The Ghent taxi company V-Tax, the largest in East Flanders, has replaced almost its entire fleet of 40 vehicles with electric cars.
This transition is largely 'thanks' to the strict environmental measures of the city of Ghent, which recently only allocates stands to electric taxis. With this, the city is taking a pioneering role in greening urban transport, and V-Tax is responding to this by making its fleet more sustainable.
According to CEO Ludwig de Brabander, the switch to electric taxis was not an easy decision. “It was an expensive investment,” he admitted to colleagues at VRT-NWS last Monday. Despite the high costs, de Brabander emphasized that the service for the customer will not change. “Customers will not notice anything. It is a necessary initiative to not only comply with the regulations, but also to contribute to a cleaner city,” he added.
The city of Ghent has been working on measures to improve air quality for some time now. The introduction of low-emission zones and the requirement for electric taxis are examples of this. These rules are part of a broader plan to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the city. V-Tax, which has been an established name in the region since 1950, is taking an important step in modernizing its services.
customer discount as an additional service
In addition to greening the vehicle fleet, V-Tax Lybaert to an additional service for customers. From the end of January, the company wants to introduce a system that allows customers to get up to 20% discount when booking a ride in advance. These reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. De Brabander sees this not only as an incentive to further promote the use of taxis, but also as a way to work more efficiently. “By receiving reservations on time, we can optimize our planning and serve our customers even better,” he explains.
The new initiative is seen as a win-win situation: customers benefit from lower rates, while V-Tax can ensure a better distribution of rides throughout the day. This can also help reduce traffic and unnecessary taxis driving around the city.
The iconic Ghent taxi company V-Tax, founded shortly after the Second World War by André Martens, was closed earlier in 2024 bankrupt declared. This decision was taken in August 2024 by the Ghent Commercial Court. The news marks a painful chapter in the history of the city's oldest and largest taxi company, which was once a symbol of innovation and reliability.
The name V-Tax, a reference to the original Volkswagen taxis with which the company started its activities, was synonymous with high-quality service in Ghent for decades. But the challenges of modern times, including the aftermath of the corona pandemic, the rise of taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt, and stricter environmental regulations, eventually proved too much for the company.
consequences for employees
The bankruptcy of V-Tax had major consequences for the company's approximately 100 employees, including 92 drivers and 8 employees. The unions hoped for a restart, but only a portion of the employees were able to keep their jobs. Towing company Lybaert took over the ailing company, but decided to keep only 56 employees on the payroll. This meant that 44 people lost their jobs.
In addition to the personnel consequences, the bankruptcy also had practical implications. The taxi company of V-Tax moved from the Wiedauwkaai to the Lybaert site on the Vliegtuiglaan in Ghent. Although the takeover offers some continuity, it is clear that the company had to adapt to a strongly changed taxi sector.
