Capital's Taxis Running Empty
Free public transport and the winter season have contributed to a sharp decline in taxi customer numbers, Lembit Poolak, head of a union of taxi drivers, has said.
Speaking on ETV, Poolak said that the period from January to April is already the low season for cabs, but the city's free public transport scheme has made cab drivers' lives especially hard.
One taxi company recently offered free rides for a day, a move that was partly a protest against free public transport and partly an ad campaign.
Cab drivers waiting for customers on Viru street told ETV that there are 50 percent fewer fares compared with last year.
Poolak said that there is also a problem with a lack of designated waiting areas for taxis in the capital. He noted that the city government has passed a law prohibiting taxis from parking outside these designated waiting areas, and said that there are too many taxis for the few allocated spots.
The head of Tallinn's Transport Department, Ruth Pärn, said that over 2,700 taxi licenses have been issued and it would not be possible for all of them to park in the Old Town. They should plan their work schedules accordingly, she said.