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Taxis in Budapest block traffic, demand ban on Uber | Taxis in Budapest block traffic, demand ban on Uber |
(about 3 hours later) | |
BUDAPEST, Hungary — More than 100 taxis blocked traffic in downtown Budapest on Monday as drivers demanded a ban on Uber and other ride-hailing apps. | |
The yellow vehicles from several taxi companies blocked off a key intersection near St. Stephen’s Basilica in the Hungarian capital, causing significant traffic delays. | |
The protest began early in the morning, with drivers parking their taxis across several lanes on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky and Andrassy avenues. The protest expanded to a full blockade by mid-afternoon after talks with city and government officials did not yield immediate results. | |
Taxi drivers, who said only emergency vehicles would be allowed through the blockade, went to the nearby offices of Budapest’s mayor to present a petition with their demands. | |
Mayor Istvan Tarlos expressed his support for the “tax-paying Hungarian taxi drivers,” saying Uber did not comply with regulations. | |
“The capital city, however, has no official means ... to ban or switch off Uber or exclude the ‘wild taxi drivers’ who do not respect the rules,” Tarlos said in a statement. | “The capital city, however, has no official means ... to ban or switch off Uber or exclude the ‘wild taxi drivers’ who do not respect the rules,” Tarlos said in a statement. |
Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, said the Cabinet would discuss the issue on Wednesday. | |
Driver Zsolt Gelencser said Uber and similar apps were avoiding regulations and licensing issues that taxis had to comply with. | Driver Zsolt Gelencser said Uber and similar apps were avoiding regulations and licensing issues that taxis had to comply with. |
“We demand that Uber, as an app or as an activity, cease to exist,” Gelencser said, standing amid the taxis occupying most of the road. “They are applying a double standard. Nothing applies to them, while everything applies to us.” | “We demand that Uber, as an app or as an activity, cease to exist,” Gelencser said, standing amid the taxis occupying most of the road. “They are applying a double standard. Nothing applies to them, while everything applies to us.” |
Laszlo Pusztai, another taxi driver at the protest, estimated that Uber was taking away 50-60 percent of the rides of traditional taxis. “Unfortunately, it is working very well for them,” Pusztai said. | Laszlo Pusztai, another taxi driver at the protest, estimated that Uber was taking away 50-60 percent of the rides of traditional taxis. “Unfortunately, it is working very well for them,” Pusztai said. |
Uber says it has 1,200 drivers and 80,000 users in Budapest. | Uber says it has 1,200 drivers and 80,000 users in Budapest. |
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |