A taxi that you call, or where you simply board, must calculate a clear rate via the taximeter.
Taxis are known as a convenient solution for people who have difficulty walking, have a lot of luggage or simply want to travel comfortably and safely. However, in Antwerp, Mayor Bart De Wever warns about the presence of 'taxi pirates' during the end-of-year period, reports the Gazet van Antwerpen.
De Wever emphasizes the importance of getting into a taxi with a clear permit card or TX license plate. This advice is part of a broader call from the Antwerp city council and the taxi sector for customers to be extra alert to rogue taxi drivers during the holidays. These rogue drivers may drive without a permit or charge exorbitant prices.
The collaboration between the city council and the taxi sector focuses on preventing unfair competition in the taxi sector as much as possible. The Transport Goods and Persons Team (TGP) of the Antwerp police plays a crucial role in this by carrying out checks, not only in Antwerp, but also during events such as Tomorrowland. In 2023, Team TGP carried out approximately thirty actions, during which 500 taxis were checked. A significant number of these checked taxis turned out to be defective. In some cases, vehicles were seized for violations.
Every licensed taxi drives with a TX license plate, a vehicle that does not comply with this is either not in order or a taxi pirate.
A striking aspect of the problem in 2023 was the significant number of taxi drivers who charged higher prices than the official rates, and some drivers even violated traffic rules. This situation is partly the result of the Flemish taxi liberalization of 2020, which made it possible for drivers to determine their own prices. This has led to large price differences for the same journeys and concerns about the abuse of vulnerable customers.
Pierre Steenberghen of the National Grouping for Taxi Companies GTL points to the 2020 taxi reform as the catalyst for the current 'Uber system' in the Flemish taxi sector, where free prices apply in an ever-changing market. This has led to situations where customers sometimes pay significantly more than before, as evidenced by the price differences between Antwerp and Ghent taxi companies for the same distance.
