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STICKER SHOCK: TAXI DRIVERS ANGERED BY PROPOSAL TO CHANGE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
SOCIETY | 15.03.13 | 15:45
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Another government-proposed legislative initiative by which the
yellow license plates of taxis will be replaced by stick-on labels,
has raised clamor among taxi drivers, who years ago spent considerable
sums on acquiring those plates and making adjustments.
Enlarge Photo Gevorg Dosturyan (left) and Armen Poghosyan
Enlarge Photo
In 2007 yellow state license plates were placed on taxis in Armenia,
in order to register taxis and separate them from private cars. At
the time the decision, again, was not accepted willingly, because taxi
drivers had to pay 17,000 drams (now around $40) to change the plates,
and beside have restricted exit permission from Armenia.
Now the National Center for Legislative Regulation has developed a
legislative package on simplifying the licensing procedure of taxis
and public transport, suggesting that the yellow license plates be
taken out of practice.
Instead of yellow plates and registration receipts the road police
suggests stricter supervision by special receipts (similar to those
of technical examination and compulsory car insurance), which would
be provided together with the license and the insert and would be
attached to the rear window of the vehicle.
President of the Consumers' Union Armen Poghosyan told the press on
Friday that taking the yellow plates out of practice is "illogical
and unacceptable".
"Yellow license plate is for differentiation, helping the consumer to
tell a legal taxi from an illegal," says Poghosyan, adding that there
are some 15,000 taxis in Armenia, and 9,500 among them are in Yerevan.
Gevorg Dosturyan, president of Civil Standpoint NGO, monitoring issues
related to this field over the past five years, says 70 percent
of the taxis have yellow license plates, and the remaining 30 are
working illegally.
"Taxi drivers are unhappy with such settlement because they have
acquired licenses, newer vehicles, for which they have taken bank loans
yet unpaid. Now they are told that the yellow license be removed and
other duties taken up, which is unacceptable," says Dosturyan.
SOCIETY | 15.03.13 | 15:45
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Another government-proposed legislative initiative by which the
yellow license plates of taxis will be replaced by stick-on labels,
has raised clamor among taxi drivers, who years ago spent considerable
sums on acquiring those plates and making adjustments.
Enlarge Photo Gevorg Dosturyan (left) and Armen Poghosyan
Enlarge Photo
In 2007 yellow state license plates were placed on taxis in Armenia,
in order to register taxis and separate them from private cars. At
the time the decision, again, was not accepted willingly, because taxi
drivers had to pay 17,000 drams (now around $40) to change the plates,
and beside have restricted exit permission from Armenia.
Now the National Center for Legislative Regulation has developed a
legislative package on simplifying the licensing procedure of taxis
and public transport, suggesting that the yellow license plates be
taken out of practice.
Instead of yellow plates and registration receipts the road police
suggests stricter supervision by special receipts (similar to those
of technical examination and compulsory car insurance), which would
be provided together with the license and the insert and would be
attached to the rear window of the vehicle.
President of the Consumers' Union Armen Poghosyan told the press on
Friday that taking the yellow plates out of practice is "illogical
and unacceptable".
"Yellow license plate is for differentiation, helping the consumer to
tell a legal taxi from an illegal," says Poghosyan, adding that there
are some 15,000 taxis in Armenia, and 9,500 among them are in Yerevan.
Gevorg Dosturyan, president of Civil Standpoint NGO, monitoring issues
related to this field over the past five years, says 70 percent
of the taxis have yellow license plates, and the remaining 30 are
working illegally.
"Taxi drivers are unhappy with such settlement because they have
acquired licenses, newer vehicles, for which they have taken bank loans
yet unpaid. Now they are told that the yellow license be removed and
other duties taken up, which is unacceptable," says Dosturyan.