As more than 90% of the taxi market is in the shadows, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development has developed a concept for reforming this market. This is stated in the report of the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, the Ukrainian News agency informs.
It is noted that the reform provides for the legalization of drivers' activities, digitalization of access to the market and the introduction of European standards of safety and responsibility.
"Today we have a paradoxical situation: officially, there are about 9,500 cars used as taxis in Ukraine, while in fact there are more than 200,000 drivers in the market. That is, more than 90% of the market is in the shadows. This means losses for the budget, lack of social guarantees for drivers and minimal safety tools for passengers," said Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Communities and Territories Development.
He noted that the ministry's goal is to create a simple, digital and cost-effective legalization model where it is cheaper for a driver to work officially than to stay in the shadows.
A separate reform proposes to introduce a new legal status - a self-employed road carrier, which is an individual who: works without hired employees; receives orders exclusively through online platforms; can legally carry out transportation without the need to open a sole proprietorship.
Instead of a vehicle license, a personal electronic driver's certificate is being introduced, and the application is submitted through the Unified Complex of Information Systems of the State Service of Transport Safety.
To be a taxi driver, you must meet several requirements: age from 20 years; driving experience of at least 2 years; no criminal record; availability of a medical certificate.
The certificate is issued for a period of 2 years. the "entrance fee" to officially work as a taxi driver is one subsistence minimum (approximately UAH 3,028) for 2 years. The platform is proposed to withhold taxes as a tax agent - the platform will pay taxes based on the driver's income for the trips performed. The law also requires a liability insurance contract for passengers and drivers.
According to the ministry's estimates, the estimated cost of legalization is about UAH 130 per month.
To ensure that the passenger is sure that he or she is using the services of a legal taxi and an official driver, there are a number of rules, first of all, the presence of a unique QR code in the car, which can be used to check the driver's photo, carrier data and the validity of the certificate. The car must also have a valid technical control protocol.
Operators of online platforms are obliged to check the validity of the certificate and insurance and limit the driver's working hours (no more than 8 hours of continuous driving). Platforms will be held liable for the admission of an illegal driver, and mechanisms will be introduced to block platforms that systematically violate the requirements of the law.
Local governments will have the right to conclude contracts for the organization of transportation, set requirements for environmental friendliness and car labeling, and provide legal taxis with access to public transport lanes and special parking lots.
The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development has now agreed on the relevant draft law with other government agencies. The next step is for the government to support the draft law and submit it to the Verkhovna Rada. If successfully approved and signed by the President, the initiative will come into force 6 months after its publication.
The draft law also stipulates that existing taxi transportation licenses are automatically equated to the right to operate for a period of 2 years, and provides for a 3-month grace period for obtaining a certificate without penalties.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in January, representatives of Bolt, Uklon, and Uber appealed to the Kyiv authorities with a request to grant them permission to operate taxis during the curfew, taking into account changes related to the energy emergency.
In the event of a prolonged air alert in Kyiv, some taxi services increase the tariff fivefold.
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