WORLDWIDE TAXI FOCUS from Japan
TOKYO CAB FARES MAY SEE FIRST HIKE IN 15 YEARS AS OIL SOARS
Tokyo cabbies are seeking their first fare hike in 15 years as skyrocketing oil and gas prices bring inflation to the streets of one of the world’s most densely populated cities. The Straits Times reports that taxi operators in the city of 14 million have notified regulators that they want fares raised due to a surge in energy prices and increased costs incurred from the pandemic, local broadcaster NHK reported. Enough requests have poured in to trigger a mechanism that forces the transport ministry to consider them, the report said. Price hikes are generally avoided at all costs by companies in the world’s third-largest economy due to stagnant wage growth and decades of subdued prices. But Japan has been slowly but surely feeling the strain of global inflation, with prices of everything from necessities like food and utility bills rallying due to increase in demand and supply chain issues. Crude oil is at the highest since 2013 while global gas and coal are at records, pressuring the prices of fuel and electric- ity that power the city’s vehicles. Tokyo is famous for its fleet of immaculately clean taxis steered by glove-wearing drivers, and cabs are ubiquitous on city streets - except in rainy times. Many taxi operators now say they are also losing money due to a drop in customers as the pandemic kept people at home, while implementing virus protection measures increased costs, such as installing cashless payments.. Taxi fares in the city start at 420 yen (£2.70) and cover slightly more than the first kilometre travelled, after which they increase 80 yen (50p) every 233m.
go on my own. But I learned that other colleagues had the same idea to help. In the end, 34 cabs are tak- ing part in this. I am very happy.” According to Reuters, drivers, dou- bling up with two per vehicle, began the 40-hour round-trip in Madrid - covering the estimated $55,000 cost themselves and with donations raised. “On the journey back, our cars will be full of these children and women who are going through such hard times,” Madrid Professional Taxi Federation spokesman Jose Miguel Funez told Reuters. More than three million refugees, mostly women and chil- dren, have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24, according to the United Nations. Two thirds of those people entered Poland, with 300,000 continuing their voyage to countries in Western Europe. “My heart is just breaking for them,” taxi driver Pablo Ucero, 58, said. “Nobody should have to live through this.” Once they arrive in Spain, the refugees are given access to medical care before getting temporary accommodations and then granted permits to become residents who are allowed to work, according to Reuters. “Some of our drivers are already talking about doing the route again,” Funez said. “We have saved 140 lives and you cannot put a price on that.”
from Ireland
DUBLIN CABBIE HELD AT GUNPOINT AND ASSAULTED DURING ROBBERY
from Spain
TAXIS TRAVEL 2,000 MILES TO BRING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES TO MADRID
A convoy of Spanish taxis recently travelled more than 2,000 miles to Poland, where they dropped off toys and supplies and picked up Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s ongoing invasion to bring them safely to Madrid. “I made the decision to do this after watching footage of what the children and women were going through in the war,” one driver, Javier Hernandez, told Reuters. “I was planning to
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A taxi driver was held at gunpoint and struck in the face and body during a robbery in the early hours. According to DublinLive, the taxi driver, a man in his late 30s, was waiting to pick up a customer from outside student accommodation on Mill Street, Dublin 8 at around 2:45am on 9 March. A man armed with a gun approached the driver and pointed the gun at his face while demanding money. The gunman then “assaulted him by striking him in the face and body” and managed to take a number of items. Gardai arrived at the scene and the suspect fled, but was arrested following a “short foot pursuit”. All property taken was recovered by gardai as well as the gun. The taxi driver was taken to hospital for treatment for non- life threatening injuries and the suspect, in his late 20s, was held whilst “investigations are ongoing”.
APRIL 2022
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