions. With Uber, the cost is the same for everyone.”

With the entry of the new government at the end of September, there have already been discussions to reform the state’s current Transport Act, specifically to the annexation of Article 31a to establish that passenger transportation services may enter an agreement by verbal contract, written or electronic, Internet media, email and / or telephone, including cellular, applications and / or programs.

If granted a permanent license, Uber could affect the nearly 25,000 taxi drivers in the state.

Source: riviera-maya-news.com

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