Taxi drivers from Fortaleza, the Metropolitan Region and the interior of Ceará demonstrated on the morning of this Wednesday, 8th, to denounce approaches and alleged abusive fines on intercity trips. The event began with a gathering in front of the Church of Santa Edwiges, on Avenida Presidente Castelo Branco, from where drivers traveled through the streets of the Capital towards the Palácio da Abolição, in Meireles.
In a radio interview THE CBN PEOPLE This Wednesday, the 8th, the councilor and president of the Ceará Taxi Drivers Union (Sinditaxi), Francisco Moura, stated that taxi drivers would be receiving abusive fines during approaches by agents from the Ceará State Traffic Department (Detran-CE).
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“We are suffering abusive fines of R$1,800, for repeat offenses R$3,600, when we are fully legalized with our vehicle documents, the standard license and the Interior personnel, with the operating license. Then a Detran agent comes, stops the car with a truculent approach and says that we are carrying out overcrowding, clandestine transport of passengers”, he said.
The union president details that, in most cases, taxi drivers accept rides from customers who wish to visit Canoa Quebrada, Cumbuco or Sobral, for example, and are stopped by traffic agents who point out the irregular transport of passengers.
“Sharing a taxi ride is the most natural thing ever. It’s called shared racing. There’s no problem at all. The taxi always provided this service, we never had a problem […] The taxi driver is scared, refusing to make an intercity trip because he knows that the chance of being fined R$1,800, having his car impounded and experiencing humiliation on the road is high,” he said.
THE PEOPLE contacted Detran-CE and is awaiting the agency’s response. The article must be updated.
Protesters also directed criticism at the application from the Regulatory Agency of the State of Ceará (Arce), nicknamed “coleira” by taxi drivers. Moura detailed that the platform should be used for drivers to register trips and report intercity races, however, according to the president, the application has malfunctions and “does not help the category”.
When contacted, Arce responded that it complies with the legal determination by providing a tool for using the category (read the full note below).
The mobilization of taxi drivers began at 4 am and affected traffic in the region. According to the president of Sinditaxi, representatives of 90 municipalities in Ceará participated in the demonstration.
Taxi drivers seek dialogue with the State Government
One of the objectives of professionals is to discuss these demands with the State Government. Last Saturday, the 4th, governor Elmano de Freitas traveled to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, to discuss investments in green hydrogen. Vice-governor Jade Romero takes over the State Government during this period.
According to Francisco Moura, the Secretary of Political Articulation, Waldemir Catanho, stated that the demands expressed by taxi drivers at the demonstration will be passed on to Elmano de Freitas and a meeting between the governor and the category should be scheduled by next week.
Note from Arce, in full:
“Regarding the demands of taxi drivers who carry out intercity trips, the Regulatory Agency of the State of Ceará (Arce) informs:
• Intermunicipal road transport service inspections are carried out by the State Department of Traffic (Detran), through a cooperation agreement with Agência Cearense, whose teams are instructed to strictly follow the rules of the intermunicipal transport sector in Ceará. Any inappropriate conduct by public agents must be reported to the ombudsman channels of the Government of the State of Ceará, so that they can be duly investigated;
• With regard to the Arce Táxi App, we emphasize that the application is a requirement determined by State Law No. 17,910. Therefore, Arce is complying with the legal determination by providing a tool for using the category, providing tutorials on the Agency’s official profiles on social networks and assistance to clarify doubts through the Ombudsman department, on telephones 0800.275.3838 and (85) 98229.3093 (Whatsapp);
• In relation to claims involving item IV, art. 5th, of the aforementioned State Law, which deals with the prohibition of “picking up passengers in municipalities other than those from which it was licensed for taxi service or returning to the municipality of destination of the trip to pick up passengers previously dropped off more than 24 (twenty and four) hours”, we inform you that, as this is also a legal requirement, any changes can only occur through legislative change.
Finally, Arce emphasizes its commitment to the development and safety of intercity transport in the State of Ceará, making itself available for further information.”
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