Reports reveal that although there are 800 registered taxi drivers in North Cyprus, around three thousand pirate taxi drivers have been detected.
Speaking to Bağımsız News, heads of the taxi drivers’ unions stated that pirate taxi drivers are giving the service through applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber and charge lower fares.
NO OUTCOME HAS BEEN FOUND FOR THE 12-YEAR PIRATE TAXI PROBLEM
Taxi drivers have called on the government to find a solution to the pirate taxi problem that has been prolonged for the past 12 years.
KARALAR “OUR LABOR IS BEING STOLEN”
Head of the Taxi Drivers Union Murat Karalar said that the number of registered taxi drivers in the country is around 800 and that there are at least three times more pirate taxi drivers.
Referring to the inadequacy of the laws, Karalar stated that no solution has been found to the 12-year problem. Karalar said that they had worked on criteria following efforts to crack down on the problem and announced that with the implementation of a law on these criteria, a majority of the problem could be solved.
ÖZTÜRK “PIRATE TAXIS ARE ON THE ROADS WORKING BEFORE EVEN LEARNING THE ROUTES
Head of the Lefkoşa (Nicosia) Taxi Drivers Union Menteş Öztürk said that illegal taxi drivers have brought the industry to the point of extinction. Öztürk stated that even newcomers to the country have started driving pirate taxis without learning the routes. Due to inadequate penalties, illegal taxi drivers are back on the roads soon after they receive a fine.
BİBEROĞLU “THEY COMMUNICATE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA”
Head of the Gazimağusa (Famagusta) Taxi Drivers Union Muhammet Biberoğlu complained that many nations including Africans, Russians, and Israelis are too operating pirate taxis. Stating that pirate taxi drivers are carrying out the service via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber applications, Biberoğlu said that pirate taxi drivers are also charging lower fares than normal taxis, leading to the preference for pirate taxis. Biberoğlu pointed out that there are approximately 400 pirate taxi drivers in Gazimağusa.